posted 01-02-2002 10:11 AM                  

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posted 01-02-2002 02:24 PM               

1) The right hair. Softer, thinner hair spins better and packs tighter.
2) Use more. My bunches average about the diameter of a pencil. When I was using smaller bunches it didn't work as well.
3) Get a bunch of different packers and try them all for the one that works best for you. Return the rest. The one I use is a big black plastic one--I forget the make.

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posted 01-02-2002 04:18 PM                  

oooohhh,I knew I should have saved that post I did a while back.
Ok here's another one.It's got a lot of pictures so it might take a while to download.Somebody PLEASE save this one!
I'll tie a black slider bug.That's a simple fly to make.
Here's all the tools I use to spin deer hair.

I like long bladed scissors for trimming. Long cuts give the finished bug a smoother appearance.I use a clamp style vise.Pedestal is OK but I'd clamp it down if possible.You need to pull pretty hard sometimes.For thread I like size A flat waxed nylon made by Danville

I've tried pretty much everything and that's my favorite thread for spinning.
after you've tied in the tail feathers cut off as much hair as you can hold between your thumb and forefinger.Hold it by the very tips and comb out all the stuff that's shorter.You'll end up with about half as much.
Hold it in your left hand with tips of the hair facing towards the tail on top of the hook.Your thread should be hanging directly in front of where the tail is tied in underneath your thumb.

Push the hair down around the hook slightly so it starts to surround it.Like this;

Take a loose turn of thread around the bundle of hair one complete revolution.As you come around over the top with the thread for the second time start to pull hard enough to flair the hair but do not let go of the tips just yet.

Zig-zag your thread forward through the flaired butts until you are in front of the hair altogether with the thread

Take a 1/2 dozen turns of thread in front of the hair like this and put a drop of cement on the wraps.Don't use crazy glue.Regular varnish thinned down is ideal.

Tie the next bundle directly on top of the wraps of thread.Do this before you apply each bundle of hair as you fill up the hook.
Continue filling up the hook with hair
(See part two for the rest)

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posted 01-02-2002 07:27 PM                  

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