3 D Printed Fish-Mask Update

Disclaimer: I am not selling face mask knock offs and I am not going to profit from this post nor the information that I am giving you.  This post is simply offering a homemade alternative to a product that has been trademarked by Flymen Fishing Company.  I have bought numerous products from this company and to my knowledge, it is a reputable company and in no way am I discouraging you from conducting business with the company.  In other words, I'm trying to not draw the ire of Flymen Fishing Company with this post.  

Awhile back I posted about how I challenged a student of mine with a 3 D printer to try and make some face mask replicas.  To see the post, just click here.  If you don't know what a face mask is, it is an accessory that is a replacement for epoxy resins that are used to complete the head of a fly while allowing the user to attach eyes.  It is also nearly weightless.  This is an advantage if you are tying with synthetic fibers or trying to keep your fly from sinking head first or you're just trying to keep the weight consistent throughout the fly.  It also gives the fly a nice, consistent, and finished look.  Here are a couple of flies that I have used face masks on before.

Face masks are part of the Fish Skull line from Flymen Fishing Company.  This particular size of mask comes with 8 per package and has a price tag of $5.50.  If you do the math, you realize that each face mask costs $0.69.  Opinions will differ here on whether that is a cost effective approach to the flies you are tying.  Some folks won't care because they like the way the finished product looks.  Others will see it as cleaner and less cumbersome than the epoxy alternative.  Others will see it as overpriced and not worth the cost.  However, if you're alright with sacrificing some quality and have the means to make your own, you can make them for less than a nickle.  This is what my student came up with.  It's the white one.  She can't 3 D print in clear.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't spot on and you sacrifice the clear appearance.  It also has some burrs.  However, I will be whipping up some flies with these and seeing how they look.  Also, it looks like this homemade version could be painted or even colored with a sharpie if so desired.  Is it the same?  Obviously not.  Is it an alternative that has its pros and cons.  You bet!  Is it worth the time and materials to make your own?  Only you can be the judge of that!