Testing a New Pattern with a 3D Printed Head in the Tester Tank

Back in January, I posted about a fly pattern that I had learned to tie.  It incorporates a 3D printed head on the fly and I like how the fly turned out.  To read that post, just click here.  To follow up on this post, I wanted to share what I learned after putting it in a tester tank and a small change that I made as a result of what I observed.

I always like to get the negative out of the way so the positive feels like some sort of reward.  Lets start with the bad news.  I had expected the the gray version of the fly with the rabbit strip to have some great action in the water.  While it did have action, it was underwhelming.  That fly also struggled to sink at all which was also a bummer.  

The good news is that the olive fly with the marabou back sank a little better (it almost had neutral buoyancy actually) and the action was just as good as the fly with the rabbit strip.  The lack of a rabbit strip means that the fly just became cheaper to tie as well as the fact that the marabou doesn't seem to foul as much as the rabbit strip does.  However, anyone that knows me is aware that I'm not the type of person to leave "good enough" alone.

So I tied a third fly.  This one incorporated craft fur as a back and, in my opinion, is the optimal design.  The action of the fly was a little less than the marabou but also caused it to hold a better profile.  What I really mean is that the marabou made the fly appear more fluffy, which didn't seem very realistic.  The craft fur gave more of a wavy, swimming motion and the profile of the fly looked more lifelike.  Check out the videos, as well as the pictures below, for visuals on what I am attempting to describe.  All that's left now it field testing!

So Many Flies!

Link: https://theshowmeflyguy.etsy.com

Between being off last Monday for President's day and then missing school for three days, I spent a lot of time at a vise cranking out flies.  I turned so many out, that my back and shoulders were actually sore and I had to stretch.  There is a pretty full inventory in the online store right now, especially if you are in need of some streamers.  All purchases are greatly appreciated and I promise that I tie these fly to the best of my abilities.  I only sell flies that I use and if I tie something that doesn't live up to my high standards, it goes in my fly box so it can't end up in yours!  Thank you for reading this and for any business that you send my way!  

Link: https://theshowmeflyguy.etsy.com

 

Reminder: Frontline Fly Fishing Fly Tying Gala is THIS Saturday!

This is a reminder that if you live in the Kansas City area (or really like to travel to the Kansas City area), it would be a pleasure to see you at the first ever Frontline Fly Fishing's Fly Tying Gala!  It will be held on February 22 from 11-3 at the Sheet Metal Workers Union Hall near Arrowhead Stadium at 2902 Blue Ridge Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, 64129.  There will be 4 fly tyers offering demonstrations and instruction on a variety of patterns.  I was flattered to be asked to be one of the presenters and it will be an honor to show attendees some patterns and techniques.  I will also be selling flies, some 3D printed items, and buttons too!  

Food will be provided and after the cold weather that we have experienced lately, it will be nice to get out of the house and engage with folks that have the same passion for fly fishing.  There will also be a rummage sale with fellow anglers selling new and gently used fly fishing items.  With this being the first time that this event has been held, I'm not exactly sure what this is going to look like, but Frontline Fly Fishing has put on some great events in the past and I have no doubt that this will be well ran as well as a lot of fun.  I hope to see you there!

 

Missouri Trout Park Buttons & More!

With the lousy weather that has been draped over the Kansas City area, I have been afforded some time to dedicate to my new hobby.  There has been a small learning curve but I think I have a system in place and understand most of the intricacies with the button making process.  I've cranked out some buttons for Missouri trout parks, some fly fishing organizations, and some designs that I just thought looked cool.  I am getting closer to selling my creations in my online store but I'm first going to test the market this Saturday at the Frontline Fly Fishing's Fly Tying Gala.  It will be held this Saturday, February 22, from 11-3 at the Sheet Metal Workers Union Hall.  There will be folks selling flies, a rummage sale, and fly tying demonstrations.  I'm going to see how these buttons are received at the booth that I will have and use that as a gauge to see what level of interest fly anglers have.  I hope to see you there and maybe get one or two of these buttons in your hands!

I Made a Stovetop Cover to Give to Wendy on Valentine's Day!

From the minute that I saw a stovetop cover, I knew that I wanted to make one for Wendy.  While I thought she would like to have something that appears new and trendy in our kitchen, I also saw its functionality as well.  We would always like to have more counterspace so this cover not only gives us a surface to put things on but also protects our glass stovetop as well.  I found a piece of edge-glued wood at Lowe's that was going to fit really well.  I only had to rip the wood length-wise and when I cut the wood length-wise, the leftover pieces got glued along the edges where the handles were later installed.  I got lucky with the handles as they were on clearance and matched our existing hardware perfectly.  I also added some stick-on rubber feet to make sure the cover didn't touch the stove directly and didn't slide along the glass either.  

While I have some more sanding and staining to do, I am really happy how this project is coming along.  I had the pleasure to give this to Wendy as a Valentine's Day present and her excitement as well as appreciation showed me that I had selected a good gift to make.  That's what it was all about anyway.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted a project to take on and I hadn't put any carpentry skills (mine of which, are very limited) to use in awhile.  Usually, with most of my woodworking projects, I run into a problem or two but not with this one.  I guess it helps that it was an extremely simple project that doesn't have many parts to it.  I believe that the easier the path is that you are walking down in life, the more likely it is that you are following the right path.  I'm glad this was a project that I feel was meant to do and that adds to the romanticism on this special day.

 

Now I Own a Button Making Machine

Yep, I bought a button making machine.  I have wanted one for a few weeks now and when the urge to buy one didn't fade away, I decided to purchase one.  I feel like part of my desire to make buttons can be tied to the same reason that I bought a 3D printer.  The more I think about it, I believe there is a theme to my hobbies.  I like to make things.  I also tie flies and do some basic woodworking which only reinforces the idea I enjoy both the process and product of crafting.  

You might be wondering, "Why a button maker?"  Well, there are multiple answers to that question.  One is that it was inexpensive.  Two, it seems pretty easy to use, but not so easy that it doesn't offer a little challenge and creativity.  Three, it wasn't very expensive (found this one for about $50 on eBay).  Finally, I have a purpose that I think other people might appreciate.  

I want to make small, thoughtful, and creative buttons that fly fishers will appreciate.  My thinking is that I know anglers like stickers and put them on things like coolers, their vehicles, and other hard surfaces.  However, buttons could fill a void because they can be placed on soft surfaces like fabric.  I can see fly anglers putting buttons on vests, sling packs, and hats.  The buttons that I have made are only about an inch wide so they are visible but not cumbersome.  I know fly line, leader, and flies like to catch on almost anything so I'm keeping things small and proportional to what I think the buttons will be displayed on.  I'm still perfecting the fabrication process but you should expect to see some buttons in the online store soon.  If you have any requests or ideas for designs, feel free to leave a comment on this page of shoot me an email at showmeflyguy@gmail.com.  

 

I 3D Printed a Deer Hair Packing Tool

While browsing through some different 3D printing files online, I ran across a fly tying tool that caught my interest.  While I don't do a lot of deer hair packing in my tying, I might one day.  If that day comes, I want to make sure that I have the right tool for the job.  I also wanted to save some money (about $20 after shipping) on a tool that I might or might not ever use.  So with a downloaded file and some curiosity, I started printing a hair packing tool.

To make a long story short, it turned our really well!  It's light but I can feel that it is strong enough to perform the job that it might perform.  I like the color too as well as the dimensions.  I also found out that the tool can perform some other functions as well such as tying half hitch knots and tying hairs and fibers with a reverse tying technique.  The bottom of the tool (the side that was facing the build plate) is a little rough though.  I might try to sand it down or I might just live with it.  Either way, I dig it and might start looking at some new patterns to use just so I can put it to use.

Some images of a hair packing tool at work.

Waylon Treed It, Then I Bagged It! (Part 2)

 

As I approached the tree, I saw the varmint and he appeared extremely concerned with the attention Waylon was giving him.  The squirrel was on the right side of the tree and hiding from Waylon that was on the left side of the tree and standing on his hind legs with his front paws on the tree.  His excitement was also expressed through his barking that gave no reprieve.  With all of this commotion, and the squirrel's focus squarely on Waylon, I don't think it ever saw me.  I raised my gun, but a bead on the tree rat, and squeezed the trigger.  Thankfully, I think the little guy was dead before he hit the ground.  While I understand that when I hunt, I am trying to kill something but I take no joy in watching an animal suffer.

Waylon and I both saw the squirrel hit the ground and while I was excited to harvest an animal that I was hunting, I was also curious what Waylon was going to do now that he could get to the squirrel.  This was not the first time that Waylon had encountered a squirrel, but he was about to get closer to one than he had ever been.  If I had a nickel for every squirrel that I have seen Waylon chase, I would need a full size van to haul my nickels around.  He had never caught one so I was interested to see how he was going to treat the furry little thing now that it wasn't going anywhere.  

For a moment, he picked the squirrel up and gave it a shake.  It wasn't as violent as I have seen him play with his toys, but he wanted to be certain it was dead.  He then dropped it on the ground and gave it a few licks.  After that, he was done.  I was hoping that he would bring it to me or do something amazing, but I had to settle for him standing my the squirrel until I picked the squirrel up.  I guess that's better than just running off to find the next squirrel.  

Waylon spent the rest of the day with a little more motivation and even barked at a few trees that didn't seem to have anything in them other than leaves.  While we only left with one squirrel, just as importantly, we walked away with a good story.  Sure, Waylon is a German Shorthaired Pointer that is typically used by hunters to locate and flush birds like pheasant and quail, but my dog came with an extra setting apparently.  He's also a squirrel dog which is pretty cool!  That's fine with me because I'm pretty sure we have more squirrels on our property than quail.