Sunday Classic / Gift for the Fly Tying Enthusiast

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I’m always looking for ways to make my fly tying more efficient so I can whip out a few more flies when I sit down at the tying bench. Sometimes the best ideas come from my friends and family who don’t even fly fish. I was completely surprised these holidays when my wonderful Mother-in-law handed me this magnetic parts tray to open up Christmas morning. What a brilliant idea on her part to find a way to help me keep track of my terminal tying materials and finished flies. God knows I spend a fair amount of time on my hands and knees searching for items that have fallen off my tying bench. No more will I have to deal with dropped hooks, beads and other materials on the floor when I’m tying flies. For any fly shop owners out there that happen to see this, I recommend you pick some of these guys up at your local Auto Zone and stack them next to the cash register.

Keep it Reel,

Kent Klewein
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
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17 thoughts on “Sunday Classic / Gift for the Fly Tying Enthusiast

  1. Plastic trays (for those of you who purchase meat at the store) are great for keeping items on the bench. I also save velveeta cheese boxes for storing long feathers. They are well built, and most feathers fit in them well without being damaged.

  2. Also from the auto parts store: telescoping magnet. Less than $4. This is a pretty strong, round, 3/8″ magnet on the end of a telescoping device the size of a thin pen that is designed (I think) to pick up dropped screws and nails from tight places . Telescopes from 3-4 inches to about 15 inches. But the magnet is the perfect size to pick up and hold hooks and magnetic beads from small bins or that are dropped on the floor or just fall between the cracks in your compartment box. I also use it to transfer tiny hooks from packaging to small storage bins and transfer tiny flies I tie to storage. Much better than fingers.

    It is also useful for other home chores where screws, nails, or small tools may be dropped, and you always know where it is: on the tying bench. Just saw this device a couple of months ago while waiting to talk to the parts store owner about access for a stream clean-up, and I now use it every time I tie.

  3. Great Tip. I sometimes share my tying space with my 3 year old daugther. I am always try to be careful to go and find the hooks I drop, but beads tend to get away without a hot pursuit. Each time my little one comes to visit she is quick to find a small handful of beads, and I always hope she doesn’t find a hook too. Thanks, this will help keep the floor a lot safer.

  4. I also have magnet tape on the base of my vise to catch dropped hooks and beads (if using a clamp you could just put a strip of this under your vise – they sell it in 5×7 sheets at craft stores.

  5. … And a strongish magnet stuck to the fore and back edge of the vacuum head, just above the edge to avoid scratching the floor. That way the metallic parts (hooks…) get stuck and not swallowed and can be saved when the female cohabitant requires vacuuming of the man cave. I strongly suggest using temporary fixation with masking tape to keep cohabitation smooth when the magnets must come off :).

    Andreas

  6. The first time this was posted, i thought it was a great idea, and went out and bought one from the auto parts store. it was not long before i decided that this would not fit my style (unorganized as shit). The problem I have came across when using this magnetic tray, is that I tend to get my tools to close and it magnetizes said tools! I have ruined a few pairs of expensive scissors because of them pulling up hooks from my table, and me not realizing it until I try to cut a hook in half.

    This would not be an issue if I were more organized, and it really is a great idea, but did not work for me and my messy messy tying area. Any ideas on how to demagnetize scissors?

    • troutmanbrook,

      Keep your scissors in your hand when you are tying. It takes getting you used to but it will save you considerable time picking them up and putting them down every two seconds when tying. I also have a foam tool caddy where I keep all of my tools organized. Think I purchased it from C&F for about $15 several years ago. Of course you could make your own if you wanted.

      Kent

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