The figuring on the walnut of the bottom drawer on that chest is incredible. I'd have that as the top drawer so you can see it all the time if they are interchangeable. Absolutely stunning figuring. My plan is to tie a few hundred flies before I make my tying area so I can gauge what I need and where I need things to be. At the moment I'll be tying on my reloading bench so I'm going to build a little cabinet that I can set on the bench and have behind my vise until I move into a new home and can have a dedicated area for tying and not have to share with my reloading bench.
I love your happy place, you really have got just about everything you will ever need, a great place to sit & think about the next session or a new water, fantastic.
Yeah, I have stuff that I don't even know I have. If you are a real fly tier, and I think you are, you understand. It is the same philosophy that I have in the boxes that I carry. I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
I just got several Collins capes/saddles. Very nice. Really good price too for the cape and saddle. Unfortunately he is no longer raising chickens and is now just selling off the last of his stock. I'm going to order a bunch more just to have them. Kinda a pain to order though
Well, the tool caddy and beautiful chest of drawers are my brother's work. HE is the true artist in the family. This is his website. cleancutwoodworks.com/ You might recognize my pieces among his pictures.
C'mon man! Aren't all fly tying benches supposed to be a cluttered mess? Ha! Your's was amazingly organized. My bench area is a disaster 95% of the time, but I seem to manage. Thanks for sharing.
HA! Of course it is not always that tidy, but I must say that I HAVE gotten into the practice of putting all materials back in their places once I finish a set of flies. I learned a long time ago that if I don't do that, the desk can get away from me pretty quickly. Thanks for the comment, my friend!
Good to see others' set-ups. Over the years I came to one fundamental realisation - if it's not within reach of my chair it's too far away. I know that's a 'council of perfection' but for most amateur featherbenders it's good practice. Major players and professionals will inevitably have way more stock than can be reached from a chair, so they have no choice. My other vital realisation was that 95% of my flies could be tied on 5 colors of thread, and most of that was hidden by dressings. A hundred thread colors were a royal pain in the backside to stock, to display, and to pay for. Thus, 95% of the colors I need can be pre-threaded on just five bobbin holders, by my right hand. For one-off colors the acquisition of a (too bloody expensive) Petitjean bobbin holder that loads in two seconds might be thought an excusable extravagance. The ergonomics of a fly station can't immediately make you into a Davie McPhail, or a Shorty, but having to get out of your chair to locate a silver badger hackle for a #16 sure makes the journey longer. Fishermen and fly men are acquisitive SOBs. Guilty, your honor.
Thanks. I appreciate the input. Look for some containers in Michael's in the beading section. If you check out my Shorty on The Fly FB page I have posted a pic of what I use there. Good luck!
Lol Shorty! I knew you were amazing. Thanks, that was absolutely wonderful. How old were you when you started tying? I started at 63 just turned 64. I have one good year in and have learned so much from people like yourself. Who knows maybe one day we will cross paths. I am in Ga. outside of the Atlanta metro area. Stay well and safe my friend 👍
I was in my late 30's and I am 59 now. I do not think that I would have had the patience to get good at it if I had started when I was a younger man. We all learn from one another and the fly tying/fishing community is just wonderful in this regard.
Are you sure you have enough thread, hackle & tools? ;-) You are much more organized than I am. Nice setup & logical system. I got so far behind on organizing my desk, it wandered away & was found on the next street over. I’m still trying to get it in order. I’ll use yours as a positive example of what can be done.
The next time my son is in town I will try to put something together. I do not want to put out a cheesy looking video taken with my phone held in my hand and trying to narrate with demonstrating. My boy would be the brains behind something like that. Peace.
I have a standing lamp with 5 adjustable lights illuminating from behind me and a strong lamp right over my vise on my desk. When tying at shows I have a Peak light that attaches to the stem of my vise. It is expensive but worth it. Do not underestimate the importance of good lighting.
From obsession to disease!! Aaaaaaaand $30k later ... I am 1000% jealous. You could AIRBnB this space to men for about $300 an hour for 'mental therapy!' Just an idea. (I'll reserve January 2nd for the next 3 years, 10am to 1pm.) To get over the holiday madness. Thanks, Nick in Redfield Arkansas
I use bead storage containers I got at Michael's. If you got to my Shorty On the Fly Facebook page there is a picture there. The pic shows hook storage on the left and bead storage on the right. Hope that is helpful.
