Can anyone recommend a supplier for fly box foam either plain or slitted plastazote or ethafoam about 3mm thick, ideally self adhesive. These are trade names so any other advice on suitable sources / materials would be welcome.
I'm looking more for a wholesaler rather than a retailer as I can get 3mm x 300 x 200 mm sheets x 4 for about £5 but was maybe looking to buy this in larger sizes i.e. rolls or sheets.
would something like this do?
http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Replacment-Fly-Box-Linings-in-Bulk--100-.html (http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Replacment-Fly-Box-Linings-in-Bulk--100-.html)
That would be spot on if the sizes were larger Sandy but a bit too small for what I'm after.
There must be a supplier in the Glasgow area that does 3mm white closed cell foam in large sheets or rolls. I have the name of a place in Belfast and daresay a google with a few phonecalls woud get me what I'm after. I just wondered if anyone had any ideas for readily available alternatives. I remember Mike had some foam stuck to his rotating fly box but I can't find the thread.
The fly storage box I'm making is turning out not too bad and I've a few ideas for variants. I'd probably sell them but not to make a lot of money, more from the point of view of a self funding hobby that would pay for the odd fishing trip to Alaska for a bit of arctic charr fishing and perhaps the Baja in Mexico for a bit of world class big game fishing at least twice a year :lol:
Put on you best suit and go visit tell them your building a few prototypes for a fly box range your developing, leaving with some samples of course ;)
http://www.amariplastics.com/amariplastics/products/productview.asp?tid=102 (http://www.amariplastics.com/amariplastics/products/productview.asp?tid=102)
Quote from: guest on May 08, 2012, 06:32:13 PM
The fly storage box I'm making is turning out not too bad and I've a few ideas for variants. I'd probably sell them but not to make a lot of money, more from the point of view of a self funding hobby that would pay for the odd fishing trip to Alaska for a bit of arctic charr fishing and perhaps the Baja in Mexico for a bit of world class big game fishing :lol:
Feck me, what are you charging for them?
Had a wee trip to the workshop today to try one for myself, did not go down the mitre route, made things more complicated with the joints, mix of mahogany, cherry and oak, none of this plywood stuff. I'll put up a photae when it's done.
Quote from: Buanán on May 08, 2012, 06:38:06 PM
Put on you best suit and go visit tell them your building a few prototypes for a fly box range your developing, leaving with some samples of course ;)
http://www.amariplastics.com/amariplastics/products/productview.asp?tid=102 (http://www.amariplastics.com/amariplastics/products/productview.asp?tid=102)
Good link Buanán, I think a phone call and visit will be getting made very soon, thanks :)
Quote from: Inchlaggan on May 08, 2012, 06:41:47 PM
Feck me, what are you charging for them?
Had a wee trip to the workshop today to try one for myself, did not go down the mitre route, made things more complicated with the joints, mix of mahogany, cherry and oak, none of this plywood stuff. I'll put up a photae when it's done.
Oops you got your quote in before I edited my post to say I'm intending to go big game fishing at least a couple of times a year :lol: I don't think I'll be going any time soon though as the internet is awash with fly storage and collection boxes :roll:
Finger jointing, morticising or dovetailing would be a much better, more attractive & stronger solution for the corners but I'm not a cabinet maker so don't have the appropriate tools and I'm not pissing about with the dremel or tiny router bits at this stage .
Time is also a factor which is why I went for the mitres but using this method and mitre bond is an effective way of achieving a strong enough joint for the purposes of a simple prototype.
Oh aye and as for this " mahogany, cherry and oak " toffery. It's just as well they don't allow gazumping in Scotland is all I can say :roll: :lol:
Quote from: guest on May 08, 2012, 06:32:13 PM
That would be spot on if the sizes were larger Sandy but a bit too small for what I'm after.
. I remember Mike had some foam stuck to his rotating fly box but I can't find the thread.
http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=18291.msg195179#msg195179 (http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=18291.msg195179#msg195179)
TL
MC
Quote from: Mike Connor on May 08, 2012, 09:24:28 PM
http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=18291.msg195179#msg195179 (http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=18291.msg195179#msg195179)
TL
MC
Mike, I managed to find that thread of yours http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=17720.msg189418#msg189418 (http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=17720.msg189418#msg189418) . Does the rubber strip not get chewed up badly by the flies when you take them in and out ?
My original idea for the fly box was to line it completely with plastazote but the more I think about it, strip inserts may look and work better as well as being more versatile.
Quote from: guest on May 08, 2012, 11:07:08 PM
There's a company in Glasgow - Caledonian Group, Hillington - we use them a lot for close cell foam to line peli cases. Platazote/ethafoam in 8' x 4' sheets - worth a telephone call for a few samples.
I'll check that out Andy, thanks Donald.
What about sticky magnetic sheet/tape?
http://www.magnetic-paper.com/shop.asp?ID=10 (http://www.magnetic-paper.com/shop.asp?ID=10)
I bought their printable A4 magnetic paper and made fridge magnets with it using the families photographs printed out on my inkjet :)
Quote from: guest on May 09, 2012, 12:44:16 AM
Mike, I managed to find that thread of yours http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=17720.msg189418#msg189418 (http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=17720.msg189418#msg189418) . Does the rubber strip not get chewed up badly by the flies when you take them in and out ?
No, it works fine. As the strip comes with a powerful adhesive backing, you just cut to size and place them where you want them. I have a strip on my hat which has been used a lot and it's fine. Foam inserts are of course not much use for barbless hooks, but you can insert a piece of magnetic strip down the centre of the draught excluder strip and it will then hold barbless hooks as well. You need to give the magnet a coat of epoxy or it will rust.
The strip is very easy to use, very robust, and comes in various types and sizes;
(http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/9137/tesamoll.jpg) (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/tesamoll.jpg/)
Also quick and easy to replace if required, but I have some boxes that have strips in them that are over ten years old and well used. Still work perfectly.
Makes perfect "ridged" fly boxes with your own spacing ( a problem with ripple foam) also, if you do manage to bugger up a strip it just takes a few seconds to replace. The stuff is also cheap. I have never had to replace a strip yet and I have been using some for a very long time. There are two lengths of the stuff in most packets of 10 metres = 20 metres of strip at least. Prices vary, the stuff on Amazon is cheap enough though.
I have used the tesa-moll strips for a very long time and I bought them in a local DIY market years ago. There are doubtless other brands that will work, but this is the one I use.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_7_4/280-1934595-0220505?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tesa+draught+excluder&sprefix=tesa%2Caps%2C162 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_7_4/280-1934595-0220505?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tesa+draught+excluder&sprefix=tesa%2Caps%2C162)
I wouldn't use anything else now. Never did like various foams much. This stuff works much better, is easier to set up how you want it, easier to put flies in, keeps hackles etc safe and it looks attractive in the box.
Foam is generally just a pain in the arse.
TL
MC
You can get the magnetic strip here;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=magnetic+strip&x=0&y=0 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=magnetic+strip&x=0&y=0)
TL
MC
20 strips of this stuff arrived today
(http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af127/fishinscotland_co_uk/CustomFlyBox2.jpg)
20 strips of self adhesive micro slit foam. Each strip will hold up to 45 flies. 9" long 3/4" wide. 3/16 thick
( The black thing is a Canon SLR lens cover :? )
I probably won't use it in the fly box I'm making on the other thread but will keep it for one I've made out of good quality hardwood. I'll have to get some timber machined by a woodshop for me for this purpose though as I don't own a thicknesser/planer and can't justify the cost of one at the present time.
Quote from: Inchlaggan on May 08, 2012, 06:41:47 PM
Had a wee trip to the workshop today to try one for myself, did not go down the mitre route, made things more complicated with the joints, mix of mahogany, cherry and oak, none of this plywood stuff. I'll put up a photae when it's done.
Quote from: guest on May 08, 2012, 07:19:15 PM
Oh aye and as for this " mahogany, cherry and oak " toffery. It's just as well they don't allow gazumping in Scotland is all I can say :roll: :lol:
Ken,
joking aside, I'd be really keen to see what you've come up with, what kind of joints you used and how you achieved them as your skills in this field are obviously far superior to mine. I'll put a joint of any kind you want in a piece of 120 x 19mm timber but scale it down to 18 x 10mm stripwood and the tools I have are being taken to the limit unless I use mitred corners. Any advice you have in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Quote from: guest on May 10, 2012, 01:20:38 AM
Ken,
joking aside, I'd be really keen to see what you've come up with, what kind of joints you used and how you achieved them . I'll put a joint of any kind you want in a piece of 120 x 19mm timber but scale it down to 18 x 10mm stripwood and the tools I have are being taken to the limit unless I use mitred corners. Any advice you have in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Donald
The first thing to point out is that whilst you are "scaling down" to small work, I am "scaling up" from model-making. So we are both on a learning curve. I used finger-joints cut by hand with a very small saw -
http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/tools-accessories/tools-accessories/Precision-Razor-Saw-Set.aspx (http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/tools-accessories/tools-accessories/Precision-Razor-Saw-Set.aspx)
I could have used the minature Dremel Router, but it is set up for another project at the moment.
As I am not a model engineer (in the sense of making working steam engines as a couple of forumites have), most of my stuff just has to look right. So there is a lot of preparatory work in CAD, and jig-making. Alternative materials also feature very often as (say) plastics can easily be painted to represent wood or metal.
If the temperature rises a few degrees I'll get back out to the workshop and finish the box off and post some pics.
Ken,
I've been having a think about this, sourcing materials, tools etc and might be able to adapt what I have without spending a fortune.
I don't have a router table for the dremel but reckon I could easily make one and mount the dremel by taking off the front housing cap just below the collet nut and mounting it on a ply base by replacing the housing cap with a 10mm thick nut. I can then use the dremel to cut finger or mortice joints quite easily.
I'm also considering making up some presentation boxes routed out of single pieces of wood and will be able to make these out of cut off's but still quite expensive.
Once you start buying tools you will have no time for fishing! :)
Like many other things, building up and maintaining even a moderate workshop is more or less a full time job, and it's not cheap either!
TL
MC