# DYI Rotary Fly Tying Vise.



## captken

Close up of Vise Jaws










All pipe and fittings are 1/2" The dowel is 5/8".

The vise stands in the hole in the red board in pic#2. One thing I want to do to improve this vise is to taper the nose of the vise. This would make tying tiny flies a lot easier.

Use another short length of dowel to make other jaws for larger and smaller hooks. Changing the width of the saw kerf in the jaw is all you need to do.

I just noticed that I photographed two different jaws. One jaw used a thumb screw and the other a wing-nut. Either method works fine. Notice that the head of the bolt in the jaw with the wing-nut is mortised into the vise jaw so the bolt won't turn while you tighten the jaw. In the other jaw with the thumb-screw, the nut is mortised into the dowel jaw.

I have a $200+ rotary vise (Nor-Vise) and this home made vise will do anything it will.

Fly tying is not rocket science. Fly tying materials are not necessarily expensive.

Easy enough to make a fly tying bobbin that works fine too.


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## true-king

Neat! Cool idea.


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## captken

One of my first fishing gizmos was a fly tying vise. I made it out of a spring clothespin, a rubber band, a screw and a piece of broom handle. Later I got a fly tying kit with vise from Santa. I continued to use my clothespin vise until I went to college. I wish I knew where it went.

The clothespin vise worked fine for lots of years.


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## Private Pilot

Nice! Im going to have to try that


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## Maps

Thanks for the great idea! Here's my attempt and yes, it works great.


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## captken

GREAT! Glad to see somebody trying it. 

Notice the little pieces on either side of the TEE on mine. These are little collars that keep the jaw from sliding in or out. I cut the ends off a coupling to make them. They are pinned to the jaw shaft with tiny nails.

If you are only tying a few flies, why spend $300 on a vise?

Not buying something you want because you can't afford it kinda sucks. Buying something you want because you can is ok. Making something you want because you can is mighty fine and a helluva lot more satisfying than buying it. (IMHO)

I've never had a lot of money but I was blessed with ingenuity. Somehow, I don't think I have missed too much.


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## CJF

Great idea! I've got a rotary but I'm gonna try it just for poops and giggles. Thanks for the great idea!:letsdrink


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