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DIY Epoxy heads

Started by gstours, November 23, 2017, 05:55:22 PM

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gstours

This is a brief outline of how I do it.     Low cost, butt it works!   For starters you need the materials to make your fly,  it could be tied as a regular fly on a hook, or on a mooching solid tie hook and leader, or a tube.   I typically use tubes recycled from windexand other household products.   Start with your fly sort of finished w the head shaped the way you want it.    If you want eyes to stick on the try to make the sides flatter.   Generally. For starters the flatter the better.  Paint on 👀 eyes don't care 🤷‍♀️....
       Generally I will turn the epoxy fly on a 8 rpm motor as it free,s you up and keeps it rotating and eliminates 💧 drips. Here is an easy one to make.   Amazon .com about 8$ prime.  You can do yours however.   
5 min epoxy is generally thicker than slower ones. They work 👍 ok.  They will yellow thru time but will be covered anyway.    The metal flakes are craft store stuff.  I use silver butt other colors are available.

gstours

I mix the epoxy and metal flakes together and simply spread it on the turning head, spreading it out smooth like with a popcycle stick.   You can add some candle or butane heat to it if it's lumpy or thick,  be careful as it loses viscosity fast and may 💧 drip. 
    Jumping ahead is the building of the head.   Add material mostly to the top and bottom to keep it flat on the sides.  I use nail polish as thread cement,  drys fast, available.... add to every layer of material.

gstours

Next color the threads to whatever you want. As I don't use fancy correct color threads as of the 🧥 coatings.
   Saran Wrap strips can hold it together and protect it as necessary.   
         Place the fly in the clip or however you want to hold it.  And let it rotate until dry to touch after the base coat of epoxy is on.   

gstours

As the flakes in the epoxy may not be real smooth then if you want a fatter head recite w epoxy.  Butt I generally use another coating of sparkly nail polish as it's thinner and clearer.... 
     So that is a primer for viewing.  I'm no expert butt love 💕 to play around with stuff.🤷‍♂️🤦‍♀️🙇‍♀️
  The eyes can be put on and that's easy butt that may be shown following this post.

steelfish

Awesome Gary, really love your ingenuity and DIY skills

do you attache a big hook to this head or its just a flasher/attractor?

The Baja Guy

David Hall

Thanks for that Gary, I'm gonna give it a go, I picked up several packs of the iridescent body and tail material last year and hadn't decided what to use it on.

gstours

Thanks 🙋‍♂️  I tied some with hooks just like a buctail fly at first butt if you snell on the leader then you have to wrap around the coil!  It's evelotion?  Butt I didn't like tying on the knot later as it seemed bulky and ??
    So the tube fly has some benefits,  butt that's another story.🐟
Below is a couple tied on a two hook rig (mooching leader is what we call them)🐡

gstours

Painting on the eyes seems to be a one side at a time chore as it will drip 💧 usually.... do the larger round base first then after dry add the pupil.  Note that some lacquer will dissolve some oil paints....🤷‍♂️ So, coat quickly and don't brush much,  after  this lacquer is dry it's ok to keep recoding more with more as bleeding is way minimized.   Clear nail polish will add armor as they can be soft at first.
    The raised eyes 👀 are quite life like and come in different sizes.   I haven't had much luck with Super Glu?   These ones are ok, set up fast.  Then always cote over with a clear .    The best would be Flex Cote butt is expensive and harder to mix small dabs of if your only doing one fly at a time.    I generally use several cotes of clear nail polish as it's easy, no cleaning an applicator and very versatile.💇‍♀️💅🤷‍♀️

David Hall

More great info, I was searching for a source for the eyes.  I'll google them.  We have to use barbless here for salmon but that won't effect the tying.

gstours

Here's a couple more heads that fit ok on these lures.   That's the benefit to Custom! :)
   The top one is painted in two steps and covered w clear..   bottom fly is a raised glue on.
Oil paints and pigments can be mixed with epoxy to color it as desired.  Rod finish epoxies are thinner and clearer so maybe preferred for smaller or simply coloring threads?

Epoxy heads are very durable and can be adapted to any fry pattern.  You could weight the head for casting or sinking as desired and hidden inside. Sky is the limit for color and styles and sizes...

Dominick

Quote from: David Hall on November 23, 2017, 08:50:01 PM
More great info, I was searching for a source for the eyes.  I'll google them.  We have to use barbless here for salmon but that won't effect the tying.
David, lots of eyes at Michael's. 

Gary, there is no end to you talent.  Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

gstours

Hey Dave if you don't mind waiting for afew weeks buy from e bay ,,,google seller ,  Niceol ,  holographic fish eyes 👀. 100 pse, 20mm silvers for $3.29 including 🚢 shipping..  
 Several sizes and color s.   Eyes 👀 galore 🏃‍♂️

gstours

To parafraze,  it don't have to be purty if it works,🤦‍♂️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️
   These redder color are for pinks = bait.🐋🐳🐟🐠