uv glue

[Eddie Hernandez]

Hi All- ordered some materials to make a few bucktails and teasers and I noticed lots of folks are using UV resin, will this work in saltwater? If so can anyone recommend one?

thx

e.h

[thorhammer]

commercial nail polish / UV cure nail polymer will do.

[Tiddlerbasher]

Yup - what John said - UV nail varnish whatever product - works fine. I did try it for whipping rings, on a rod, too brittle it would crack under bending stress. But for flies/lures etc. it works fine and quick You just need the right type of UV light - they come in different wavelengths - like 365 nm and 400 nm approx. Just get the right torch or 'nail' set kit
For fly tying I use UV nail stuff all the time instead of epoxy or regular nail varnish.

[thorhammer]

If you are going to do a lot get a Sally Hanson uv light kit that goes with the polymer gel. 

[David Hall]

Yep what everyone else said.

[jurelometer]

A contrarian view:

UV resin cannot harden in places where the light does not reach.   If you plan to incorporate something like stick-on eyes,  you need to use  two coats.   The first coat gets hardened with the light before you add the eyes.  It will also  be difficult to  harden the resin on the inside of the fibers. The bulkier the fly,  the harder to cure all the way in.  For sparse flies without eyes it probably works fine.  Depends on what you tie.

Lots of folks like the UV cure,  but not me.   I liked it for whipping out a quick small fly in the back of a camper or hotel room,  but that's about it.  It is definitely convenient, but I find that I am not using it any more.

For a high build durable  cement or  coating on bigger freshwater or any saltwater flies,  I am a big fan of Loon Hard head,  a urethane cement.   All the material on the fly  will get chewed off before the hard head wears out.   If I want a big plastic head,  I use epoxy.  Epoxy is catalyzed so the whole head will harden,  not just the outside that UV light can reach.   I think this makes the fly more durable.  Epoxy will yellow over time, esp 5-minute.     The fish don't mind, but if it bothers you,  yellowing can be minimized  with a coat of clear nail polish.

if you do use a UV light,  do your homework on UV flashlight safety.   

[Tiddlerbasher]

If you need a high build just apply the uv varnish in thin layers - curing each layer at a time - it takes no time at all. Some of the products I've used will cure in 15-20 secs tops.

[sdlehr]

if you do use a UV light,  do your homework on UV flashlight safety.   

Yellow safety glasses are a must. UV light in eyes causes cataracts and other bad stuff.

[Eddie Hernandez]

Thank You all for all the great advice!!

[jurelometer]

if you do use a UV light,  do your homework on UV flashlight safety.   

Yellow safety glasses are a must. UV light in eyes causes cataracts and other bad stuff.

Thanks Sid.

Saw some recommendations for gloves/skin protection as well to avoid skin cancer, especially for frequent usage.
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So after doing safety homework,  acquiring eye protection,  possibly skin protection,   a matched UV flashlight, and then paying $.50 to $1 a gram for the UV "cement",  you are all set... sort of.  You might still need to find a regular cement that is compatible with the UV to hold your fly together and just use the UV cure for a surface coating.   Depends on the type of fly you are tying.  UV cure  only works where "shadow curing" is not required. I would view UV cure as an effective coating material,  but not as effective as an adhesive for fly tying.

Or you can skip the UV cure stuff and buy a bottle of non-toxic Loon Hard Head.  $6 to $7.50 for an ounce (~ $0.2 - 0.25   per gram).  Still expensive, but way cheaper than UV cure, and no lights or protective gear required.  And it is water based so you can thin it with... water.  Both a thin and thick cure from the same bottle.   I have no stake in this other than as an unhappy customer of several UV products, and a happy  customer of Hard Head....

I'll get off my soap box now . As you can see there are other folks here  that like the UV stuff.   

-J

[STRIPER LOU]

Jurelometer, I agree with all your comments. This doesn't work for me either and as you said, if the light doesn't hit it, its a no go.

When tying large flies, I like my first coat of head cement thinned so it penetrates a ways in. Top coat is full thickness.

No doubt it has its place but not for me. Loon products seem to be quite good and I usually carry a few of them at the shop to keep all the fly guys happy. A view from another perspective is always appreciated!

.................Lou

[oc1]

I just use a cyanoacrylic glue (Super Glue).  Runny, gel type, whatever.  It all seems about the same.  Super glue will soon start to look chalky when exposed to water and the sun.  But, hey, it's just a jig.  It's life is measured in hours of hard fishing, not years.  The dubbing will wear off before the glue lets go.  The hook will get bent or too dull to resharpen before the glue lets go.  I'll hang it on the bottom and loose it before the glue lets go.
-steve

[Tiddlerbasher]

It is all a means to an end - come on guys don't over think it

[STRIPER LOU]

Thanks Chris, your right!

....Lou

[thorhammer]

There's a reason I commented. I make these for a living: cyanoacrylates, uv cure polymer and various monomer, HEMA and ethyl acetate products. I've tied thousands of bucktails, sea witches fir ballyhoo rigs and streamers and I use plain old clear nail polish top coat.  No issues.