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
commercial nail polish / UV cure nail polymer will do.
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.
If you are going to do a lot get a Sally Hanson uv light kit that goes with the polymer gel.
Yep what everyone else said.
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.
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.
Quote from: jurelometer on February 23, 2018, 06:39:03 AM
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.
Thank You all for all the great advice!!
Quote from: sdlehr on February 23, 2018, 03:28:46 PM
Quote from: jurelometer on February 23, 2018, 06:39:03 AM
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
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
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
It is all a means to an end - come on guys don't over think it
Thanks Chris, your right!
....Lou
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.
Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails John? They guys here wipe it out at Walmart! You cant even find it locally anymore.
..................Lou
Lou that's one our companies products. The SH Gel UV cure was one of my personal projects. hard as nails is exactly what I use on bucktails.
Neat John, Excellent work and its really great stuff. Once in a while I can find it at Walgreens but the 24 hr Walmart is sold out of it most of the time.
Do you like to thin it with lacquer thinner or do you prefer something else? I actually think it better than most of the head cements I use.
Thanks, .. Lou
24 hr Walmart???? are you guys kidding???? Tel me theres a need for 24 hr, almost anything????? Might be wrong too? ???
Lou/John
Sally Hansen's nail polish can be found at the nail polish aisle at wallys?
I asking cuz I want to paint some of my jig heads.
Thanks,
Lou, I just use it neat. Acetone will also thin the ethyl acetate base very well also; it's what is used to clean nail polish filling lines. You should be able to find HAS or any clear-coat at Wally, CVS, Walgreens, etc., basically any drug store. Don't waste money buying some higher stuff...for this application they are all similar. Artificial nail glue is also an option...its basically a cyanoacrylate (like crazy glue) but in a bottle with brush. It also doubles as a Skin-Shield type liquid bandage as well for small cuts. I used to make that too. Works just fine, same nitrocellulose to seal wound only doesn't have the diphenhydramine HCL as astringent.
Gary, the color polishes (non-UV gel cure, regular polish) are also ethyl acetate-based. called nail lacquer for a reason, basically paint.
Thanks John, I have both Acetone and Lacquer thinner and was wondering which was best.
Yes Gobi, as John said Wall'y, walgreens, etc. Lots of fly tiers around here so our Walmart sells out quickly.
..................Lou
If nail varnish is your thing Acetone is your thinners ;)
Quote from: STRIPER LOU on March 07, 2018, 10:26:47 PM
Thanks John, I have both Acetone and Lacquer thinner and was wondering which was best.
Yes Gobi, as John said Wall'y, walgreens, etc. Lots of fly tiers around here so our Walmart sells out quickly.
..................Lou
Lou,
Thanks, I found the colors I needed, I could not find any glow in the dark ones though.
Chris,
I use to buy head cement 12 in a box. Unfortunately it goes kinda south after a year or so and somtimes I have to throw a few away.
Its easy for me to run to Walmart and pick up some Sally's until I get and order from my regular supplier. I've thinned it both with acetone and lacquer thinner and figured one of you gents cud tell me
what's better to use.
Got a chance to see those panel LED's from Home Depot. Very nice. Not cheap but my area over the lathe and mill could definitely use a set.
Thanks for the info, most appreciated, .. Lou
The led panels are usually available off Ebay - Just did a quick check they are a lot more expensive over your side of the pond. A 4x1 panel costs £20-30 from a regular lighting shop I've used. Even cheaper off Ebay, particularly the 2x2 office type drop in panels. I'm guessing they are all made in PRC :-\ I suppose it comes down to the mark up value.
The store I've been using is this one, they only do led panel stuff:
https://www.ledpanelstore.co.uk
They aren't the cheapest but I've had good service and they give a 5yr warranty. I don't know what there shipping rates are like to the US.
For your head cement I would think acetone is the solvent - should be able to tell from the smell of a fresh bottle. When trying to rejuvenate old bottles it can take a week or two to soften the really hard stuff.
Thanks Chris, I'll check ebay.
I don't bother with the cement it when it starts to gel up. When your selling retail it just doesn't pay. Not worth taking a chance with something that may cause a problem.
Funny thing is some guys will by a fly made in china for $3.99 and if it falls apart after a few cast's, they throw it away. They'll use mine for a season and catch a bunch of fish on it, and if it starts to fall apart they want a new one.
I charge $5.00. Go figure.
Just got in from snowblowing and we got close to a foot and a half! I'm beat!
have a great day, .. Lou
Lou that's because they expect your flies to last forever ;D