Rotary vise usage

[Jim Ray]

I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs really look nice.
But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature. I
tie lots of #12-20 nymphs and dries, along with some #4-10 steelhead flies
when I want to see what I'm working on. I know they can be plenty useful,
but just how often do you actually rotate the fly, in practice?

Jim Ray

--
email SPAM countermeasures require removal of allnails to reply

[Big Dale]

Jim ray wrote:snip>I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs
really look nice.
>But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature

I seldom tie a streamer fly and don't use the rotary feature. I find it
particularly useful when tying any of the Blonde series of flies and when I tie
Lit'l Joes in a size 8,I use the material bobbin as well. If you do much
sal****er fly tying there is no reason to handicap yourself. It seems like for
the past 20 years, few vises on the high end do not have the feature, so why
not have it?

Big Dale

[Ken Fortenberry]

Jim Ray wrote:

> I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs really look nice.
> But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature. I
> tie lots of #12-20 nymphs and dries, along with some #4-10 steelhead flies
> when I want to see what I'm working on. I know they can be plenty useful,
> but just how often do you actually rotate the fly, in practice?

I've owned but two vises, a cheap Cabela's knockoff of the Thompson
Model A and a Regal, but I've tried a lot of other vises, including
many "true rotary" vises. For the tying I do the Regal works fine and
I've never missed the "true rotary" function. I'm not an accomplished
tyer, so maybe the guys who tie really well make good use of that
function, but I just don't tie that way. I can "rotate" the Regal and
I really like the flat surface it provides for my left hand.

So to answer your question, I "rotate" the fly to take a look at it,
but my vise is not a "true rotary", and I don't miss that feature.

--
Ken Fortenberry

[Thunder Fish]

I have a Renzitti (sp) Travelers vise and love it !Thread and other material's are applied far more evenly.It took some getting used to but I know I can turn out better flies,
faster and possibly using less material
Terry

Jim Ray wrote:

> I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs really look nice.
> But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature. I
> tie lots of #12-20 nymphs and dries, along with some #4-10 steelhead flies
> when I want to see what I'm working on. I know they can be plenty useful,
> but just how often do you actually rotate the fly, in practice?
>
> Jim Ray
>
> --
> email SPAM countermeasures require removal of allnails to reply

[Svend Tang-Petersen]

Jim Ray wrote:

> I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs really look nice.
> But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature. I
> tie lots of #12-20 nymphs and dries, along with some #4-10 steelhead flies
> when I want to see what I'm working on. I know they can be plenty useful,
> but just how often do you actually rotate the fly, in practice?
>
> Jim Ray
>
> --
> email SPAM countermeasures require removal of allnails to reply

I only use my rotary if I do something with epoxy. Otherwise I prefer to be
able to rest my
material hand on the vise to get better control of tie in and placement.

--

Svend

************************************************** ***************
Svend Tang-Petersen, MSc Email: svend AT sgi.com
SGI Pager: svend_p AT pager.sgi.com
1500 Crittenden Lane Phone: (+1) 650 933 3618
Mountain View
California 94043
USA
MS 30-2-526
************************************************** ***************

[Willi]

Svend Tang-Petersen wrote:


>
> I only use my rotary if I do something with epoxy. Otherwise I prefer to be
> able to rest my
> material hand on the vise to get better control of tie in and placement.


Why can't you rest your hand on your rotary?

Willi

[Willi]

Ken Fortenberry wrote:

>
> I've owned but two vises, a cheap Cabela's knockoff of the Thompson
> Model A and a Regal, but I've tried a lot of other vises, including
> many "true rotary" vises. For the tying I do the Regal works fine and
> I've never missed the "true rotary" function. I'm not an accomplished
> toyer, so maybe the guys who tie really well make good use of that
> function, but I just don't tie that way. I can "rotate" the Regal and
> I really like the flat surface it provides for my left hand.
>
> So to answer your question, I "rotate" the fly to take a look at it,
> but my vise is not a "true rotary", and I don't miss that feature.
>

My Thompson died a year or so ago and I had tied on a number of
different vises, including several rotaries. I felt that after so many
years of tying on a non rotary vise, I would never use the feature.
Because of so many recommendations, I got a Renzetti.

It didn't take long before I was using the rotary feature. I find it is
great for winding hackles, bodies, ribbing etc. I can wrap a hackle much
neater with the rotary feature since you see just where you are putting
the hackle during the whole time it is being wrapped, instead of just
the side facing you when you use a stationary vise.

I think if you had a true rotary, you would use the feature.

Willi

[Svend Tang-Petersen]

Willi wrote:

> Svend Tang-Petersen wrote:
>
> >
> > I only use my rotary if I do something with epoxy. Otherwise I prefer to be
> > able to rest my
> > material hand on the vise to get better control of tie in and placement.
>
> Why can't you rest your hand on your rotary?
>
> Willi
>

Well you can., but my HMH offers a lot better support than the Renzetti 4000 .
On the 4000
the jaws are mounted on a V shape structure where my hand ends up being further
away from
the hook and thus accuracy in material placement isnt as good and support is
less stable.

--

Svend

************************************************** ***************
Svend Tang-Petersen, MSc Email: svend AT sgi.com
SGI Pager: svend_p AT pager.sgi.com
1500 Crittenden Lane Phone: (+1) 650 933 3618
Mountain View
California 94043
USA
MS 30-2-526
************************************************** ***************

[Hooked]

"Jim Ray" > wrote in message
...
> I'm considering a new vise, and those glitzy rotary jobs really look nice.
> But I've got to ask myself how often one actually uses the rotary feature.
I
> tie lots of #12-20 nymphs and dries, along with some #4-10 steelhead
flies
> when I want to see what I'm working on. I know they can be plenty useful,
> but just how often do you actually rotate the fly, in practice?
>
> Jim Ray


If you're tying steelhead flies, I'm sure you use a lot of tinsel for ribs.
The rotary feature is nice to be able to see exactly where you're putting
that rib on what would normally be the far side of the fly. Also useful when
palmering a hackle. A definite plus when using floss. You can lay that floss
right where you want it when you can see exactly where you're putting it.

The only draw back to using rotary is you have to half hitch the thread, or
make extra wraps of thread, otherwise when you turn the vise, your thread
will unwind. Unless you reverse wrap everything, then the thread will
actually wind onto the hook, which you then just unwind. I find it's not too
hard to use a half hitch to lock the thread in place, and use the bobbin
cradle. Then the thread just twists a little as you rotate the vise. Then
just let the bobbin hang for a few seconds to unwind.

Get the rotary. After using it a few times and after you get used to it,
you'll be glad you got it.

[Lat705]

The rotary also has an advantage for those of use who have a heavy touch when
hackling. It is easier to maintain a controlled tension than on a non-rotary
vise.

Lou T

[rb608]

"Willi" > wrote in message
> It didn't take long before I was using the rotary feature. I find it is
> great for winding hackles, bodies, ribbing etc. I can wrap a hackle much
> neater with the rotary feature since you see just where you are putting
> the hackle during the whole time it is being wrapped, instead of just
> the side facing you when you use a stationary vise.
>
> I think if you had a true rotary, you would use the feature.


I'm a much less experienced and less talented tyer than Willi, but my novice
experience with the rotary feature is the same. Anything you wrap around
the shank can be easier with the rotary. I'm not into fine imitations or
tiny midges; but I use it with dubbing, tinsel, ribbing, and hackle. As
Willi says, it's also great for a quick look at the underside. If you can
go the extra bucks, it's worth in IME.

Joe F.

[Tim J.]

"rb608" wrote...
> "Willi" wrote...
> > It didn't take long before I was using the rotary feature. I find it is
> > great for winding hackles, bodies, ribbing etc. I can wrap a hackle much
> > neater with the rotary feature since you see just where you are putting
> > the hackle during the whole time it is being wrapped, instead of just
> > the side facing you when you use a stationary vise.
> >
> > I think if you had a true rotary, you would use the feature.
>
> I'm a much less experienced and less talented tyer than Willi, but my novice
> experience with the rotary feature is the same. Anything you wrap around
> the shank can be easier with the rotary. I'm not into fine imitations or
> tiny midges; but I use it with dubbing, tinsel, ribbing, and hackle. As
> Willi says, it's also great for a quick look at the underside. If you can
> go the extra bucks, it's worth in IME.

That's my take, also. Look at the rotary feature like a spare tire - you may not
use it very often, but it's nice to have when you need it. BTW, it's especially
nice to have for PT bodies and other short material you'd normally have to
switch from hand to hand as you're wrapping.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj