Hair stackers?

"Charlie Choc" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 10:32:10 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

SWMBO and I are starting out with a week of flyfishing at some trout
fishing
venue in South Africa (www.kingfishertrout.co.za) then headed off
overland
to Victoria Falls region and southern Zambia in a rental 4x4 with full-on
safari camping gear (http://www.bushlore.com/Campers.asp). Should be an
exciting vacation, and I hope to be able to cast to some TigerFish in the
Zambezi, some lake species in the Okavango, and of course, some trout in
South Africa. Look for a TR when I get back.

Looks like fun Myron. That's the kind of thing my trailer was really made
for.
g

Yep. The tent rig is made by the same folks who made yours. Any inside hints
about stuff we ought to know?

--riverman

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 10:32:10 +0100, "riverman" wrote:

SWMBO and I are starting out with a week of flyfishing at some trout fishing
venue in South Africa (www.kingfishertrout.co.za) then headed off overland
to Victoria Falls region and southern Zambia in a rental 4x4 with full-on
safari camping gear (http://www.bushlore.com/Campers.asp). Should be an
exciting vacation, and I hope to be able to cast to some TigerFish in the
Zambezi, some lake species in the Okavango, and of course, some trout in
South Africa. Look for a TR when I get back.

Looks like fun Myron. That's the kind of thing my trailer was really made for.
g
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com/ - photo galleries
http://www.chocphoto.com/roff

"Frank Reid" moc.deepselbac@diersicnarf wrote

Seconded. A hair stacker, (I use the large one 'cause its easier to stuff
the **** in there)

hehe, I mainly use the small one because it's easier to get the **** OUT
still stacked nicely G ... most of the hair I use is for small Sparkle
duns ( down to 22s, but mostly 16-20 ) To tie that pattern well the hair
must have very, very short tips ( the solid 'black' part at the very end )
and be hollow right out to those tips, AND, each hair must be small in
diameter ( it is possible to find a rare piece that has short tips and
relatively fat individual hairs, but it won't be AS easy to tie with, too
"flairy" )...... such hair is almost always, also, short and tends to tip
sideways in a bigger tube

I only mention this to point out one thing I'm constantly relearning about
tying .... the more carefully one selects materials, the better the fly and
the experience of producing it. Another thing? The exactly right tool
makes things better too ... gear whores rejoice ....and for very small
amounts of short hair a small stacker works better, for bigger amounts of
long hair, a bigger one rules ... what can be nicer than an excuse to buy
two G?

"riverman" wrote This is really a weak topic for a
thread, because if I just go out and buy
one and then toss it later, it will represent a much smaller waste of
money
than most of the things I have in my tying kit. But just the same, whats
the
scoop....do most of you advanced tyers use a stacker, or do you do it by
hand?

--riverman

Riverman,
A hair stacker is worth the money. I have an aluminum two piece hair
stacker. The aluminum does not build up a static charge and the two pieces
come apart in the middle so you can grab the hair bur the butts and pull
them out.
Ernie

On Sat, 4 Dec 2004 19:54:36 +0100, "riverman"
wrote:

In my beginner days, every single fly tying instruction book I read (that
means both of them) had the same 'inside hint' that a hair stacker was not
really necessary. One suggested an empty lipstick case, another said you
could align the hairs by hand just as easily, with a bit of practice.

But now that I'm getting a bit better at tying, I find aligning the hairs a
RPITA! I tried a lipstick case, but when I dumped the hairs out, they all
fell into disarray again. I think a hair stacker really is a good idea, but
I don't know for sure because I've never really used one.

This is really a weak topic for a thread, because if I just go out and buy
one and then toss it later, it will represent a much smaller waste of money
than most of the things I have in my tying kit. But just the same, whats the
scoop....do most of you advanced tyers use a stacker, or do you do it by
hand?

--riverman

I used cut down shell casings for years, with wax melted in the bottom
to cover up the primer indentations and make a flat bottom for even
tips. Bought a real hair stacker last year. Much, much, much more
pleasant to use than the homemade ones I used for 25 years previously.
Get one.


g.c.

I may be way off base here but I thought a lipstick container was a
good substitute because once the hairs were stacked one could twist
the little thingy and bring the hairs up all nice and neat. I don't
use one. I have a bought stacker with 3 different "cups" to use for
different length hair. Just my $0.02.

"Tony & Barb Vellturo" wrote in message
...
I may be way off base here but I thought a lipstick container was a
good substitute because once the hairs were stacked one could twist
the little thingy and bring the hairs up all nice and neat.

Hmm, good point. Maybe SWMBO uses the wrong brand of lipstick, because the
thingy on hers is made of plastic and has lots of little holes in it that
prevent the hairs from coming out neat, or else I was trying to use it
wrong. I'll look at some other lipstick dispensers, just for curiosity.
Personally, I seem to always prefer 'alternative' style methods of doing
things....some misguided notion that it creates an identity that has to be
created and not just bought.

--riverman
(a Unique Individual, just like everybody else)

From: "riverman"

Personally, I seem to always prefer 'alternative' style methods of doing
things....some misguided notion that it creates an identity that has to be
created and not just bought.

Nothing wrong with that. If you're committed to finding an alternative, someone
else mentioned using a .45 shell casing. I have used one for shorter hair, and
a .44 magnum for longer stuff. They are workable, but the extra weight of a
'real' stacker makes the process easier.

Also, you mentioned that when you tap the lipstick container, the hair tips
still don't aligh properly. This is likely due to the "fuzz" mixed in with the
hair. Make sure you comb out as much of the fuzz before stacking, and iy
doesn't hurt to apply a little downward pressure to the hair butts with your
thumb during the tapping process.

Be careful when removing the hair from the stacker, as static electricity may
cause hairs on the outside of the stack to cling to the side walls of the
container. This is especially true of plastic containers....less of a problem
with aluminum or brass.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

From: "riverman"

Personally, I seem to always prefer 'alternative' style methods of doing
things....some misguided notion that it creates an identity that has to be
created and not just bought.

Nothing wrong with that. If you're committed to finding an alternative, someone
else mentioned using a .45 shell casing. I have used one for shorter hair, and
a .44 magnum for longer stuff. They are workable, but the extra weight of a
'real' stacker makes the process easier.

Also, you mentioned that when you tap the lipstick container, the hair tips
still don't aligh properly. This is likely due to the "fuzz" mixed in with the
hair. Make sure you comb out as much of the fuzz before stacking, and iy
doesn't hurt to apply a little downward pressure to the hair butts with your
thumb during the tapping process.

Be careful when removing the hair from the stacker, as static electricity may
cause hairs on the outside of the stack to cling to the side walls of the
container. This is especially true of plastic containers....less of a problem
with aluminum or brass.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

"Tony & Barb Vellturo" wrote in message
...
I may be way off base here but I thought a lipstick container was a
good substitute because once the hairs were stacked one could twist
the little thingy and bring the hairs up all nice and neat.

Hmm, good point. Maybe SWMBO uses the wrong brand of lipstick, because the
thingy on hers is made of plastic and has lots of little holes in it that
prevent the hairs from coming out neat, or else I was trying to use it
wrong. I'll look at some other lipstick dispensers, just for curiosity.
Personally, I seem to always prefer 'alternative' style methods of doing
things....some misguided notion that it creates an identity that has to be
created and not just bought.

--riverman
(a Unique Individual, just like everybody else)