steve187 Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 Ok folks, I'm new here but have been reading for about 6 months. I'm also new at tackle making . Here's my current situation. I have barely learned the basics of powder painting. I'm using a fluid bed I built after doing some research. I don't pour any lead, just paint and add a skirt. I am really not doing very well with hand tying the skirt. It seems like after I finish the skirt is not evenly distributed around the hook shank. I am wondering if I need to proceed with the actual skirt just a little bit slower. Is this simply a matter of finger coordination or am I possibly missing something ? These jigs are 5/16- 1 oz bass jigs. I have been using a very small vise that is not designed for jig tying and I will be getting a more appropriate vise soon. Any tips or ideas offered would really be appreciated. Thanks Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 It would help a lot to know what material you are using for skirts and how you are attaching them to the jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted July 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 It would help a lot to know what material you are using for skirts and how you are attaching them to the jig. OK, great. I am using silicone and flat rubber. I am using Kevlar thread and have also acquired some copper wire but have not tried using that yet. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) OK, great. I am using silicone and flat rubber. I am using Kevlar thread and have also acquired some copper wire but have not tried using that yet. Steve Steve, I am going to try to explain how I tie my skirts on. I'm not saying my way is the only way so here it goes.First of all I gave up on Kevlar thread and I have not used wire but other guys have used it and it does work. I use Coats and Clarks thread or Big fly uni-thread. Put your jig in a fly vise. Start your first wrap at the bottom of the jig and finish at the top of the jig by the head leave your thread in your bobbin hanging down. Now all of your skirts should have the rubber collars on about 2 thirds down. Slide the skirt over the hook with the longest part of the skirt going on first, while you're sliding it down slide the skirt and rubber collar over the jig collar and thread. Now your skirt will be held in place by the rubber collar make sure all of your strands are evenly distributed at this time and make sure you like the way the skirt sits on the jigs and the strands are all even when the jig is flipped upright. If everything is to your liking, take your thread and slip it between the strands, and make 6 good thread wraps going down the jig head. As you do this make sure your skirt strands aren't twisting. Once you have the six wraps, hold your thread tight and with your other hand slowly roll the rubber collar down just past the jig collar. This will keep all of your skirt strands below intact. Now finish wrapping your thread down the jig collar and then go back up the jig collar make sure you use tight wraps. Make 2 sets of 4 whip finish to tie off and your done. Put some Sally Hansen' clear nail polish on the threads and let dry. I'm sure other will have some good ways to do this as well. Edited July 5, 2010 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 I always use a regular vice for bass jigs when I wire them. Here are some pics of wire tying jigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Maxwell Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 What CADMAN said !!!!, almost. I do it just a little different. Put skirt in place with rubber collar, and get it just how you want it. Clamp eye of jig in vice, then, using a rubber band strip, wrap the front of the skirt to the barrel of the vice. Then start wrapping your thread ( I use size A Rod wrapping thread) just in front of the rubber collar. Once you have the thread anchored roll the collar toward the bend of the hook. This should leave a clean working area to finish tying the skirt in place. Finish like CADMAN explained. Good luck. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) What CADMAN said !!!!, almost. I do it just a little different. Put skirt in place with rubber collar, and get it just how you want it. Clamp eye of jig in vice, then, using a rubber band strip, wrap the front of the skirt to the barrel of the vice. Then start wrapping your thread ( I use size A Rod wrapping thread) just in front of the rubber collar. Once you have the thread anchored roll the collar toward the bend of the hook. This should leave a clean working area to finish tying the skirt in place. Finish like CADMAN explained. Good luck. Tony Tony, I never thought of putting the hook eye in the vice. That is an excellent idea would give me more room for tying and my whip finish. Thanks for the great tip. Edited July 5, 2010 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted July 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 OK, Cadman, Tony & Jig Man thanks for the tips. It's apparent I need to get some of those rubber skirt collars. I don't have any and haven't been using any. i can see where they can be helpful. Next I will need to learn what a whip finish is and how to do it. Jig Man thanks for the pics. I will experiment some with the wire also. Looks like I can practice with the wire while I wait on an order for some jig collars. I'll have to figure out what to add to the order to make it reasonable. Seems crazy to pay a bunch of shipping just for those. I didn't realize I would use them if the skirts were hand tied. I wonder if Bass Pro sells them? I will be in Kansas City tonight. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) OK, Cadman, Tony & Jig Man thanks for the tips. It's apparent I need to get some of those rubber skirt collars. I don't have any and haven't been using any. i can see where they can be helpful. Next I will need to learn what a whip finish is and how to do it. Jig Man thanks for the pics. I will experiment some with the wire also. Looks like I can practice with the wire while I wait on an order for some jig collars. I'll have to figure out what to add to the order to make it reasonable. Seems crazy to pay a bunch of shipping just for those. I didn't realize I would use them if the skirts were hand tied. I wonder if Bass Pro sells them? I will be in Kansas City tonight. Steve Steve, PM me your full name and address, I can send you some skirt collars no problem. You can use them over and over and over again. BTW welcome to TU Edited July 5, 2010 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsbug Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 Steve here is how I tie my skirts. I use a fly tying vise that rotates. First of all here are few things I do to my vise to make it easier. I take electrical tape and wrap around the barrel of the vise away from the jaws, (what this does is if you ty your jig with the weed guard already in place, it allows you to unwrap several wraps of the tape and bend the weed guard up and then re wrap the tape over the weed guard, it keeps the weed guard out of the way of your bobbin.)I place my jig in the vise with the jig eye in the jaws. Now I turn the jig 90 deg away from me, the hook is lying flat with point away from me. I now take super glue and put a drop on the jig shank. Now I make several wraps with my thread, now I take one silicone pad and lay it on the shank and make abouut 8-10 wraps. Next turn the jig 90 deg with the hook point down, put another pad on the jig shank and repeat. Next turn 90 deg the hook point will be toward you now, put another pad on and wrap 8-10 wraps. Now I put 2 half hitchs. Now turn the jig back with the point facing down. Now the other trick I do, I have a piece of 25# mono with loop tied in one end tied to my vice, I lay the mono loop across the shank where I make another 8=10 wraps over the mono, I now cut my thread and run the end through the loop, now pull the loop out back under the wraps you just made trim and add a drop of glue. Now trim pads to your preference. With practice you can ty 10 to 20 jigs in an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 (edited) Ya might try small zip ties from an auto supply come in several colors and are quik. put the nub on bottom clip the tail with flush cutters. Edited July 6, 2010 by toadfrog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 Steve here is a link to the whip finisher. There are more than one size. For bass jigs I use the largest one I could buy. http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/flies/talleur_whipme.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted July 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 Thanks for the tips. Looks like I still need a few more tools. I did make it over to Olathe BPS last night and pick up some skirt collars. I am not sure they are the right ones. They are very small. I forgot to pick up a whip finisher, but I will get one. I appreciate all the responses. While in BPS last night I noticed that Jewell Football Jigs were $6.39 for a pair of 3/4 oz. Ouch ! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 Thanks for the tips. Looks like I still need a few more tools. I did make it over to Olathe BPS last night and pick up some skirt collars. I am not sure they are the right ones. They are very small. I forgot to pick up a whip finisher, but I will get one. I appreciate all the responses. While in BPS last night I noticed that Jewell Football Jigs were $6.39 for a pair of 3/4 oz. Ouch ! Steve Steve, Some times I don't think, we will talk later tonight. In regards to the Eakins Jewell football jig or their other jigs, check out this thread just posted. $6.39/pair is definitely a big ouch. http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/19957-jig-mold/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psv Posted July 6, 2010 Report Share Posted July 6, 2010 I forgot to pick up a whip finisher Steve, You don't really need to buy whip finisher It's easy to do by hand ( I do) or check this videos out: Hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
