bryanmc Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 Can someone recommend a good, inexpensive fly tying vise for tying jigs? Need something that will hold 4/0 gamakatsu fine wire jig hooks as well as the occasional 5/0 heavy flippin hook. Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick reif Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 I guess it would be determined by what you consider "inexpensive". I bought a rotary Danvise by Danica a couple years ago and love it. I found some on e-bay for around $75. For my birthday my wife gave me $100 to spend as I wished. I bought a vise and a ceramic bobbin. Best money I've spent for jig making and tying. I highly suggest a rotary version...it makes things alot easier I use mine to tie 2/0 thin wire finesse jigs, but have tied onto heavy guage 4/0 spinnerbait hooks as well. The rubber band was deteriating and I had to tighten it up...worked like a charm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadfrog Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 If you want to go cheap but functional just weld the knob end of a pair of needle nose vice grips to a piece of flat steel. Bet'ya it holds anything you throw at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbrushextreme Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have a great one I only paid $30 for at my local Gander Mountain it has 2 sets of jaws for hooks up to7/0 I use it for tying jigs all the time I tie over 5000 swim jigs alone every year not to mention ball head finesse and arky head skipping jigs it has lasted over 3 years with no problems I have a good one from cabelas that has issues on certain days it is a cabelas super II vise It has problems staying tight when I pull very hard on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have a great one I only paid $30 for at my local Gander Mountain it has 2 sets of jaws for hooks up to7/0 I use it for tying jigs all the time I tie over 5000 swim jigs alone every year not to mention ball head finesse and arky head skipping jigs it has lasted over 3 years with no problems I have a good one from cabelas that has issues on certain days it is a cabelas super II vise It has problems staying tight when I pull very hard on it Good reply. My Dad bought a very cheap "Terra" vise for maybe $20-$30 online. He used it really hard for making and selling tackle for 8 years. Worked well for him. I still have it since he passed away and I took the business over. I bought an Apex vise at BP shop for $109 3 years ago. Still going strong after doing many MM teaser hooks, and jigs from 1/8 to 5 oz. jigs. For an average person that only does enough for himself a year and on a budget, you can get by very well on a cheap Terra vise. No need for the top dollar rotary IMO just for doing jigs and teaser hooks. Just research well and make sure the one you get does the range of hooks you will be putting into the jaws. I do have friends at work that just put the hook into the vice grips, and the vice grips into the bench vise to hold them to tie. Works fine for their 30-40 times a year they need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterjay Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I've been using a heavy-duty Superior vise for the last 11 years - not sure of the model number, but they go for a little over $100 on Amazon.com. Extremely sturdy, easy to use, and not adorned with a lot of useless bells and whistles. I tie up to 6/0 and 7/0 flies/tail hooks and occasionally, smaller freshwater flies. The trouble with the cheaper vises is that they just don't hold up. They'll work fine for a while, but you're gonna wind up replacing them relatively quickly. I've done thousands of flies, jigs, etc., on my Superior, and it's in the same condition as the day I bought it. Like anything else, you can pay a little more now or a lot more later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psv Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Peterjay, I agree with you 100%. I bought Griffin Superior 3ARP (Made in USA, warranty, about 120$) 6 years ago and it's still like new. I work with 6/0 to 8/0 hooks most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdsaw Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 This site seems informative and might help you make a decision http://www.flyfishohio.com/Vise%20Review%201/Fly_Tying_Vise_Shoot-Out.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryanmc Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 This site seems informative and might help you make a decision http://www.flyfishohio.com/Vise%20Review%201/Fly_Tying_Vise_Shoot-Out.htm Great resource, thanks... Not sure which way I'll go yet, but I can't see dumping a bunch of money into a vise for the 30 - 50 jigs I tie per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 The one thing I forgot to mention....I know guys that use vise grips held by a bench vise, and they are OK with it, but I would really suggest no matter how cheap you want to go, make sure you can spin the vise around. Don't confuse the two options of a rotating vise and a rotary vise. A true rotary vise will spin the hook around and the shank where you are tying will stay centered and spin like a spinning drive shaft and it is easy to add hackle and marabou, you probably just need one that spins the jig/hook around so you can see your work all the way around. You tube is a very good place to watch some good guys do their thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbrushextreme Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have a pair of needlenose vise grips on a stand also I use it for tying bucktails and feathered trebles it works good but not my first recommendation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I have just made a rotary stand, for a different purpose. I used a very large ball race bearing, 120mm inside diameter. The bearing not only provides the rotation movement, but also the size and weight makes the unit very stable as a free standing unit. It was very easy to make from ply wood scraps. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickman Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 sdsaw: thanks for that great link. I have the Anvil Apex Vise ($50 - $100 vises). I picked it up at Sportsman's Warehouse for aroung $79 with the base and table clamp. I'm no professional fly tier as I just wanted to dress up some trebles for my inline spinners. I didn't want to lay out a wad of $ for something I would only use occasionally. Works great for me and again I'm no pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterjay Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Peterjay, I agree with you 100%. I bought Griffin Superior 3ARP (Made in USA, warranty, about 120$) 6 years ago and it's still like new. I work with 6/0 to 8/0 hooks most of the time. Yep, that's the one. I'm surprised it isn't more popular, because it's one fine tool. I suspect mine's gonna outlast me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 Griffin makes some good tools! I have three of there vices and each time I upgrade I am baffled at there quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbrushextreme Posted October 9, 2010 Report Share Posted October 9, 2010 I have a rotary vise I used to tie flies several years ago it is a griffin also looks similar to the pic I forgot I had it until I was rummaging through some old fly tying stuff and there it was I was trying it out last night and I see why the rotary knob works much better than my old standard vise I can spin the chuck while applying pressure on my thread and add individual strands of skirting if needed I modified a rod wrapping tensioner to hold and dispense my thread instead of the hand bobbin so I have both hands to use in placing strands and flash material. I am left handed but tie with the bait facing right all the time and this works so much better than the old way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
