Framing Flies

[Chris]

Anyone know the best way to frame salmon flies fairly cheaply?
One or four flies per frame.

Is it easy to do?

Chris

[elwyman]

John Gray sells framed flies, he might be able to offer advice:

www.graysofkilsyth.com/salmon.htm

Perhaps you can 'superglue' them to some card and put them in suitable picture frame?

[Chris]

Thanks Elwyman, have contacted John for some pointers.
Chers,
Chris

[John Gray]

As in PM to Chris:

Chris,

When tying the fly, incorporate a wire staple. I usually use size 10 staples. Insert the two prongs of the staple into carefully measured pierced holes in a pre- printed card (something around 200 gram card is ideal) - Voila!

Cheers

Example shown below




I have that excellent Scottish tyer, Willie McCutcheon, of Cumbernauld, to thank for the method.

[johnny]

Chris

As I don't know how to post pictures with the URL thingymajig Ive sent you an E-Mail

Hope it's useful.

[Chris]

Johnny,
received your e-mail. Very useful and much appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to send it through

Cheers,

Chris

[AlanB]

Hi Chris,

The problem with framing flies is that frames are usually 2 dimensional and flies 3 dimensional. The way around this is to make what is called a shadow box.

Start by deciding on the arrangement of flies you like. Measure the size you need to accommodate them. This is the size of Window Matt you will need. You can cut the window matt yourself but it is far cheaper to get a local picture framer to cut it, and a much better job he will make of it. My local framer uses a matt cutter that cost over £2k. There is no way I am going to make as good a job with a £25 matt cutter and a steel rule. Your window matt needs to be at least 1" wide all round your arrangement. If your arrangement is 6" x 4" then the outside sizes of your window matt is 8" x 6". This then is the size of your frame.

You will almost always have to make your frame deeper than it is when you buy it. The way I do this is to make a second frame out of 1/2" window beading to fit on the back of the first frame. Fix this in place using "Grip Fill" (An industrial equivalent of Liquid Nails but 1/2 the price). You will also need to cut an oversized backboard, that rests on the top of the second frame.

Stick your background to the back board. Place the window mat in the frame against the glass and pin this in place. It is a good idea to seal this in place using Grip Fill again.

Now comes an important decision. How to fix the flies in place. The method I now prefer is to drive a brass pin through the back board. Cut it off about 1/8" above the back board. Then epoxy a short length of tubing over the cut pin. Then stick the point of the fly into the tubing.

Pin the back board to the back of the second frame and seal again with Grip Fill. Tape over the edge of the back board over lapping at the corners. Take a sharp knife and cut from the inner corner to the outer corner of the tape at each of the four corners. Remove the waste ends of the tape and push down the tape to make nicely mitred corners.

Hanging eyes are located in the back either side 1/3 of the way down the frame.

Sorry I have no photos to illustrate this but I can't access my tools at the moment to put one together for taking the photos.

Alan.

[Dapper]

I have been framing flies for some years now . I have used a 1" leather punch for cutting the holes in the card where the fly will be placed. This is the largest punch I have been able to get. Place the card on a firm but solid base, I use a tin lid filled with melted lead, after it has cooled, from wheel balancing. Then punch the hole in the card. The best colour card I have found is English racing green. You can only fix single hook flies in the frame as doubles and treb, take up too much room.

Dapper

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