Tuffleye....

[Darian]

Anybody out there used Tuffleye :?: :?: Any opinions about it :?: :?: As I recall, it was expensive when compared to epoxy.... :? :? :?

[FISHEYE]

I have been using it and I doubt I will ever go back to epoxy again. It is so much less messy than epoxy. On many of the flies I have been tying, I want a certain shape and with epoxy it is hard to maintain that as it dries. With the tuffleye as soon as I hit it with the light it hardens. This also allows me to tie much faster. I like the stuff so much I sent the owner a few photos and he asked for and posted a bio with these on the site.

Two words of caution. 1. Make sure you use new batteries in the light for maximum intensity. 2. When the core hardens it is still kind of sticky / tacky. To solve this there are some hints posted on the website. I have been coating the tuffleye with a thin coating of Hard as Nails which also has the benefit of making the coating shine more.

[PaulC]

Hey Darian,
I messed around with it quite a bit with the big fly swap. I wasn't using the light though and just sun which may have been the majority of the problem.
It has a tacky texture when cured. It cured off color on the FPF flies I used it on. I did not have similar problems with the UV knotsense, but that could be that its chemical composition is more compliant with sun curing.

I'm still using Devcon for those big fly applications. I might order the light from Tuffleye and give it another whirl later down the road.

-Paul

[Darian]

I'm still using epoxy (Devcon, 5 min. variety) for the heads on my saltwater flies. I haven't tried UV Knot Sense, yet. :? :? Maybe I oughta use that prior to graduating to Tuffleye....

I haven't had too much of a problem shaping the heads when using epoxy by using less for the initial coat; then applying additinal as needed. However, epoxy is messy. :( :(

I've found that by coating epoxy with Hard As Nails, the head dries quicker and doesn't discolor over time.... 8) 8)

The cost of Tuffleye seems to be a stumbling block for me. :? :? :?

[Darian]

OK,.... I finished a small batch of Sardina Sea Habits, yesterday, using UV Knot Sense and the UV light, indoors. I found that the UV Knot Sense was still tacky enough to dull the surface when touched using the UV light to cure the material. :? :? :( I didn't have that problem when curing the material in the sunlight.... Is this the same as the tackiness mentioned while using Tuffleye :?: :?: :?:

UV Knot sense reacts (drys quicker) the same way epoxy does when coated with Hard As Nails, tho. 8) 8) 8)

[Jgoding]

Hey Darian,

With the knotsense I notice a slight tackiness when using a light but sunlight seems to cure the stuff much faster and more reliably. I only have the mini light though... I like the knotsense because you can kind of shape it then hit it with the light once you get the shape you like and then you can build from there.

[PaulC]

Hey Darian,
I've also had better luck curing that stuff with sun vs. their lamp.
I'll try and remember to bring up a foam head with the tuffleye so you can see what I'm talking about color wise.
Their light might be a totally different story, but sun was "no bueno".
-Paul