Automatic bobbins

[Jgoding]

Anyone use the Ekich ones....

I was thinking of trying one out but for the first time I find myself thinking $100 is kind of pricey....

I have the Norlander ones as I have a nor vise and love them. I just dislike wrapping the thread around a bobbin leg for tension as the thread then enters the tube at an angle which causes for some fraying or cut offs under heavier tension from time to time.

Hmm, maybe I should talk to Norm and see if you can make an angled tube at the bottom as that would solve that problem...

[Darian]

Don't have any experience with the Ekich bobbins. I've been using the Norlander Bobbins for approximately one year and don't use the older type bobbins any longer. 8-)

Altho I agree that I don't like to wrap the thread around the legs for additional tension, I've never experienced a break or extra wear from the tube.... :confused: Maybe the tube has a defect (rough edge.... :?: ) in it that cuts the thread. :confused:

[Jgoding]

Could be Darian as I had a bad tube on one of them which was replaced for nothing but I still kept the tube. It seems to me that spot fraying in the thread where it enters the tube is my biggest problem. Say, when I apply extra tension, especially with the bobbin horizontal, sometimes I noticed the spot where it contacts the tube where it enters can get frayed time to time. Usually it's fine, but sometimes there can be multiple spots where a few strands of the thread have been cut etc...

But I use very fine threads and that could be it too since I tie with 14/0 GG almost exclusively. If you read reviews on the other bobbin, some people claim that the Nor bobbin would break anything smaller than 6/0 when the clutch was engaged.... kind of made me laugh because I've used spiderweb no problem as well.

I'm thinking I will call up Norm to see if he has anything in the works on the subject.... He's pretty receptive about ideas. I remember talking to him after I got my vice about a gallows attachment and he said nothing was in the works and a coat hanger bent to shape would do a good job.... I gave him a "yeah, suuuurreee" kind of response and what do you know, few months later he had a fairly nice gallows tool available.

[Darian]

WOW!!!! :eek: 14/0 thread.... :confused: The only time I've used any threads that small was in tying Atlantic Salmon Flies (for the heads). :nod:

With thread that small in thickness, even a slight rough spot in the tube could cause fraying when under pressure. :nod: You might have to ask Norm to inspect those tubes before ordering or examining them under a magnifying glass on receipt. Also, I'm guessing that anything other than a ceramic tube or gem (carbide) tipped bobbin won't work that well.... :confused:

BTW, kudo's on developing the touch required to tie with stuff that frail.... 8-) 8-)

[Hairstacker]

Darian, you'll find that the Gordon Griffiths (GG) 14/0 thread is actually pretty darn strong for its size -- it's probably as strong as a typical 8/0 thread. When I started tying with it, I liked it so much I immediately bought it in every color it comes in. It's a great thread for tyng the smaller stuff.

[Jgoding]

Yeah, not sure what it's made of but it's fairly strong and you can split it!

[Jay Murakoshi]

I've used the Nor-bobbin for 5 years now and will never go back to a standard bobbin. As for frayed tubes. I would have to say that I'm probably the best field tester on both the bobbins and the vise. The tube in the bobbin shouldn't wear out but like everything else, things do happen. I sat down in the Seattle airport and talked to the guy who supplies Norm with the inserts. I was telling him that I go through a heck of a lot of bobbins because the cut my thread. I also said that I put a lot of pressure on the bobbin when pulling down on deer hair. I'm using UNI big fly thread and can really crank down. I also use Nymo in size A which is a heavy duty nylon. Sometimes waxed threads.

He told me that the new material he uses is pretty much indestructiveable. I told him I run bobbing cleaners to clean out the gunk and sometimes the fibers from the threads create a build up. He told me to take a lighter and heat the tube up and that should clear the tube.
I thought the tube would melt but it's a hard ceramic material.

I haven't had any bobbin problems for 6 to 8 months. Haven't felt like tying any flies. :-(

I would contact Norm, he'll back up his product

Jay

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We have the Norlander Auto-bobbins in stock along with all the other Norlander goodies.