Keeping Material Organized

[Gregg Machel]

What are some of the ways all of you keep your fly tying materials organized? I'm in my first year of fly tying and it's already getting out of hand. I've got a couple compartment boxes (the plastic ones), one for hooks, one for flies, and a little 12" X 8" desk organizer that I keep the smaller stuff in. I still find that I have stuff laying all over the place. I do have a big desk, which is shared with my computer, so I think I have ample room for everything. I'd just be curious to know how everyone else organizes their materials.

[Bob Scheidt]

Hi Gregg,
I have some of those plastic storage drawer-racks that I use. I am sure you have seen them. They come 3 or 4 drawers high and you can stack them on top of each other.
Some of them have shallow drawers. I use some cardboard to divide the shallow drawer and store similiar size threads in each compartment.

Other things to remember--I keep all beads in the original bags and some times put those bags in sandwich bags. I try to keep them airtight to prevent tarnishing over time. Months won't tarnish beads, years will.

I went to the no pest strips for bug protection for my expensive feathers, choice hair and hard to get stuff. I get them at Orchard supply, I think they are called hot shots, no pest strip. No mess and they do the job.

Bob Scheidt

[Darian]

I'm probably like everyone else, here..... 8) My fly tying area alternatley looks like a bomb dropped on it :roll: :roll: and clean as a pin (not often, tho). Once in a fit of clarity, I bought a piece of furniture (a secretary with drawers) and that is the base camp for my activities, now. Got all kinds of storage boxes for extra stuff, hooks, flies. 8)

I agree with Bob about the use of the pest strips..... I've had a few infestations over the years and kept 'em under control wsith the strips. 8)

[Hairstacker]

My storage is probably no different than everyone else's. I keep threads in two flat plastic boxes that are thin enough to keep them from falling over inside. I have similar, individual plastic boxes for hooks, beads, miscellaneous, etc. I keep flash material (Krystal Flash, Flashabou, etc.) in a shoe box, since I don't worry about bugs getting in there. For the bulk of my material, I acquired two of the very large, under-the-bed plastic storage boxes from WalMart/Target -- they're inexpensive and I use one for furs and the other for feathers and I keep inside each box a couple of film canisters with holes drilled in the lids full of mothballs to control pests. Putting them under the bed keeps them out of the way and out of sight. Getting ready to buy my 3rd under-the-bed storage bin, as I find myself buying new materials virtually every time I tie a new pattern, despite the oodles of stuff I have already. I use an Excel workbook to keep track of everything -- separate worksheets for feathers, furs, hooks, dubbing, synthetics, wires, etc. I have this Excel workbook downloaded to my Palm T3, where I also keep track of my "to buy" lists, as it'll fit in my pocket when I go to the fly shop -- otherwise, I tend to buy stuff I already have.

[Darian]

Holeeeee Cats Mike,..... :shock: :shock: I thought I was involved. I'm still using manual spreadsheets for cost/inventory fig's.... :oops:

I use crates with the folding tops for storage of furs/hair/feathers.... and a clear plastic box fir storage of threads (....has posts on the bottom for spools) 8) Got 'em from a combo of Home Depot and some sewing/yardage shop near here. :D :D

[Hairstacker]

Darian, Darian, Darian . . . MANUAL spreadsheets?!? You should really consider converting those to Excel. SO much easier to keep organized, as you can insert/delete/copy-paste rows with just a few mouse clicks. That way you can keep all colors of bucktail together in one section, all colors of deer body hair together in another section, all your dubbing together by type, etc.

The Palm T3 part might be a little overboard (although I think not), but it allows me to carry with me pictures (including slide shows) of fish caught (including David Lee's gargantuan striper for inspiration :D ), fly fishing and fly tying articles to read (something to do during business meetings), lists of hooks available in barbless, a bead-hook cross-sizing chart, leader formulas, etc. I also have a program on there named "FlyBox" I downloaded for free off the net that keeps track of fly patterns and the materials that comprise them, as well as a hatch/insect database that allows you to track insects, their description, by date, time, location, and temperature. 8) Have I mentioned my fishing watch? :lol:

[Darian]

Miiiiike,..... Have you ever seen this on a bumper sticker :?: "He who dies with the most toy's wins" :?: :?: :?:

Ya know, I was sure that helping the first fly caught fish guys out with the recommedndation for a twelve point program was aimed in the right direction, but..... :roll: :roll:

Tell me truthfully now, can you quit :?: :?: ... Anytime you want :?: :?: Cold turkey :?: :?: ..... I know a good twelve point program...... :P :P :P

[Gregg Machel]

Great ideas everyone, thanks for your feedback. I never thought of the bugs getting into the feathers and fur. That's going to be the next thing that I do! I bought a case for hooks and beads this weekend, that that cleared up a lot of clutter already! Does it ever end? My guess is a simple .... No!

[Gregg Machel]

Oh, I forgot ... Hairstacker, would you be willing to send a copy of your spreadsheet my way? I don't need the data, I'm just interested in how you organized and formatted it. That is a great idea.

[David Lee]

Hey , Gregg - Organization is highly overrated .

I have around 6 or so Sterilite bins for big stuff , around 10 mid-sized ones for flash , rabbit , etc. , 4 full hook boxes (each w/ 20-something compartments :shock: ) , a vertical chest w/ drawers for thread ..... I still can't find anything I'm lookin' for .

The nice part of all that crap in chaos is .... whenever I look for a specific thing (let's say ....wine saddle hackles) , I find all sorts of cool stuff I'd forgotten I Had . Kind of like getting a present or a gift sometimes :!:

Take a deep breath , you're a fly-tyer now - you're not SUPPOSED to have a grip on finding anything :P !

Nice meeting you on Saturday , give a shout if you need any "strange" material . David

[Darian]

What David Said...... 8) 8) 8) :lol:

[Hairstacker]

Gregg, I'll be happy to send you a copy of my spreadsheet. Will do so today.

[Hairstacker]

Darian, as far as toys, actually I think you would be SHOCKED if you knew how modest my fly fishing equipage actually is. For example, I did 95% of my fly fishing for bass in the Delta last year using a 9' 5/6 wt. graphite fly rod that I paid $26 for brand new on eBay. Love that rod, by the way, I hope it lasts forever. :D

[David Lee]

A modest amount of gear ? I'll buy that , Mike ... but how much time do you THINK about fishing/tying :?:

If ya think about fishing while on the pot first thing in the morning .... and think about new ponds when you're goin' to sleep ...... Well , just as bad as having tons of gear , I figure :twisted: .

Congratulations on your post # 300 . David

[Hairstacker]

Hey, I don't just think about fishing and tying. I'm not that narrow-minded. I think about small boats too.

[Adam Grace]

Gregg, use different types of plastic boxes and drawers. Hook boxes are great. Plastic divided boxes are nice for threads. We sell a thread organizer which holds thirty something individual spools. I use the multi-drawer plastic drawer systems you can find at office depot or other office material stores.

Now all these boxes and drawers are nice to keep materials in but the materials don't always stay there. I clean off my desk when I have no more room to tie any more flies, about once every two months. At least when I finally clean my desk I have drawers and boxes to put everything back into.

Good Luck

[Gregg Machel]

Gregg, I'll be happy to send you a copy of my spreadsheet. Will do so today.

OMG, I am going to go broke tying flies! I can't believe all the stuff you have on that spreadsheet!
Well, I'll take it one pattern at a time, eventually I'll be there. Thanks for sending that spreadsheet, it will give me a good place to start out.

[Hairstacker]

Gee whiz Gregg, and I was feeling a little embarrassed by how much was still missing on the spreadsheet. :lol: Whoever said you would save money tying your own flies was flat out LYING, unless you fish 1347 days a year and go through zillions of flies. But next to a good book, there aren't many better ways for getting through the winter. (I said many, not any. :wink: )

In any case, one pattern at a time is a good way to go. That way you don't end up with a bunch of stuff you may never use. Having said that, I was at a fly shop today and saw all these hen capes and saddles on sale. . . I COULDN'T resist and picked up four -- two different shades of nicely mottled brown hen capes for some soft hackles, a grizzly brown saddle for some woolly worms, and a badger cape that should do very nicely for some Light Spruce streamers. . . . patterns I didn't use AT ALL last year. :lol:

[Gregg Machel]

Well, fortunately nobody told me I would save money tying flies, I got into it because it is part of the "culture". I just cleaned out some room on my bookshelves so I can store materials, seems to have helped a lot so far. I can only image what I'll have a year from now, not to mention several years from now!

[Adam Grace]

I laugh inside everytime I hear a customer tell me that they want to tie flies to save money :lol:

Tying flies to save money is a funny misconception.

Right now every fly that I tie probably costs me 3-4 dollars :lol:

Tying flies is about creativity and more involvment in this great sport of fly fishing.

[Gregg Machel]

Well said Adam! :)

[Darian]

Gregg, Gregg, Gregg,.... I'm so surprised..... :? :? Shocked even :shock: :shock: Removing books from a bookcase to provide space for fly tying materials..... :shock: :shock: Bookcases, by definition, are for books. (fly fishing/tying books, that is :D :D )

If you were a 'real" fly fishing/tying consumer, you would commit whatever amount are necessary to set up an independent workstation in a room which no other human may enter (without your permission, of course 8) 8) ) to conduct/focus your compendium like knowledge of fly tying and fly fishing activities....... (much like myself you see 8) 8) )

Lemme see here.... Have you decided what your transformational device will be when you convert your physical appearance into the mythical fly tyer, Steel Head, yet :?: :?:

[Gregg Machel]

Well, I do have a couple fly tying books (not to mention numerous magazines) in the "fly tying" section of my bookcases, so hopefully that qualifies! :) My computer books (outdated) are finding their way to the recycle bin to make room for fly fishing related objects. This was a huge transformation for me to make, although I'll never be able to shake it for good.
I currently have a desk that is shared with a computer and fly tying, so I'm probalby only half way there in that respect. This room is however my own, and dedicated to me only. I know, how selfish I am, but you know when the kids grow up and can afford their own house, they can do that too! :twisted: My younger son is allowed in here to tie flies with me anytime though.
Now for the transformational device ... I'm going to need some time to think about that one.

[Hairstacker]

Darian, you have a point, as indeed, the entire house should be structured around the fly tying vise, fly fishing equipment and art, related books, and maybe a rod building/wrapping station. Unfortunately, some of us live with others who have NO appreciation for any of this. I mean, for God's sake, the kids would rather have their own rooms than cough one of 'em up for my fishing room. Can you believe it? So it goes. . . . Some day I hope to at least have a devoted room. Until then, I can only dream of its walls covered with bass pictures, fly fishing art, and framed boxes of Kiene's Bulletin Board swap flies. Perhaps decorative borders with trout swimming by, a mobile hanging from the ceiling with stripers milling about. . . . *Sigh*

Gregg, I know what's happening to you. Fly fishing and fly tying books have slowly displaced all others in my bookcase. Your disease is progressing very nicely. :D

[PaulC]

I've managed to hold the fort and maintain a fly tying room in our house for now.
Definitely nice to have a bench, material cabinet, references and tunes all in one spot.
Don't think that will last forever, but enjoy it while it lasts right? Soon as kids roll into the picture, I think i'll be garage bound.
The garage is nearby, so at least it won't be a far move, or there's those turbocharged secretary desks which keeps you incognito but still in the house.
http://www.stoneycreekflytying.com/
-Paul

[Hairstacker]

Paul, just remember the defensive perimeter includes the garage as well. First the fly tying room goes. Then it's, "oh honey, here, just put this STUFF in the garage." Next thing you know, you can barely find a spot to stand in. I've seen it happen before, make sure that territory is well-marked. Just remember, when the kids come, things . . . change. :lol:

[MSP]

gcmachel, you know after you get your materials organized you will have to start organizing all the flys you tie. Here is the way I do it.

http://www.flyfishnorcal.org/php-nuke/photopost45/data/500/285DSC00027.JPG

[DonCooksey]

Great fly box Mike! That is the best collection of Fox Pupas I've ever seen, and the other side, is, well, diverse. Right now, I'm working out of about 20 fly boxes to store my flies, and I'm getting tired of moving them around in various combinations to the four boxes that I usually carry with me on a given trip. I think you may have the solution. Just chuck them into a box or maybe even a zip lock bag. Stick your finger in there and see what sticks. That might do as well in a given situation as whatever one would select based on "the hatch" or whatever recommendations are available.

[mike N]

Hey MSP,

I got some catchin up to do! :? Too bad the water is so high.

Mike

[MSP]

Hey Mike N, can you tell I'm bored! Let's get back at it when they drop these flows to something more reasonable. Looks like you're busy with your sabot project. What are you going to do with that? Fish or Sail?