Good source for copper wire/thread

[kanutripr]

Today I've been doing a little early spring cleaning and have made a discovery, or actually a rediscovery of an old idea. I've been collecting up the old computer parts we've got scattered around the house, in drawers, closets etc and had a pile of them sitting here then remembered something I've read in one of my older tying books. I remember a lot of the old tyers taking apart old radios and electronic equipment as sources for copper wire for tying, saw all the wires hanging from my computer parts and said what the heck let's do a little recycling. It's a little more labour intensive than just buying a spool at the tying shop but the copper inside the wires is very, very fine. Much more like a fine thread than wire. Initially I was disappointed. I very rarely tie flies small enough to need this fine a wire. Then I thought let's try twisting it together. It twists beautifully and is still very supple! I think it will be absolutely perfect to use with a dubbing block. Now I just need to make one of those!



Vicki

[Mataura mayfly]

Vicki,
Radios, small transformers, speaker wire, aerials and computer parts as you say..... all good places to find fine wire. Some of it is shellac coated which can be a blessing or a curse.
For a fun exercise try your artistic skills and plait or weave three strands to form a heavier but still supple ribbing wire. Try it with strands of different coloured wire...... just for fun.
Twist weave or plait and you will create voids along the wire that hold a suprizing amount of wax if you use it for Clark block bodies.

[Old Hat]

Or use it as thread and tie your flies with it. It will whip finish very well and add a little weight to your flies.

[kanutripr]

I just had someone remind me of the Sawyer PT. It was something I'd dismissed as I'd never been able to find copper anywhere near small enough for a proper tie. Thanks for the reminder Jerry and everyone else. There's nothing I love better than ideas I can attempt to twist into something new.




Vicki

[kanutripr]

Just for fun I tied a couple of flies using just the copper wire for thread. The first was a Sawyer's PT nymph. I don't fish plain nymphs anymore so I just did it to say I did. Too static for me but I also tied this PT soft hackle. Nothing new but I thought I'd post it just to add a pic to this thread. The picture stinks but I was too lazy to do a real set up and just used natural light





Vicki

[hankaye]

Vicki, Howdy;

DANG Gurl! That's something to thump your chest about.....
Head high walkin' TALL...!!!!

hank

[Kelly L.]

Beautiful fly there Vicki! You nailed it.

[kanutripr]

Thank you people!

It was surprisingly not that difficult. Different but not too bad. You have to be careful when wrapping the wire not to pull too tightly or twist too much because of course it wants to break off. The most difficult part was making sure the hackle was secure enough to hold but still relatively even. Of course the fish don't really care but what the heck, I do! I'm going to tie a few more of these but it won't become my new way of tying any time soon.





Vicki

[Izaak]

Photo turned out great, too!