I am looking for some recommendations on boxes (or other methods) to store/organize my fly tying equipment and materials? I unfortunately don't have enough space in my home to have a dedicated tying bench, so most of my tying gear is stored in ziplock bags. I was thinking a light weight tool box with storage drawers might work. Any suggestions are appreciated.
I just use ziplock bags and an old shoe box. I like ziplock bags becuause you can keep items seperate, plus you never know when you might get a bad batch of feather and I much rather lose one ziplock bag than all my materials.
Not having a dedicated fly tying desk can be tough. I don't know what I would do without one. I have four small storage drawer units across the back of my desk. They're all full of materials. The drawers on my desk are also full. I also have a bunch of plastic containers and ziploc bags in cardboard boxes. Of course they're full. If this keeps up I think I'll need a room dedicated to fly tying.
In your situation, I would buy tons of ziploc bags when they go on sale. Also, look at the disposable plastic containers made by ziploc. They make a bunch of different sizes. Craft stores also have craft tool boxes with different sized drawers. They're lightweight and they usually have wheels on them, so you can move them around.
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Thanks for the advice. I decided to follow your suggestions and store everything in individual zip-lock bags. So all of my materials are now organized. I also purchased a cheap plastic rolling tool cart at Orchard Supply. It works perfectly for storage... I can fit my vice, tools, and hook-box in main tool compartment, all of the threads/tinsel/wire fit in the clear containers on the lid, and there is a pull out bin on the bottom to store all the zip-lock bags with materials. Pack it up and roll it in the garage for storage. My wife is happy to have the family room back!
WT, quick question....what do you mean by a bad batch of feathers?
Cool! Thanks SCM/JT/WT. Great idea with the rolling tool box. I'm heading for OSH tomorrow.
I recently started to tie flies. My father had been tying for probably close to 50 years or more and he just can't do it anymore, due to health problems. Anyway he has given me boxes and boxes and some more boxes of materials, tools, threads, widgets and gizmos. All nicely packaged in those plastic containers, and kept very well, but I just don't have a "tying room" to myself and I just can't seem to give up my home office for it <-well my wife won't give up MY home office for it. So this tool box sounds like just the sort of thing I might need, only I may need the JUMBO model or maybe two of three of them.
The tool box is on sale right now for $30. It isn't best constructed box, probably wouldn't survive very long on a construction site, but it should work just fine for light duty. If you go buy one (or more for your collection), make sure the unit has the clear storage box clipped to the face. I didn't notice my box was missing that particular piece. In any case, I tied up some Clouser minnows this evening...how nice it was to not have to rumage through three, 1-gallon sized ziplock bags to retrieve the necessary materials!
I use a silverware organizer. All my feathers are in the original packaging so they stand up in the slots along with hooks, beads and all my tying tools. Dubbing, thread, wire and tinsel are in plastic containers that fit in the slots. It's not completley organized but it holds everything and keeps it from being scattered all over the place. Plus it's easy to move around. Mike
Get yourself a peice of 2' by four pegboard at Home depot. Get the right size dowel say 1/4" and you can make a little fly shop wall. Whatever packaging doesn't have holes in it you can use a hole punch on.
Nicely done Cole. Very nicely done. I'm kind of looking forward to getting my self all organized. The other item I'm currently looking for is a light and magnifier. the old eyes just ain't what they used to be.
looks like everyone is gettin their tie on. maybe i should join the crowd soon
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Yo SCM check out www.flyanglersonline.com. In their articles section they have a whole series on organizing your tying space. It did wonders for me. Before I had a desk with a bunch of fur, tinsel, and feathers covering every spare inch. Now I have an entire inventory system with everything accounted for in plastic shoe boxes and small drawers I picked up at ace. They have some really good ideas on that site and like I said it completely revamped my fly tying space. Now I am organized and I can get what I need when I need it and tie more efficiently. Chuck
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"when you put your hand into a flowing stream you touch the last that has come before and the first of what is still to come" -DaVinci
I get feathers and skin from family members who are big hunters, but sometimes when I get these materials from them they might have a bug in them and after a few weeks I will notice that the feather have been eaten. Anyways by keeping everything in seperate ziplock bag I reduce the chance that whatever might have been eating a certain group of feathers wont distroy my inventory.
My wife is really into organizing and found these for me at IKEA a few years ago. You have to put them together yourself. They come in a little kit. I have four of these wooden storage boxes along the back of my desk. I want to get four more to stack on top of the others.
Hey JT those are totally cool. My desk would look way more classy if I had gone to IKEA. Instead I just have stacks of plastic shoeboxes and drawers I got at Target. Still works though! chuck
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"when you put your hand into a flowing stream you touch the last that has come before and the first of what is still to come" -DaVinci
