mirage ribs + bug bond

[tsm101]

Ive been wondering about buying bug bond or similar for a while now, but its not easy to decide.
Ive watched davie mcphail doing wonders on split jc cheeks, by making them come together and still flexible.
My question is how would a touch of it work on a mirage ribbed fly work, for durability? ie hoppers etc, that usually gets torn to shreds after a fish or 2?
Maybe it would affect the mirage, or would be too bulky, any one had a bash at it? Or would like to share your thoughts?
If it saved a second wire rib, then i think i'd be very tempted to buy it!

Cheers Thorfinn

[fortbhoy]

when i tie a tinsel rib i super glue the underside when ribbing makes it last a lot longer.

[syphogenic]

Mate, it's not all that...it's not as durable as varnish for a start...I've put it on JC feathers and removed it easily with my nail, it just slides off. That's without fishing the flies in water. Now Mirage is plastic/lurex so I doubt it would be any good coating only the rib with it. You'd probably have to do the whole body to encapsulate it. I doubt that's what you'd want, eh...For buzzers its not all that good either, it's soft and a few scratches of the finger nail will shred it and that's with a top coat of varnish. Once a few trouts teeth have broke through it, I would imagine water will penetrate and dull the pattern. Uses are limited as far as Im concerned...intrested to hear others views though...

[tsm101]

That would work a treat fortbhoy, but maybe not so good holding down a palmered hackle. What i'm wondering is, can i make a mirage rib strong enough with bug bond, that i dont need to use a wire rib as extra?
I think some times when im tying a small fly, the last thing i want is another rib, just to make sure!
If maybe it would make my flies last longer with out a wire rib, and was dry when i wound it on, to save trapping hackles.
Then i think it would be worth the price!

Cheers Thorfinn

[GuyFromLaw]

Originally Posted by tsm101

That would work a treat fortbhoy, but maybe not so good holding down a palmered hackle. What i'm wondering is, can i make a mirage rib strong enough with bug bond, that i dont need to use a wire rib as extra?
I think some times when im tying a small fly, the last thing i want is another rib, just to make sure!
If maybe it would make my flies last longer with out a wire rib, and was dry when i wound it on, to save trapping hackles.
Then i think it would be worth the price!

Cheers Thorfinn

You should always varnish over your bug bond/clear cure goo/window bond. Sealed. Job done.

[syphogenic]

Originally Posted by tsm101

What i'm wondering is, can i make a mirage rib strong enough with bug bond, that i dont need to use a wire rib as extra?

Okay, tsm101

I'm going to bug-bond some mirage tinsel medium with a new battery in a pro torch with bug bond lite and tell you the result. Give me 5mins.

[tsm101]

Originally Posted by GuyFromLaw

You should always varnish over your bug bond/clear cure goo/window bond. Sealed. Job done.

How do i varnish my bug bond treated mirage rib thats been used to hold down a palmered hackle?
All i want to know is would it protect more, leave it flexible enough to wrap around a fly and leave the original mirage effect!

Thanks for the reply so far lads

Cheers Thorfinn

[syphogenic]

Okay, surprisingly it stuck to the mirage. I gave it 30secs with the torch and still it was a bit tacky. A couple of runs down it with my thumb nail destroyed the mirror reflectiveness of the tinse though. My conclusion...it would make it more durable but less effective after a trouts teeth then water emersion.

[GuyFromLaw]

Originally Posted by tsm101

How do i varnish my bug bond treated mirage rib thats been used to hold down a palmered hackle?
All i want to know is would it protect more, leave it flexible enough to wrap around a fly and leave the original mirage effect!

Thanks for the reply so far lads

Cheers Thorfinn

Answer is you probably can't without getting varnish on the feather barbs. If you varnish it first it's not going to remain flexible.

If you don't varnish it it will tarnish through use and the mirage effect will be lost anyway.

Will look fine first time you use it though.

[tsm101]

Originally Posted by syphogenic

Okay, surprisingly it stuck to the mirage. I gave it 30secs with the torch and still it was a bit tacky. A couple of runs down it with my thumb nail destroyed the mirror reflectiveness of the tinse though. My conclusion...it would make it more durable but less effective after a trouts teeth then water emersion.

Syphogenic, thanks for your time and effort mate.
It seems it works pretty good, unless you rub your thumb nail over it a few times! I cant help but wonder now, {since i now know the mirage effect is still there} how it would stand up with fishing? Which is completley different to the old thumb nail trick!
If it works for mirage, then all the other tinsels too = better looking flies easier tied, and thats what im after
I'd love to hear any other pros and cons from any other fly tier thats tried similar before!

Cheers Thorfinn