winging help

[lyttletyer]

I'm having a terrible time putting the wings on a Green Peter. I've checked Scotfly's techniques SBS. I've been trying with slips from left and right hen pheasant secondary. When I pinch and loop the wing, it looks OK on my side but when I check the other, it's always creased and is never straight on the top of the hook. I've tried Davie McPhail's method of using a hen's centre tail feather but that turns out the same.
Does anyone have any other tips, please before it all goes out the window!!!
Ian

[sonnaghan]

Veniard has a good tip in his book which I use. With the wing slips, make one slightly broader than the other. Place one on top of the other with the tips visible and curving away from each other. Place BOTH on top of the hook, flat and then 3 pinch and loops. Usually you get a good finish as in the "boat style" with the body well concealed. Veniard in his book actually has a series of drawings of this. Indeed it is a great book for someone to learn the basics of flytying. I got mine (2nd edition from a dealer via Amazon) In my youth I gave a first edition to a great friend as a present.
Good luck

[maharg]

No expert, but here is my tuppence worth.
The problem is when you pull your thread around the hook it is pulling the wing over and off centre.
Using a pinch and loop, take the thread around the hook but dont pull down. Take the thread around in a full circle and pull UP the way, it can help. Also keep a tight grip on the wing.
Hope that helps.

[dwiltshire]

Originally Posted by maharg

No expert, but here is my tuppence worth.
The problem is when you pull your thread around the hook it is pulling the wing over and off centre.
Using a pinch and loop, take the thread around the hook but dont pull down. Take the thread around in a full circle and pull UP the way, it can help. Also keep a tight grip on the wing.
Hope that helps.

This is good advice: the upwards pressure is essential.

Also, do not take your time adding pressure to thread: smooth but very swift pressure upwards ensures the wing is bound tight but even. The slower you do it, the more chance the wing has to slip and pull out line. Then make every wrap towards the eye from then on.

Practice, practice, practice

[sonnaghan]

Am very interested in the opinions of Maharg and dwiltshire. Certainly woth trying but I always thought that as the peter is a sedge the wings should be v close to the shank, indeed obscuring it and the body. Certainly any natural peters I have seen are like that. Hence the reason for the "boat shape" to the wings.
By the time you have tried all the offered suggestions you will have mastered any form of winging!

[shuck raider]

Ted Malone's method:






Works for me

[scotfly]

Some good advice there for you, but since nobodies stated the obvious I'll jump in here....

Originally Posted by lyttletyer

When I pinch and loop the wing, it looks OK on my side but when I check the other, it's always creased and is never straight on the top of the hook.

The problem and the answer is in the grip. On the near side the wing looks fine, nothing to do there; but on the far side it's creased and not aligned properly so you need to alter the grip on the far side. Try using more pressure on the far side, but not less on the near side! (it's ok remember) you may also need to reposition the finger slightly, but try just altering the pressure first. That should cure the creasing and possibly the alignment. If it doesn't sort the alignment you need to alter the angle of the grip, simply a case of moving the wrist a tiny amount so that the wing is aligned, if your wings lay to the right move your wrist toward you.(assuming right-handed tyer)
Hopefully this and a little practice will cure your problems. Good luck.

[lyttletyer]

Many thanks to all. I'm just about to give these ideas a go. I recognise a few of the faults that have been mentioned. Fingers crossed!!!!