That varnish finish look.

[richard859]

Hi Guy's.

Can anyone suggest how to get that fantastic finish for varnished flies?

I've been tying some quill buzzers (some for deep fishing) and they turn out real good. But I always seem to spoil a well tied fly with a poor varnish finish.

I use hard as nails by the way! How do you get that clear shine finish please?

Thanks.

[flyinghigh]

I believe the key is to use a needle to applie the varnish as using the brush can cause air bubbles and not to put too much on at a time more coats of thing layers is better than one thick layer

[MichaelL]

Originally Posted by richard859

Hi Guy's.

Can anyone suggest how to get that fantastic finish for varnished flies?

I've been tying some quill buzzers (some for deep fishing) and they turn out real good. But I always seem to spoil a well tied fly with a poor varnish finish.

I use hard as nails by the way! How do you get that clear shine finish please?

Thanks.

Very small amount of epoxy - that is if you want a finish without any thread being visible at all, as if someone has put a tiny plastic tip to the fly. (Thats how I do it, I'm sure there may be other approaches, the Sally Hansen stuff has never really achieved the same result imvho).

If you do that, worth tying up a batch of flies and annointing them all at once. Tends to look ok on wet flies, where you may build up the head slightly.

For spiders etc.. I'd never bother, I'd prefer just a tiny amount of varnish.

Or do you mean varnish just for buzzers, where the whole fly is coated???? Again, I'd say a small amount of epoxy and pop them on one of those rotating fly driers.

[MARAZION MIDGE]

You have to use 3/4 coats and leave plenty of drying time between coats, like 8 to 12 hours
Thats using hard as nails
mike

[gunandrod]

I just use cheap clear nail varnish. never had a problem.

Paul

[steve collyer]

Originally Posted by flyinghigh

I believe the key is to use a needle to applie the varnish as using the brush can cause air bubbles and not to put too much on at a time more coats of thing layers is better than one thick layer

Yep the needle is the key.
When you think about it the brush that comes with HaN for instance will only add bubbles when you apply the varnish because of the chance of the individual brush fibres trapping air during the process.
You have far more control with a needle, so long as you apply in fairly small amounts.

The way I do it is to hold the buzzer in a clip, get a small bead on the tip of the needle - just enough to coat 1/4 of the fly, start at the head & apply in a straight line towards the bend.
As you use the varnish up on each stroke you'll create a natural taper because there's less on the needle. Then I simply rotate the buzzer by 1/4 & do the same again.
If there's any unevenness I'll try to either taper back up or down the fly with a clean needle or simply remove some of the excess.
Try to do the process within a couple of minutes or else the varnish may start to go tacky & create small lumps.
You can easily see if you've missed anything by light reflection as you rotate the buzzer. If this happens just get the tiniest amount of varnish on the tip & fill it in.

I tend to leave at least an hour between coats because the last thing you want is to accidentally scuff the previous coat with the edge of the needle.

[jc_flys]

i use a brush and havent had a problem with bubbles yet! they always seem to turn out fine but id get one of them rotary fly drying thingymabobs so you get an even coat

[bigbadtroutfisher]

Originally Posted by steve collyer

Yep the needle is the key.
When you think about it the brush that comes with HaN for instance will only add bubbles when you apply the varnish because of the chance of the individual brush fibres trapping air during the process.
You have far more control with a needle, so long as you apply in fairly small amounts.

The way I do it is to hold the buzzer in a clip, get a small bead on the tip of the needle - just enough to coat 1/4 of the fly, start at the head & apply in a straight line towards the bend.
As you use the varnish up on each stroke you'll create a natural taper because there's less on the needle. Then I simply rotate the buzzer by 1/4 & do the same again.
If there's any unevenness I'll try to either taper back up or down the fly with a clean needle or simply remove some of the excess.
Try to do the process within a couple of minutes or else the varnish may start to go tacky & create small lumps.
You can easily see if you've missed anything by light reflection as you rotate the buzzer. If this happens just get the tiniest amount of varnish on the tip & fill it in.

I tend to leave at least an hour between coats because the last thing you want is to accidentally scuff the previous coat with the edge of the needle.

Top class advice that i had the same problem untill i switched to a needle! much better results now
Robert

[richard859]

Thanks to all I will try the needle method.

[steveparton]

One word of warning - every pro photographer I ever met working for the magazines uses a little trick to get that freshly varnished look - they have always got me to revarnish and then they photograph the things with the varnish still wet and you betcha - it looks wonderful on the piccies !

Still dries off the same tho .

Don't believe everything you see !

Best wishes

Steve P