Dubbing blends ?

[Scythe]

Howzit,

What would be a good way to start making dubbing blends? Can you guys point me to a good article on the subject ? I'm finding that by consecutively placing the different dubs onto my loop or noodle you very rarely get the same consistency/colour/etc.

I know Gary mentioned something about a wooden block he uses to make his blends last time we fished ... or maybe he was talking about rolling the brushes ... I forget.

Hints/Tips ?

[gkieser]

I have heard someone mention using and old coffee bean grinder. Perhaps worth a try?

[dizzy]

Coffee bean grinder is probably the best option. Scythe, check with Gael, I think he has some info, or at least knows where to get.

[Yellowfever]

With regards to Whiskey and Wine I can really appreciate the art of blending.

Dubbing well yes I suppose it's a natural progression to achieve our own identity in flies - we can't trust the Americans. Also not in providing the right coloured dubbing from their factory in Wanking China

I blend using the time honored finger method as I don't give a stuff for 100% exact blended dubbing. If I could I'd still be tying by hand. It's the way I cook as well, no exact measurements as I believe this is art not science.

Coffee grinder is good, gives flies the coffee essence flavour second only to aniseed dip You need to select a blender with a small recepticle otherwise you will end up having to throw in a whole rabbit pelt with 2 squirrels in. Which will leave you with a Checkers full of natural hare's ear and squirrel -I'll take two packets please.

What I do believe is you have to get a good consistancy so you'll need find a way to keep at it without disintegrating the fibers. Poof! Fine dust settles over the Bachelor's kitchen. Good idea use blunt blades on the grinder, or plastic.

Lastly www.sexyloops.com there was an article I think under Flytying about blending.

[Scythe]

Thanks boy-o's.

Not having coffee bean grinder handy I made a jury rigged one by using a cheap jap cr@p "Smoothie Blender" I won at Virgin Cr@ptive. It only works on 5V and is too slow so it ended up making nice gigantic dubbing noodles instead of mixing the dubbing, also the blades weren't quite positioned right or sharp enough.

So I took:

1 * ATX PSU
1 * Side Cutter
1 * Pliers
1 * Small Phillips Screwdriver

Disassembled the blender.
Figured how the AC input works.
Stripped wire Earth & +12V from stiffy connector and seated in AC input.
Hot Wired ATX PSU using Green Wire, Black Wire & PaperClip.
Tested on 12V ... VROOOOM !

It's not elegant to be sure and it doesn't CUT the dubbing per sè, but it does blend it relatively well, so I tied my first Ice Dub UV Olive, UV Calibaetis & Caddis Green blended dropper last night.

I'm finding that building stuff to address my tying needs is keeping me far busier and more entertained than Lego ever did.

Geelkoors, the only blending allowed with good red wine is the blending of one's self with another infinately hotter female's self '98 Roodeberg FTW !

[dpammenter]

McGuyver strikes back!

nice work Scythe! so, when does this device hit the shelves?

[Scythe]

I'm still working on the patent rights like I am with my 8WT Green Fork Branch Rod concept for bass

[dpammenter]

hehe cool. still completely impressed by the Green Fork Branch Rod concept excellent stuff

[Gael]

I use the old-fashioned method water to blend my dubbing, you end up with a very nicely blended product and hasn’t been damaged by the blades

Pour the water and dubbing bend out though a coffee filter and then just lay it out on a news paper, dries pretty quickly. I usually just use a whisk to mix it together (cause I’m cheap) and using a smoothie type blender would lead to fibres getting stuck between the blades and the rubber seal, almost impossible to get out

Also if you are using water, since the fibres aren’t getting chopped up by coffee grinder blades, you may find that some materials need to be chopped a little before adding to get a nice even blend

[Scythe]

Wow cool, never knew about that "Old Fashioned" way of blending ... so you to have to ensure the fibres are fairly loose when you add it to the water right ? You find it works well on synthetics and natural stuff like hare's fur etc ?