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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:30 pm • # 1 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 07/03/09
Posts: 250
Fly swaps for me are a great way to see how other people tie flies.  I also use swaps to tune my skills on tying flies.  After 20 flies you should know a pattern.
But besides the flies,  there are a lot of in and outs to a good fly swap.  I want to go over some of my observations from the swaps I've been in.
Toe tag 
A Toe tag is a piece of paper that has the tyer's name, the name of the fly, and size of hook.

Bluegillfisher
The Slayer
Size 14 2x

I use a word processor and print out on one sheet of paper.  I cut the tags with scissors and attach to hook.  I save the file and the next time I can use the Find and Replace
to edit the first doc.

Bluegillfisher
Little Bitty Fly
Size 18

Some times I put flies in plastic bags.  Then I just slip the toe tag in the bag.  I like to Recycle all of those bags from other things, but you can buy 100 bags at craft store like Micheal's.

The next thing is how do you ship these pointy things across the country? 
This picture show different containers used for this.

Image
    From 12 o'clock:  Chocolate tin with foam glued in bottom. 1 o'clock: Cheap fly box from local shop.  3 o'clock: M & M container.  6 o'clock soap dish.
9 o'clock: Cheap and empty Johnson & Johnson first aid kit. 11 o'clock:  the famous Altoids tin being held tight with two rubber bands.  You should put you screen name on your box and your return envelope to make it easier for swap meister to return right box to right person.

Next thing to decide is how do you want to package your flies to ship.
I took these pictures from the last swap.  There is no "right" way to do it.  I like to recycle so I reuse packing and envelopes. 
First is the simple manila envelope shipped in a plain manila envelope. The flies are in a tin. Postage has been calculated and put
on the return envelope.  The return address is filled out to make things easy for return.

Image

The second picture is a padded return envelope.  The flies in a tin.  Everything is mailed to swap meister in a plain manila envelope.

Image

Picture four is a small box for return.  (Flies in a tin.) Postage added on small box.  Everything put in large box and mailed to swap meister.

Image

Bubble outside envelope to swapmeister,  bubble wrap to return.  Flies on white open cell foam. 

Image

Bubble outside envelope to swapmeister,  bubble wrap to return.  Soap dish with flies in it.

Image

All of the first class postage was under $2.00.  Fly swaps should be fun for everyone.  If you are entering multiple swaps, it pays to recycle packages.  I hope we can continue swaps here and this makes things clearer for new tyers. 

Marion

 

 


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 1:39 pm • # 2 
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Administrator

Joined: 11/17/08
Posts: 4828
Good stuff, I'm gonna pin this one up.

J.


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:27 pm • # 3 
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Full Member

Joined: 11/03/09
Posts: 119
Hi All;

Marion: What a great idea displaying how swaps were received, enjoyed seeing what others do.

I've taken to shipping my pattern in individual zip bags with toe tags(I used to receive a few flies in swaps where fly separated from tag), toe tag also includes a brief material list for pattern tied, site name, email address and oftentimes my full name.

The last shot shows how I ship my flies, the beauty is, all but postage is available at Wally World, soap box is 50 cents, and I buy the envelopes for like 60 cents and 80 cents each. So, for me initial investment is $1.90 plus shipping which usually costs me 3 to 4 dollars depending on weight and distance.

I've now started recycling the soap carriers, taking my swap flies and placing in a zip lock bag. I use my swap flies as patterns.

This winter, I want to come up with a better way to store and display the swap flies I receive, would love to see what others do.

Wayne


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 4:46 pm • # 4 
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Joined: 05/16/09
Posts: 2123
I really don't want folks to get discouraged about swaps.  For the tier, it is a fun way to observe and learn from each other, and it fills the fly box.  I hosted one and though I did get a bit down about it, I decided to host another.  Lets face it, it takes things such as this to keep a site such as this, going.


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:47 am • # 5 
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Joined: 03/08/09
Posts: 2144
Great directions Marion...Made simple concise and to the point...and with options...good job!


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:23 am • # 6 
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Hero Member

Joined: 02/08/10
Posts: 1651
Image
   Nice review.........I didn't think about a toe-tag. I will do better the next time around...........................Don S. in SC        "Don't be afraid to FLY"


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun May 02, 2010 1:22 am • # 7 
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Administrator

Joined: 11/17/08
Posts: 5497
Marion,
Thanks for putting this up.
I forget that some folks are new to swaps and don't know how they work. Tutorials like this one should be on every site featuring swaps.


Les


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun May 02, 2010 9:09 pm • # 8 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 12/03/08
Posts: 370
Well I would just add this forum sells the extra sets for support of the forum, as such they need to compensate the swap master for the cost of packaging and shipping the flys to the auction buyer, average cost would be about $5 for materials and shipping over and above the value of thee flys if the buyer is not a participant,
The Host should not be respinsible for the stand alone shipping cost to the "supprters " of this site!
Likewise the Hosts (Hostess) final date should be strickly inforsed, swaps that drag on for months kill the consept of fly swaps and the desire to join them!
If Im out of line, wrong or my comments are out of line here you can simple tell me so, I wont take offence and will not in the furture join in in furture swaps!
However I do enjoy the swaps we have had here! Both as a host and a member!
Cleary our ADmin needs to step in and set down the rules now! and set the standard Now!


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 Post subject: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 3:06 pm • # 9 
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Full Member

Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 238
New guys shouldn't host without referrals from upstanding members.
Similar to the qualifications for posting items in the classifieds to protect the parties involved.
All the swaps I have done here have been great and I am hoping the quality remains high.


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 Post subject: Re: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:15 am • # 10 
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Hero Member

Joined: 03/02/11
Posts: 1003
Location: Vinton, Va
I'm not up to hosting a swap just yet, but we haven't had one since 2013. Is that right?


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 Post subject: Re: How-to on Fly Swaps
PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 1:24 pm • # 11 
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Hero Member

Joined: 12/29/12
Posts: 1835
Location: Rusagonis, New Brunswick, Canada
Yep. Last one was Nov 2013. Theme was streamers.


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