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 Post subject: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:28 am • # 1 
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Newbie

Joined: 04/08/12
Posts: 44
Apologies for the delay with this step x step (and for some out of focus photos..oops). Are there faster, easier top water flies to tie? Absolutely, but there is something about working with wood that attracts me to these.

Ingredients

Hook: Gamakatsu B10S number 8 hooks
Thread: Flat waxed nylon
1/4 inch x1/4 inch balsa wood
Craft knife
Emery Boards
Nail Polish
5 minute epoxy
Chartreuse round rubber legs
Orange loco legs
Body: Crystal Chenille
Tail: Hot pink Marabou
Dremel engraving piece

1. Measure a 1 cm piece of balsa wood and carefully cut with the craft knife.

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2. Start shaping the popper. Commence by working the top edges down on a 45 degree angle towards the tail. Round the edges on the top and down the sides.

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3. Use the Emery Board to complete the shaping and to also smooth the finish

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4. Use the Craft knife to cut down the underside of the popper...make sure this is centred as the hook will sit in this groove.

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5. Use the Dremel engraving piece to create the cup face of the popper. Take your time as the wood is soft.

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6. Lay a base of thread, whip finish and attache the popper to the hook, ensuring it's psoition is correct.

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7. Apply 5 minute epoxy on the hook shank and slot to secure the hook.
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8. Lay the base colour of nail polish. You will need several layers to achieve a block colour. In this case I used Fluro yellow.

9. Use a nail to add the eyes

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10. Use the tip of the nail to add detail to the body. I've use a sort of brown trout pattern on this. I like red or orange on the cup so you can track the popper. Once painted, epoxy the body.

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11. Lay a base of thread and tie in the pink marabou tail.

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12. Add a couple of loco legs to each side of the marabou...these materials add a lot of action on the pause.

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13. Tie in the Chartreuse Crystal chenille, wrap forward half way up the shank.

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14. Tie in 2 Fluro yellow round rubber legs and wind Chenille through this. Whip finsh and add head cement.

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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:41 am • # 2 
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Administrator

Joined: 06/25/09
Posts: 3259
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Well done!


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:02 am • # 3 
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Hero Member

Joined: 06/23/12
Posts: 1141
Location: Songtan, Korea
I like it!


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:11 pm • # 4 
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Joined: 07/12/12
Posts: 987
Location: Georgia
Nicely done!


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:28 pm • # 5 
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Joined: 11/17/08
Posts: 5497
Original.

Are you using a nail head to dap on eyes?

Led


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:26 pm • # 6 
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Joined: 01/10/12
Posts: 528
Location: Cedar Park, TEXAS
That is the best step-by-step popper I have seen :)


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:03 am • # 7 
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Newbie

Joined: 04/08/12
Posts: 44
keebranch wrote:
Original.

Are you using a nail head to dap on eyes?

Led


Spot on Keebranch...the tip does the detail and the flat head for the basic eye shape. Nails and nail polish...a natural fit :D The nails and shaping the wood help me feel that little bit more masculine, as i trawl the the nail polish sections of the local Pharmacy.


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 7:42 pm • # 8 
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Joined: 02/08/10
Posts: 1651
Oh...Yeah......."pop-pop".....SMACK !!! That will work just about anywhere.......nice job.........Don in SC


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 4:27 pm • # 9 
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Newbie

Joined: 06/28/12
Posts: 9
Location: Winter Haven, Florida
Thanks for the nice step by step and the neat fly, but MAN! That shot of you holding the tiny bit of balsa while cutting it with the craft knife makes me nervous. So does the one of you dremeling out the front. Do you really do that or are those two pictures just for demonstration purposes? Please be careful!

Rick


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:28 pm • # 10 
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Newbie

Joined: 04/08/12
Posts: 44
Thanks Rick,you're right safety is always paramount when using cutiing or drilling tools. The shot of the craft knife was to show the alignment. Even though balsa is soft I would always recommend cutting it on a flat surface. The dremel is not an issue, the engraving tool is effectively a round ball with bevelled edges and poses no risk at the low drilling speeds used.

Thanks for raisng an important point


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:49 pm • # 11 
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Full Member

Joined: 12/22/11
Posts: 170
Location: Missouri
I just want to say YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB!!That is a nice popper..love the step-by-step, easy to follow.


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:30 am • # 12 
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Newbie

Joined: 08/13/13
Posts: 1
Hi Voges O0

I really like your step by step, and being that I now have a couple of these in my fly box, I look forward to throwing these at some bruising big bream this coming summer :applause

Chat soon

Stu


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:07 am • # 13 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 10/28/13
Posts: 255
Location: Zvornik,Bosnia&Herzegovina
I make balsa flies for chub. The best form as a coffee bean!

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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:08 am • # 14 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 10/28/13
Posts: 255
Location: Zvornik,Bosnia&Herzegovina
Like this.
Image

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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:11 am • # 15 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 10/28/13
Posts: 255
Location: Zvornik,Bosnia&Herzegovina
You can do a variety of forms.
Image

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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:14 am • # 16 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 10/28/13
Posts: 255
Location: Zvornik,Bosnia&Herzegovina
I have been fishing and trout with them.
Best forms!
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:18 am • # 17 
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Sr. Member

Joined: 10/28/13
Posts: 255
Location: Zvornik,Bosnia&Herzegovina
We call "bambula",on this link you have step by step how to tie:

http://www.musicar.rs/bambula-tajna-je-u-plopu/


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 Post subject: Re: Balsa bugs
PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 5:55 pm • # 18 
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Jr. Member

Joined: 01/16/13
Posts: 67
voges and tommylee; thanks for sharing your patterns! I will try my hand on some in the winter.
/Mike


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