Mixing your own Dubbing.

[WildTigerTrout]

A friend and myself are expanding our horizons. We are going to start mixing our own dubbings. We both bought small coffee grinders to start. I was just wondering if any of you fellas have any tricks or tips you would like to share on the subject. Thanks in advance.

 

[gfen]

I bought a rabbit pelt from the craft store for the main ingredient, and often just throw scraps of whatever into a pile, including antron, floss clippings, and those little shiny chunks that fall off of ice chenille.

Most notably, though, is the pelt and the antron, which is actually "plastic canvas yarn" from the craft store. Cut it short. 1/4" or less. Random lengths. Colour to taste.

 

[NCPAtrtbum]

Put materials in a zip-loc bag, poke some holes in it, open the top slightly and blast it with compressed air.

 

[franklin]

If you are going to work with synthetics you will find that some types of fibers mix well and others don't. Buy a small amount at a craft store and check try cutting a few short lengths and blending. If it blends well note the type and manufacturer so you can buy additional colors in the future.

I haven't had any problems with the traditional animal hairs. Have also mixed natural hairs and antron with no problems. Just some of the synthetic yarns that tend to ball up into small knots.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

run it through a coffee grinder and youll have no problem

 

[jayL]

Had a dream that I bought a grinder to mix dubbing last night. I have fishing dreams, but that one was odd and unexpected.

I guess I should try this now...

 

[jdaddy]

Oster blenders do a great job and you can get little jars that fit on the base that can store. Blenders hit much higher speeds, create loft in the materials, which in my experience is spikier, etc.

 

[flytyingfred]

I agree with JDaddy I too have coffee grinders but I use the blender most of the time. It fluffs things up better and faster with the different speeds. If you are using just a coffee grinder put a little in at a time if you put too much in it doesnt blend well. I have the grinder close to my bench and I use it to occassionally fluff up the dubbing I am using to tie at the time. If you are going to blend colors start with very small amounts and work your way up to the color you are aiming for. Just like dubbing the thread less is better when blending.

 

[gentleshepherd]

There was a great article on dubbing mixing in Hatches Magazine last year.

 

[Leteras]

If your going to mix synthetics get a strip of velcro and tongue depressors glue a strip to each one and use that to mix the synthetic. Put the dubbing you want to blend between both and keep brushing them together. A blender won't work well with synthetics.