Tying-in foam

[afishinado]

 

[WV waver]

Have always been afraid CA type glue would harm foam, guess not.

 

[Bamboozle]

Interesting video...

I use a LOT of foam but never found glue or that many wraps necessary....

One thing I do when wrapping foam is to use heavier NON-bonded conventional fly tying thread that lays flat, in my case 3/0 Gudebrod.

Fatter/'flatter thread is less likely to cut through the foam and you can wind it much tighter keeping things in place versus smaller diameter threads...

...and in case you were wondering even stronger threads like GSP or Kevlar is NOT what you want to use for wrapping foam as it is so thin & strong it will cut through the foam like scissors.

 

[JerryC]

I use 3/0 thread or even "A" size thread if I have it, particularly on larger foam flies. I do use super glue. Initially, a light coat on the hook shank before I wrap the thread. It definitely anchors the thread to the shank. I seldom use a reverse wrap like the one in the video. I usually use either 3 mm or 6 mm foam for a fly that requires a foam strip. This is the layout for one of my foam patterns.

I tie in one side of the strip on the shank. The last couple of wraps I put a light coat of super on the thread, then repeat the process with the other end of the strip. I'll do three or four cross to anchor the body in place then fold the tips back and glue them to the foam to form the head.
This one is a similar pattern.

For this one the strip of foam is tied across the with thread and a some super glue. The wings folded back and tied in with the last couple of wraps coated with super glue.
When I do something like a Chernobyl. I'll tie it in either direction. Either doing the head first or the tail.
I just wrap in one direction. What I do, rather than just applying the super glue at the tie in point. I'll coat the top of the dubbing with a bit of super glue and press the body against the hook shank or dubbing when I pull it forward or back. Then finish wrapping the body down.

 

[whheff]

Very interesting. I will use this technique the next time I use foam.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Foam is funny for me. I know the reputation for it being a pain, but 9 times out 10 it goes easy with no spinning or slicing, even with like 6/0. But then, with all conditions seemingly constant, that 10th time will be a huge pain in the ***. No idea.

Biots are kinda the same, but aligning biots is more consistently a pain in the ***. I'm probably closer to 50/50 on having a cool hand with them.

 

[nfrechet]

i tie with 12/0 thread and have no problem securing foam.