Foam Fly Bodies The Easy Way

[kyratchethead]

I love tying fishing flies with foam bodies. Over the years I have tried just about every foam cutter that I cam across to try and make my own homemade foam fly bodies, but I came to hate having to use a hammer to pound out foam bodies using punches or cutters.

Then one day while my wife was in Micheals Craft Store, I came across special scissors called Paper Edgers in the scrapbooking section of the store. I thought to myself, Man, these would make some great foam body cutters if they would cut 2mm and 3mm foam!" I got several different pair and a sheet of 2mm foam and while my wife drove home, I perfected making foam fly bodies using the paper edgers.

Here is a tutorial on using paper edgers to make a very simple but effective foam fly pattern I call the Phat Ant.

I hope this gives some of you thread winders and hackle wrappers out there some new ideas on making your own foam fly bodies!!

Edited January 31, 2010 by kyratchethead

[Peterjay]

Nice tie. You never know what you'll find poking around craft stores and fabric stores. Thanks for sharing.

[Joe B]

I love tying fishing flies with foam bodies. Over the years I have tried just about every foam cutter that I cam across to try and make my own homemade foam fly bodies, but I came to hate having to use a hammer to pound out foam bodies using punches or cutters.

Then one day while my wife was in Micheals Craft Store, I came across special scissors called Paper Edgers in the scrapbooking section of the store. I thought to myself, Man, these would make some great foam body cutters if they would cut 2mm and 3mm foam!" I got several different pair and a sheet of 2mm foam and while my wife drove home, I perfected making foam fly bodies using the paper edgers.

Here is a tutorial on using paper edgers to make a very simple but effective foam fly pattern I call the Phat Ant.

I hope this gives some of you thread winders and hackle wrappers out there some new ideas on making your own foam fly bodies!!

Look in the stamping or card making section. There are cutters like a pizza wheel with interchangable blades. They are very precise and less expensive. I also found some self adhesive glitter foam at Wally's this stuff is in several colors in a bag of about 4x6 size very shiny. Sticks great.

[crawdaddy]

Great tips guys, thanks for sharing. Always looking for better ways to cut foam bodies.

[bassrecord]

Thumbs up to Gary! His work is good.

Last weekend I tied a version of his Foam Beetle, renamed the Kentucky Beetle, at the NW Fly Tying Expo and lots of fly fisher types liked it. I will be tying it again at the Washington FFF Fly Tying Expo April 30-May1 so if you are in the neighborhood, stop by.

Thanks again for the good work and posting here.

Good luck!

John

[UNCLE HARLEY]

Very cool idea. What brand of scissors are those? And what is the name of the cut style? I gotta get some of those things!!

[kyratchethead]

The scrapbook edgers/scissors I use are Fiskar brand, and some are generic onesI pick up at Michaels and other Craft Supply stores. Look all of them over - I found a pair that makes a zig-zag pattern that I'm going to try as wing pads on nymph patterns for 2012. I'll try to post some photos as soon as i get around to trying it out.

Edited November 8, 2011 by kyratchethead

[fish4all]

Nice topic! I love the creative way to get things done easier and better. Now I have a way to cut my bodies to make some salmon poppers without getting cramps before I get 3 cut.

[rev. taz]

Bad ass..... right up my alley..... good thread!

[bucknuckle]

Wow that's awesome, it might almost seem to be a Big bulky Griffiths gnat too. Great tip.

[fishon-son]

i like that...thanks for the share...i see a stringer of gills soon....

[daffyduck73]

Very nice thanks for the tip