FLYMPH FORUM

If anyone is interested there are some great photo's and directions for the block in Allen McGee's book " Tying and Fishing Soft- Hackled Flies"

Bob - I copied the one in Allen's book when I built mine. I later found another version of a "spinning block" in Darrel Martin's book "The Fly-Fishers Craft" (pages 100 thru 104). Darrel's version has a shallow groove running the length of the block. He also has a slightly different design (single pin on one end, curved end is opposite that of the Clark dubbing block, he uses a single 90° brass pin and a small washer/gasket assembly on one edge to hold the tag end of the thread). Darrel's woodworking skills are top-notch. (makes me want one like it). Anyway, it is interesting to see the different versions. Many ways to skin a cat.

EDIT - In case anyone missed the thread, here is a link to a discussion of spinning blocks which was started by Stefan (daringduffer):

http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... ilit=block

SECOND EDIT - I have assembled all of the links to each of the prior discussions of the Leisenring dubbing method and spinning blocks here:
http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 336#p30336

Thanks for the link, Ray. Absolutely awesome stuff.

This is a home made block I use. A friend showed me his, and I made one myself. Very simple to make. On each end I used a cup holder screw. Someone wanted to see a photo of mine, and I thought it might be useful here too. I am not handy with tools really, but this was simple enough even I could make one of these.

Kelly - Can you explain how this one is used? The design is a little different than any other ones I have seen. I am interested to know it the techniques are different with this type.

Ray, I use this with very thin copper wire. I have not tried it with thread. I am sure it would work fine. You take a long piece of copper wire, you attach one end to an eye screw, wrap it on that end....run it down the middle, where you see the line down the middle. Wrap that length around the other eye screw just a time or two. You should have plenty of line left...because after you lay down your dubbing...up and down the whole board, you take that extra piece, and turn it until it makes a dubbing brush. (it will take several twists of course to get it right) So in essence...one side is locked down at the eye, the other is loose after you put the dubbing in....then you twist that loose end. You take off the end that was locked down, and you can give an extra twist to each end of the wire. It won't be going anywhere. I don't do these in advance, I just do them as needed. I rarely make these up...so maybe I should change that, and prepare some early. If you are making a dry fly, you probably wouldn't want to use the thin copper wire....just use thread, and knot the ends, instead of twisting them like a bread tie. I hope this makes sense.

Thanks Kelly.

I dub in a variety of styles. I like Donald made a block many years ago and would be hard pressed to find it in the archives of my flyfishing piles. As I see it the use of a dubbing block is not Leisenring style but is the functional equivalent of using a dubbing loop with the under color thread attached to the hook. The dubbing block method is an added Hidy style for flymphs that is very interesting and leads to some very nice Caddilac type dubbing blocks with weighted wheels for spinning. You can even make your own with a skateboard wheel. For wire dubbing brushes I have used my cordless drill with the hook mounted in the drill. I think for simplicities sake it is just faster and easier to use a dubbing loop on the hook and I am not sure there is a difference in the fish's eye.

The primary difference as I understand it in the Leisenring style is the rolling of the thread with the dubbing in the loop across the pant leg. That friction across the leg rolls the dubbing fibers around the thread in a manner not duplicated by the spinning loop on either the block or a dubbing loop. If that difference is important to the fish is another debate. We won't even discuss the proper pants to wear at this point.

See Jim Slattery's post on the second page in http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... k&start=10 for details.

Here is a scan from ART OF TYING THE WET FLY, 1941, showing how delicate and tapered Leisenring's dubbed bodies were. Like Roadkill says, these were dubbed on the leg of his pants. Most people today are dubbing their bodies much heavier, which, judging from this photo, Leisenring would not approve.

The dubbing block was not a Hidy contribution. It came from a fishing and fly-tying companion of Leisenring and Hidy named Richard G. Clark. Hidy preferred using the Clark Spinning Block, but, he used it pretty much the same as when he spun bodies on his leg. I learned this from someone who met Hidy and saw him do it.
There was an article about Clark's spinning block in the bulletin of the Anglers' Club of New York, Vol. 47, No. 3, Oct. 1968, published a few months after he died.