Fly tying: Using epoxy resins

It's been a while since I've used epoxy resins in my fly tying, simply because UV-cure resins work about as well, and they can be hardened in seconds with a dose of UV light. 

But, as Tim Flagler points out above, there are still several applications for non-UV resins in fly tying, particularly if you need to be economic and want to come away with a fly that's virtually indestructible. Epoxy resins must be mixed thoroughly and then allowed to dry after application. The latter is key—if you let a fly dry without rotating it on a regular basis, you'll end up with a sagging epoxy head that won't look nearly as good as it should. For this step, Flagler recommends a drying wheel.

The video above was a good reminder that UV-cure resins aren't the only options we have for building up clear heads, adding some glimmer and, most importantly for the flies I fish, adding durability to a finished product. 

— Chris Hunt