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[BC Fishing]

I haven't used UV glues but I've heard various reports that it can remain tacky and needs to be coated with CA or nail polish anyway. I was in Michael and Young a couple of days ago and they have Tuffleye UV kits on sale for about $58 from the reg price of $105.

Here's my experience with UV.
After seeing the price on those fly store UV kits, I found an alternative.

I bought a:
- UV laser (Ebay prices range from 1$ to 8$)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhZUWNKPF-o (I got this exact one!)
- Loon UV Clear Thick for 16$
- Loon UV boat repair for 8$
- Loon Fluorescent Hard Head 8$

If you go to other countries, you can buy UV cured nail polish for cosmetics - this is what many European fly tiers use and swear by - and it costs only 1$-2$ over there, for all sorts of brands. In Canada, a tiny bottle of Sally Hansen UV cure cosmetic nail polish goes for 18$ and up..

The UV laser cures instantly ( I mean, instantly! 1 second to penetrate a big blob of goo when forming a 3D streamer eye) and is super powerful, lasts for many years on 2 x AAA batteries. Cons: its too powerful, reflects in your eyes from ANY surface.. I close my eyes before turning it on just to be safe.

To contrast the laser, a UV light, depending on the frequency, takes longer to cure. 5-10 seconds for decent quality ones. 

The LOON UV clear thick was amazing stuff in my experience. Very nice, very workable. Not sticky. You can really model hair /fur fibers with it. When Loon Hard Head Phosphorescent cracks and falls of my fly within 1 false cast, the UV thick clear stays on, stays clear, and stays elastic so it doesn't crack. I haven't tried the UV boat repair yet, but bought a pack. Some tiers use it since its cheaper and apparently works just the same?

I also use UV cure on thread wraps when making loops on fly lines. It stays quite flexible so the line doesn't crack over time.

I've not used UV boat repair but after a few youtube video deomnstrations, it seems like a decent product. If it doesn't stay complely clear, ill just use it to finish the heads of my flies, form nymph legs or hold things in place.

Loon Fluorescent hard head is a nightmare. The bottle glows in the dark, quite noticeably! But the flies with a big blob of the goo applied & dried does not glow. The goo is clear when wet but becomes completely white when dry.  Useless, in my opinion. After experimenting with different coats, drying methods, the stuff фдцфні cracks, crumbles and falls off your fly even while its sitting in the fly box... Maybe I got a bad bottle of the goo?

You can also get UV electronics & smartphone syringes that are used for gluing smartphone screens, for 2-3$ on Ebay, however most have a lesser quantity than the 8$ bottle of UV boat repair, but keep looking for deals and you might find something great.

[bigsnag]

Good info.  Thanks to everyone.
I think the problem with my UV light is that it is not strong enough.  It takes me 2 mins to cure a set of streamer eyes and it is a bit tacky still after it hardens.  I was using loon knot sense.

[clarkii]

Loon hard head is not a uv cure, are you using a uv light on?  If so you are damaging the product by using uv light on it, causing the problems you are experiencing

[RalphH]

got this at Crappy tire for $12

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-ultra-violet-led-flashlight-0653032p.html#.VsHdN9BdJG4

[Tangles]

got this at Crappy tire for $12

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-ultra-violet-led-flashlight-0653032p.html#.VsHdN9BdJG4

I have this same one too. I haven't had a curing light before so I can't compare really but this one is a little weak, it takes me definitely more than 20sec to fully cure and it's still tacky to touch. I'm using Loon UV fly finish for tying, fly line custom loops, etc. Maybe another agent would dry up quicker.

[RalphH]

Hmm. Judging by it's ability to 'light up' florescent fly materials there's plenty of UV rays. UV resin should set in strong sunlight & I have never seen any lights or resin rated by the amount of UV lumins or whatever. Watching a few videos of Davie McPhail using UV resin he uses the same size torch but holds it an inch or less from the fly. As I said above I have seen others tyers comment that Loon UV products don't seem to set as desired.

[RalphH]

I bought a tube of Loon UV Boat repair and tried the light on a drop of it - rock hard & clear in 20 seconds. The UV Boat Repair is more like a gel. Next I'm gonna try it on fixing eyes to a fry fly.

[RalphH]

works fine excepting getting those little stick on eyes on the fly head. I find putting a little dab of gel on then putting the eyes on with tweezers then an additional coat of UV boat repair then hit it with the light holding it within a half inch and rotating the vice head slowly works best.  Dry it has a feel similar to aquaseal so I have been coating them with  Sally Hansen's hard as nails as a finishing coat. The gold tinsel has also been similarly coated.

[HOOK]

I have this stuff and while it dries hard and clear there does seem to be some sort of residue left behind that I just wipe off with my finger. Its not visible except on my finger you can see a shiny smudge. I have had a couple of my chironomids go cloudy looking with it as it appeared I may have not set it fully and it actually "let go" of the materials. I just easily picked it off and coated the fly again.

https://loonoutdoors.com/product/uv-clear-fly-finish-thin

The UV light I have is similar to this one and I also hold it within an inch of my fly now that I figured out closer gets a better cure.

http://www.amazon.ca/Ultra-Violet-Blacklight-Flashlight-Torch/dp/B00CHJDXVK


PS - If you really shop around you can find cheap uv lights you can order that will show you how many lumens they put out. Next one I buy will be 800+ lumens and has only 1 bulb instead of several little ones. I think the one I have now is between 3-400 lumens

[RalphH]

I have this stuff and while it dries hard and clear there does seem to be some sort of residue left behind that I just wipe off with my finger. Its not visible except on my finger you can see a shiny smudge.

I noticed this as well. After I posted above I was looking at UV nail polish on Amazon and in the reviews/Q&A section one manicurist/ beautician commented she always use alcohol to wipe off the nails painted with UV polish once dried. She also recommended leaving nails under the lamps for at least 60 seconds - thought those lamps may not be as strong to avoid burns - it's UV that causes sun burns after all.

[BC Fishing]

Loon hard head is not a uv cure, are you using a uv light on?  If so you are damaging the product by using uv light on it, causing the problems you are experiencing

No, of course not. I apply the "Loon hard head phosphorescent" and let it cure for 1 day minimum. It sits away from sunlight, at room temperature, untouched. 
I am simply comparing my unique experience with these products: UV glue > nail polish > superglue > loon hard head phosphorescent.

I tried creating 3D eyes with a dab of black nail polish for the pupil and a drop of clear glue. I tried UV glue "thick", clear nailpolish, hard head phosphorescent for the clear portion of the eye. UV worked flawlessly. Nail polish was too thick to administer and 3/4 eyes would end up a mess.. hard head fluoro was same as UV during administration, but turned completely white after an hour, giving the "boiled fish eye" look    If you work the goo immediately after placing the drop, it will cure white and remain white. However, if you place the drop and leave it alone, after 2 weeks, the white colour almost completely fades away, resulting in a semi-translucent look. However, the eyes did not glow in the dark, unlike the bottle of the phosphorescent stuff.

 

[mcallagan]

Fly Fish Food has a fairly good post about the different resins and lights and variations.
He did a comparison between many of the named brands and not so known brands.
He examines heat, tack, odor, applicator, and durability of them.
It is about 1/2 through in the post where he has a chart on his results.

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2015/10/uv-resin-shootout.html

Hope it helps, it did for me as to which one to try.

[dufflayer]

My version of a purple peril. Sadly, it didn't work too well on the Kitimat this year.

[tom lam]

Been playing around with some 5 minutes epoxy.



Looks similar to flies finished with UV resin but I suspect would be more durable.

Tom

[HOOK]

Been playing around with some 5 minutes epoxy.



Looks similar to flies finished with UV resin but I suspect would be more durable.

Tom

I would say your assumption will be correct. 3 fish until my UV resin started to peel off. decided to go back to the super glue for durability. Yes the resin makes the flies look a bit more realistic but I want flies that will last me awhile

UV resin I was using is Loon thin fly finish