Magic Tool

[Chetland]

Have any of you used Marc Petitjean's Magic Tool? Would it be worth the cost? If not, do you know of any other alternative? I've read a dubbing loop works well but I was curious if this tool would cut back on the frustration. Thanks for your time.

Here's a link for a description of the Magic Tool.

http://www.traditionalangler.com/MagicTool.asp

[Grizz]

Looks pretty snazzy. Lots of components.

Might actually demand more work & frustration & take up room on the station.

The end product looks sweet.

P's

[Chetland]

The Fly Fisherman website has some videos you can download to see how it works. Doesn't look too bad. Looks like it might be just as quick to use a dubbing loop.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/kbvideos/index.html

[Cary]

As a rule, I try to stay away form products with "Magic", Miracle", "Wonder", in the names, as well as cleverly misspelled words, like "EZ", Bodiz", and "BALZ".

Other than that, I have no idea if the tool is worth a damn.

-Cary

[Jason]

I've been contemplating on whether $28 would be worth it. I could think of a lot of stuff I'd rather spend my money on. You could easily make your own Magic Tool out of wood and then use a 'large' binder clip to grab the material. A small piece of balsa wood could easily be shaped into a nice trough (sp) for the materials to lay in. Hmmmmm

I just saw those video tutorials. Sweet. Ya gotta love CDC.

[Chetland]

Do you think bulldog clips would work? You can get them at any office supply store.

Here's a link...
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536892803&prodBlockOID=44389

[Jason]

Do you think bulldog clips would work? You can get them at any office supply store.

Here's a link...
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536892803&prodBlockOID=44389

You just read my mind. I was just browsing office max as well. I think the bulldog clips would be better than the binder clips.

[Chetland]

You could get "a whole mess" of CDC, I wonder if Snowshoe Hair would work to?

[Jason]

Not just snowshoe and cdc, but hackle feathers, soft hackles, corse dubbing mixes, etc. Therer's lots of possibilities to discover.

I've got some balsa wood at home. I may get the ban saw out tonight and see what I can come up with. I figure all I'd have to do is cut a V shaped notch on a block of wood and then cut a narrow slit for the material to fit into tightly.

[Chetland]

Let me know how it works out for you.

[LBM]

As a rule, I try to stay away form products with "Magic", Miracle", "Wonder", in the names, as well as cleverly misspelled words, like "EZ", Bodiz", and "BALZ".

Other than that, I have no idea if the tool is worth a damn.

-Cary

Cary, I beg to difer. Wonder Bra and Miracle Whip are two inventions mankind can not live without.

[Mike]

I figure all I'd have to do is cut a V shaped notch on a block of wood and then cut a narrow slit for the material to fit into tightly.

A router table and the right router bit would make short work of that project...

[JayMorr]

Very interesting. The media clips gave me some ideas! Very well done.


JayMorr

[jdubya]

On sale NOW!!

http://www.feather-craft.com/magictool.asp

[Chetland]

I stopped into Fish Tech today. They had one for sale. Looked pretty cool. Same price as Feather Craft.

[Dennis]

I saw them at the Tackle Dealer Show in September and was really impressed with what they would do. I tried to buy some right then but they were not yet being distributed by anyone. I recently found who the distributor is and have some coming in. I expect them sometime next week. Price $26.95

[Chetland]

Do we need to order those on your website, or can I just show up and pick one up? Thanks.

[Dennis]

It's ok to stop by and pick them up. I'll post when they come in.

[Jason]

Well, after looking at the photos of the magic tool, I figured I could make something at home and not pay the $28 for a couple pieces of plastic. I spent less than $3 and here's what I came up with. BTW, it works great. I tied up some killer CDC emerger/duns and some CDC caddis'. I'll post pics later.

[Chetland]

Looks like we shop at the same office supply store. Got the same clips, but I like the idea that you have with the wood, even more so after seeing the pics you posted. Is that used to push the materials together so that you can clip them with the bulldog clips? Looks like I need to visit Home Depot or someplace like that. You used balsa right? I have been using my clips for making dubbing loops with the bottom of hackle fibers. I tied up that fly they have on the fly fisherman website just a few minutes ago (Red Neck Rabbit) instead of using the red hackle I tried using the bottom of the hackle that looks like marabou. Is it called filoplume? Not sure on that one. Either way, it's all good. Can't wait to try your idea. Thanks for getting the old noggin' clickin' again.

[Jason]

Yah, the wood block serves the same purpose as the magic tool. I lay the CDC feathers in the trough and push the CDC down into the slot. The CDC fibers are forced upwards and ready to be clipped. Gotta have two clips to make this work because you have to trim the CDC twice, and two clips really make it easy. I'm going to make a smaller version as well.

[newtyer]

Cary, I beg to difer. Wonder Bra and Miracle Whip are two inventions mankind can not live without.

damn the wonder bra. many times have I been fooled by this farce. evil device.

[Dennis]

The Magic Tools arrived today. 2 gone already...4 left.

[Lonnie]

Big files but a quick server....

http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/kbvideos/

[Chetland]

Fly tyer has an article on using the Magic Tool, the thing that caught my eye was the "Miss Kim CDC Damselfly" If you haven't seen it, stop into Fish Tech, they have the new magazine in stock. What an amazing stonefly on the cover! Took the guy 180 hours to make. Sounds like time I spend me trying to get the wings straight on a basic dry fly.

[Jason]

Just got my Fly Tyer today. Wow. They haven't put out an issue this good in a long time. I'm impressed. I also saw the Magic Tool article. The damsel fly is cool. I've been tying up some baetis emergers with my homemade Magic Tool, and they're killer. I just don't see how it costs $29. I spent less than $3 and made my own.

[Chetland]

It even mentions that in the mag. The bulldog clips work great for me too. I've been playing with a CDC "Mating Midge", mainly trying to get the coordination down. Damn left hand.

[Trout4x]

Nice pictures Jason, sometimes taking the time to make something work pays off in the end.


Thanks Again,

Trout4x

[Jason]

Does anybody know what the wooden dowels are used for on the Magic Tool?

[Larry S.]

According to the article in FF&Tying Journal they are for use with synthetic dubbing. Beyond that it doesn't explain it. Perhaps there are instructions that come in the packaging or if you had one in front of you could figure it out.

[Chetland]

American Angler has a bonus section that explains the use of the dowels in the magic tool. It's in the middle part of the article.

http://www.flyfishingmagazines.com/ft_feature_035.shtml

Time to buy some dowels....

Edit - I guess they are called Fluted Dowel Pins for those that are not familiar (me).

[Crawdad'n]

Long time reader first time poster, anyways. I was reading about the Magic Tool and thought I would add this. My wife purchased some "chip clips" at the local dollar store (some have mysteriously disappeared) they work also.

What I like about them is that they have rubber inserts on the inside of the clip. It seems to help prevent some of the more fragile materials from being damaged.

[JayMorr]

Welcome to the board.


JayMorr