Charlie Craven's Tying Bench Tour

[@melchurch3019]

Organized chaos. Much better than my system. My wife has relegated my stuff to the basement but I have a mobile desk I bring upstairs to tie at the dining table for a few days at a time. Fun to see how a professional whom I admire sets up his work station. Thanks.

[@bone0214]

Super cool insight into a modern day legends arsenal. Charlie's intro to fly tying got me into fly tying and I remember emailing him after I completed the book thanking him for an amazing resource and getting me "hooked". Coolest thing was he responded to my email. Will never forget that and try to support Charlie any opportunity I get. If you read this, on behalf of myself and so many other tyers, thank you so much!

[@paulobainz1210]

Glad to see I’m not the only one who sticks decals all over the place.

[@mikehulsey4813]

One of the coolest videos you’ve put up! I’ve always wondered what a guy that has tied his entire life might have on hand after decades of collecting, and how it would be stored. I believe a man’s tying materials, desk, and just general tying space says a lot about an individual’s personality. Thanks for sharing!

[@aaronheyerdahl7196]

A lifetime collection of materials right there!

[@timg2798]

Just like the Charlies pack video I'm sure I'll watch this several times! All great ideas!!!

[@bjornrahm5195]

Charlie, you are a inspiration! Many thanks for your videos from a cold and windy Sweden…

[@JesseBeatty]

Thanks for sharing, Charlie. I likewise use a wooden desk my parents got me when I was about 10. Had no idea my mom had hung onto it all these years. Small enough to not completely consume a room, but also some decent surface area and a few drawers.

[@69adrummer]

As a "new guy" I love all of you guys doing the "desk tour" videos. Some are pretty overwhelming like... damn, I need all that?! haha but it is a journey and I'm looking forward to it!! I need to find some good readers or glasses as I've learned, well, my eyes aren't what they used to be!! haha if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

[@paulbridgers3820]

It's always cool seeing other people's tying desk. Some good tips on storing material. Thanks for sharing.

[@charlieboutin3341]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks a lot! I had to laugh when you showed the Christmas ornament, I get those on my tying desk also, but was going to say I also get jewelry to repair..then you showed the jewelry! 😂👍👌 I’ll get around to it..someday. It’s great to be needed! Have a great weekend. 🪶🎣

[@CESmith-hu2yg]

Hi Charlie, Great video and I'm sure it hits home to all your viewers. Met you at one of our TU Chapter's "Tie-One-ON shows here in Central NY; you were amazing I am a long time fan of your videos and look forward to every video you give us I too am a long time fan of Glen Overton's Wonder Wax. I worked at a local Fly and Tackle shop up this way in the late 70's and early 80's, and remember when Glen came in to the shop selling his product. Quiet guy and very personable I remember. And, I purchased several tubes of his wax Now I have a few of the old tubes but they have hardened and are hard to use. I bought a new tube and it's much better but is there any way to re-juvenate the old product? Sorry for the long rant Thanks and keep up the great work you do for all of us Chuck S.

[@alanbigcheesehautly5009]

Women: When a man says he is going to fix something, he's going to fix it. You don't need to keep reminding him every 6 months. Great tour of your desk, thanks for sharing.

[@T.N.TFly.company]

This is my dream right here a massive, amazing fly tying desk!

[@rodchurchill5576]

Love your videos , have learned so much . At the top of my list to learn from . Your book Basic Fly Tying , Modern Tech is two days out . Thanks for all the info and teachings

[@704EX]

Always cool to see other tying desks.

[@soloflyfishing]

Thank you Charlie for sharing. I loved the tour.

[@michealmedrano308]

This is great thanks for the tour and ideas to help keep stuff “organized “

[@davidparent2903]

Very cool! I feel much better about my storage of materials now, we have a lot in common. Thanks for a great video tour!

[@dem72011]

Loved the tour. I am green with envy.

[@charlesjones-jz1vl]

That looks awesome 👌🏼

[@tinoyb9294]

Overton's Wonder Wax! I've had the same tube of that stuff for 40 years.

[@nancydo9359]

Thank you for making me realize that fly tying is not just a hobby, but an opportunity to buy and collect junk that you only use about 10% at best, and the rest is for collecting dust!

[@glennplatvoet7111]

Nice I love those fly's good ones good 👍 tour

[@ceesbouma2776]

Nice to see, i have one box of tying Bobbins, wauw you have so many😮thanks for sharing and greetings from ☔️ Holland.

[@jbpipes9551]

Charlie, I loved your tying room tour. My wife needs to watch this... It's funny, my wife also gives me Christmas ornaments and jewelry to repair. Isn't that Starbond glue good stuff? I use it almost every time I'm at the tying desk. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@Silver_Coin_Outdoors]

I'm actually putting up a peg board in my fly tying area this weekend. I enjoy seeing others' fly tying benches, desks, & workstations.

[@williamboston8702]

Thanks for this and so many other videos sharing your wealth of experience. One question came to mind as I saw how open many of your materials are stored. I have had trouble with moths getting into my feathers and natural dubbing. Peacock feathers and pheasant tails kept open in a jar, natural dubbing in dispensers on my tying desk, and some hackles. After they get infested, I freeze them, let them back to room temp for a day or two, freeze them again. That does the trick. But I'm just wondering why that isn't an issue for you when you seem to keep your materials out in the open. Thanks again.

[@bryanandryszak925]

Hi, Charlie. I enjoyed the tour. Any chance you could make a short video on how you make your tying videos: camera setup; lighting; etc? Thanks!

[@georgefitzhugh6455]

Nicely done!

[@cachi-7878]

Charlie, thanks for sharing that mess!😂. You forgot to show us your camera setup! I think your black background videos are outstanding and the close up camera work is second to none. Mike Mercer’s artwork! Wow! I didn’t know he did that. Assuming it’s the same Mike who works in the travel department at The Fly Shop in Redding, CA. He’s organized some trips for me…

[@CharliesFlyBox]

I misspoke! The flies in that frame are Mike Mercer’s work but the painting is by Dave Hall. My apologies!

[@TechAssuranceATL]

Fly Material Envy…Charlie, you have made another man covet 😅. Thanks for sharing your private area…I am now reorganizing my desk to be a clean slate for creativity…until I start tying again, in an hour😂

[@davidconnolly676]

I love that this video, like all of the others, still ends with "Material List In Description (with Shop Links)".

[@hermandegala9717]

You have the most incredible view out of your windows!

[@baetis1539]

Great video Charlie. Thank you for educating your audience. Please elaborate on the light blue pad. Have you determined that is the best color contrast wise?

[@CharliesFlyBox]

It’s just a sheet of poster board, taped down at the corners. It great contrast for most materials and makes it easy to find things. Curiously, I tied on the brown surface of that desk for about thirty years but at a certain point my eyes came to prefer the lighter background.

[@GeorgeSemel]

I use a card table that my father had; it's got to be from the 1920s. It's a pinochle table. I have been using it to tie flies on since 1967! I store all my stuff in plastic shoe boxes and storage containers. It's all stackable; most of it is in a Closet. I have lots of space since I am single and never married. Then there is the other rabbit hole; I hand-load all of my ammo too. The whole place is a man cave. I got rods and guns all over the place. I been tying # 22 Griffith's Gnats since the fish are on those if they are feeding on the surface. Of course, I got my ammo loaded for rifle deer season. The opener for me is on Nov 1. So it's getting close. Are you doing any elk hunting? Colorado is big on that.

[@davehall2160]

Love it, thanks, Charlie

[@DavidJones1818mj]

So interesting. Your tying is soo precise, meticulous, and near perfect. Your desk and materials storage, not lol. Have learned a lot from your videos, though! 👍

[@articgrayling1300]

thanks for sharing sir.

[@delawarepro3539]

I throughly enjoyed myself 😎

[@rmfg962]

Awesomeness

[@frog2610]

The Tiemco midge whip finisher is my favorite fly tying tool by a longshot.

[@jerryg957]

Before I run out and now buy one, what makes them special. lol . Really want to know , not being an ass or anything. Thanks.

[@thomaswinter1179]

My wife does the same to me. I am Always finding some jewelry to fix. Nice room. Thanks.

[@davidmultari4555]

Awesome!! If you ever get to much stuff I’ll take some of it!! lol

[@ross1458]

Oh to get that organized. Gave me some good ideas. Big question isn't about storage it's about TMC-2488's. Is there a barbless version? And it can't be black.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

Nope😢

[@ross1458]

@@CharliesFlyBox that is sad. That’s my favorite hook.

[@jimsymons4269]

Way cool Charlie. You are really organized. Reminds me that I need to do something with the wall behind my bench. Shelves, a pegboard,... something other than than the girlie pictures I have there now for inspiration. BTW: Are those the lights you use for your tying videos? You got the best video lighting. You can see top and bottom, never any shadows. How do you do that?

[@sonja9001]

Ok Charlie, way to go! I hope your sock drawer is just as impressive! Now don’t wait to long to just do those little things for your wife wants your help with!

[@jtahoe5672]

Suspiciously like my wife: Throw NOTHING away, we may need it someday. 😄 Thanks for the tour, most interesting! BTW I have only one book on my shelf. Guess the author and title.

[@RobbAngier]

Love the desk tour. Would love to know the brand name of the chair. I assume you don’t have any cats roaming the landscape. Looks like it would be a target rich environment for them. 😊

[@pierevojzola9737]

Hi, talking about cats, if you ever get a chance to pick up a black cat you will find that the fur makes the best wet night flies ever! Took me years to find a good road kill and skin it. Memorable black swing flies used at the river mouth that flows into the Rotorua Lake. I use to get some lovely Rainbows fishing the last two hours before midnight! Cheers mate. Harera

[@CharliesFlyBox]

Alera ALENR4139 Neratoli Series High-Back Slim Leather Chair - Red/Chrome a.co/d/bu1TfSD

[@HondoTrailside]

What kind of heavy duty bags are those, particularly neck sized ones?

[@CharliesFlyBox]

@@HondoTrailside heavy mil bags from u-line

[@theinvasivespecies1119]

Is this where you tur for Flys for your videos?

[@jamesvatter5729]

Open table space? Is that allowed? LOL! I think it's prohibited in my tying room.

[@jeffpassante4094]

Quick question- what is the blue background material on top of the desk exactly?

[@CharliesFlyBox]

A simple sheet of light blue poster board.

[@thomasleonard9685]

When I was tying a lot, I discovered paint brush tail material… to see a real fly guy uses odd material too? I feel less goofy. Desk definitely looks about like one would expect from a 20-40 year fly tying guy. We would feel overwhelmed where you feel at home

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

A bag full of scissors. That's crazy!

[@johnhanley8708]

cool

[@thomasdurkin8719]

And my wife complains about my little messy fly tying area. It ain't nothing compared to yours. 😂

[@ShortyOnTheFly]

Are you sure that you have enough thread? (I am just as guilty.)

[@davidtuohy4544]

I'm not jealous at all 😊

[@JohnBoblett]

I do not have quite the collection of materials and "things" as Charlie does, but I do have it more or less organized. I have used plastic shoe boxes into which I have sorted by types of materials and then by colors or type of material. O asp use some medium tubs in which I have bulk materials. Then I have an nice 5-drawer dresser in which are most of my feathers including two drawers of hackle capes. Then there is the "closet" which I won't mention. There is one thing that I do that most folks don't to and that is that I have cataloged all of my materials. No, I didn't sit down and spend a couple go months doing this.A number of years ago I began an Excel Spreadsheet with pages for materials, e.g., Marabou, Hooks, Dubbing materials, etc. I found that I was buying lots of extra materials because I couldn't remember if I had an item or not. When I purchase additional items I go home grab a coffee sit down and simply spend 15-20 minutes entering the new information. New pattern pops up I can check my inventory list to see if I need anything. Saves me time rummaging around in my boxes and saves me some money too.

[@joef1299]

Thought I had a lot of materials.

[@Utahlonghorn]

What is it about flytiers being unable to throw away old scissors? I must have 25 pair and I can’t bring myself to throw them away either. Like all of a sudden I’m going to sharpen them?? Too funny😂.

[@allieone8518]

A true rotary vise on Charlie Craven’s home fly tying desk!!!??? Charlie, you betrayed and disappointed me!!! 😂

[@CharliesFlyBox]

I’ve had that Barracuda for probably 15 years and it’s barely used. It’s a fine vise, just not for me.

[@allieone8518]

@@CharliesFlyBox Your apology/excuse accepted! Keep on good work! BTW, are you also capable of tying fully dressed Atlantic salmon flies? Your tying of No Hackle Dun blew me away. And, I am wondering if fully dressed Atlantic salmon flies might be the Fly Tying Superman Charlie Craven's Kryptonite.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

I’ve only ever dabbled in salmon flies…maybe later but I’m probably just too practical to really get into that sort of model building.

[@richtawney9877]

You can send me those scissors... 😊

[@ChuckNorris-lf8nt]

Good the wife has not organized things for you, you wouldn't find anything again. No doubt you know exactly where to find things. Thanks for the tour...you might want to get on repairing those bracelets....

[@MatthewEvey]

Okay, what's in the closet? Hahaha

[@20darlind09]

kanst ja nie verbrauchen , nur verschenken😛😛

[@Fuzzball13]

Charlie, you are not old, until you use cheaters and a magnifying glass. Just saying, not from experience. 😜

[@zhuanjifarms5050]

PLEASE stop tying backwards... please.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

I don’t tie backwards, I tie left handed.