Slide Inn Q&A #10 - How to Organize your Fly Tying Materials with Kelly Galloup

In this Q&A segment, Mike Brown asks:
"Kelly,I see on your videos how well organized your tying area is. What do you use for storing the mountain of tying materials a guy ends up having?"

[@DifferentWayDown]

That is one helluva collection of materials. I could bum enough off your stash to tie for 10 years lol! Great video, thanks for taking the time to make it. It's especially critical for us guys with cramped space.

[@felixo9126]

The ONE TIME I was hoping the videographer would have included links to their products "in the description!" lol Great video

[@erniewalker5050]

wow!!! the best video. everybody's tying and tying and no one talks about organizing! so many ideas here. thanks a million my friend!!!!!!

[@TheSlideinn]

+Ernie Walker Anytime Ernie and glad you enjoyed it.

[@gordonpeters6769]

I am getting a back into fly tying after several years. That was one of the best tying talks I have seen. Thanks. Gordon P.

[@baetis1539]

Great video with many good ideas. Thanks for sharing Kelly!

[@rrottet]

Where do you get the tubes for storing the flashbou/tying thread? Thanks

[@davidleimeister5027]

Thanks Kelly for letting us into the mind of a genius for just a moment.

[@itypefaster]

I always learn something from your videos, thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. Also love how you end them "Hope that helps you out." 2 thumbs up

[@jkdurden]

Love the tube idea for flash etc. Thanks Kelly, I really enjoy your videos. Please keep them coming. All my best.... JD, Colorado.

[@michaelbrown9406]

Thanks Kelly,you really answered my question. I like your take on bead storage.

[@TheSlideinn]

+Michael Brown Good to hear Mike and thanks for the great question.

[@keithwilliams7611]

One of the best presentations I’ve seen

[@johnbroyles5524]

Didn't finish my comment but my point was that your advice, ideas and techniques are completely relatable and make sense. If you say it or promote it its well worth our consideration. Thanks Kelly

[@Freddo4J]

Awesome ideas Kelly - thank you! I enjoy organization and consider myself to be quite organized. However, I'm tying for less than a year now and accumulating materials since I started at a pretty good pace (will it ever slow down?). Your tips and explanations will save me tons of, "Oh, now what's the best way to do this with that stuff?" Again - thanks so much. Now to work on a dedicated tying area (did you hear me LOL?!). I'm blessed to have the space I do and the tools and materials I've acquired so far. This video will help me maintain sanity in very short time! All the best and thanks for "all" of your videos!

[@BradSprinkle]

Thank you for some awesome ideas. Now to apply them. Thank you for sharing.

[@johnbroyles5524]

Kelly Galloup I admire and respect your sense of practicality. If a product or fly works for you I have absolute faith that it will work for me. You have a relatable way of speaking on whatever aspect of flyfishing you choose. As a military family member and with two sons, both of whom were introduced to flyfishing,

[@TheAndrewlitchford]

Great video. Im a beginning tier and quickly finding myself swimming in material. Thank you, Kelly

[@salmonninja7223]

I've been tying now for over thirty five years and even making the simplest of patterns with minimal materials, I always end up with the entire contents of my gear dumped in front of me! The wost is when you don't know what to tie and you let your imagination run wild! I have a drawer in which the materials have all massed together to make one giant furball. I sometimes think it is actually alive! My threads and wires especially always seem to be the messiest. I'm always very envious of a nice tying station. I'd like to think when I'm older and retired I'll finally create some order! I think I'm just naturally untidy! Great video.

[@Jaimelapoesie]

I just started tying, pondered the thought of organizing my stuff, and this video came up. YT's recommendations ftw

[@chrisashby4497]

I love that you have a shout out to pintrest. I have been going on there to get ideas for a new fly tying desk/hutch. I have an old desk from my local university that I salvaged for free from a dumpster. I use peg board to organize, but your set up is much cleaner than mine. thanks for the ideas. tight lines.

[@99problemsbutafishaintone35]

I love the handlebars ! Thanks for the tips.

[@ralphs007]

Lots of good information here,thanks !

[@jlajoie111]

Great answers, and great video! I've got some work to do on my area.....

[@stevencurran2869]

Love that top multi drawer cabinet. I’ll be looking for one of those. Thanks for the vid, I have learned much from you! Tight lines.

[@TheSlideinn]

Steven, the top set of drawers are from the Paul H Young fly rod company in Michigan probably built in 1940 or 50's. KG

[@michaelbrown9406]

Kelly,just got my hat and box of flies. Thank you .

[@keithparady4028]

Really good organization bud I'm glad I subscribed keep it up. From Maine

[@Machster10]

Excellent sir! To those out their I recommend the vintage Wilson Will-hold thread spool sewing boxes. Try to get one with a metal latch but the plastic is just fine. They are slim, and just work perfect and are well made. You can stack them. They were made in avacado, mustard and earth brown. Very popular colors back in the day. They are semi 'collectable' now so expect to pay at the very least $35 quid total. The other recommendation are these pleated, clear, plastic storage bags with velcro closure on ebay. Fly hive on ebay sells them. They put a very wide velcro strip on them which can be almost too grippy to open. But they expand due to the pleats.

[@rouryglen]

Great video with great tips thanks

[@lawrencesmeen522]

Hey Kelly, I'd love to see a video on just how you set up your leader, indicator, sight line, point flies, lead, and droppers. Thanks, and all the best. Great videos. Love watching !! Larry Smeen, Pleasant Mount , Pa.

[@jasonflyfishercolorado5769]

Thank so much, that really helps me

[@dtrout]

I haven’t tried the tubes but several other things I use the same or similar plastic containers. One thing I have found really works is a used cedar chest that I fill with the plastic boxes of materials. Another thing that has worked well are clear acrylic drawers.... I guess about 12” high by 10 inches wide with 3 or 4 full width drawers on the bottom and either 2 or 4 half width drawers on top. These are great for materials that I use the most like hi-vis or small pieces of deer hair. Also great for storing spools wire and floss and thread. Can also hold things like reading glasses..... and because the entire case is clear, you don’t have to open 5 drawers to find what you want. Similarly, I found stackable acrylic canisters that hold several dozen dry flies each and the lid keeps them dust free. A few cigar boxes can hold quite a lot if you don’t want plastic tubs sitting around in plain sight. I would also recommend Plano plastic boxes without the dividers for feathers or things in plastic bags that you want to store.... about 10 of the bigger Plano boxes will fit into a Lane cedar chest. Hope that helps you out ..... Kelly, you rock. But you should have kept a place in Michigan so your many fans could drop by and say thank-you for the patterns and tying advice. You do help us out .... immensely.

[@tlim1692]

Organize by color. Place all the same color materials in 1 box. This simplify organization and encourages substitution of materials within the same color group.

[@terryblagburn6644]

Thank you sir great ideas on storage

[@billdoten4211]

I would love to see a video on how you made your material cabinet!

[@chrissewell1608]

The only difference between a fly tyer and a hoarder is, that fly tyers are more organized! I had made some oak tool caddys, years ago. Each one holds all my basic tools, 3 spools of thread, and a Bottle of head cement, plus numerous hand tools.

[@HankSnowgrandslamfishing]

Very helpful thanks for sharing.

[@willshunting]

Gooday from Australia. Over the years I tried all sorts of systems for storing my fly tying materials. I eventually settled on a system I dreampt up, that meets all of the following criteria (not in order of priority): - able to locate and extract a specific item within less than 20 seconds - able to re-locate (return) an extracted item in less than 20 seconds - all materials safe from moth and/or other insect attack - entire consolidated stock of materials to occupy the smallest practical volume - if or when necessary, the entire consolidated stock of materials can be relocated or transported in one 'lift' - able to readily identify when I'm running low on a particular item - the facility to easily, methodically browse through all of my materials when looking for an inspirational component of an experimental new pattern. The system I use is currently based upon eight (8), A4 size heavy duty office lever-arch folders. Each folder carries at least 8 heavy duty, fully transparent, plastic A4 document pouches, incorporating an envelope style flap that is held closed by a Velcro button. Any one pouch can hold say one or two bucktails while others can hold small sandwich sized zip lock clear bags, which in turn can hold small, clear coin denomination style zip lock bags and/or small off the shelf packets. Suffice to say, you can flip through each set of pouches quickly with everything snug and visible. I keep a perpetual Excel spreadsheet on my laptop, to create index labels which are updated as and when necessary. Once a draft column style list of folder contents is complete and sized correctly for the A4 folder spine, I print off the spreadsheet and then cut out the labels, which are slid into the clear sheath on the spine of each folder. I have also numbered each folder e.g. "1 of 8", "2 of 8" etc. Each Folder spine label is headed specifically e.g. Folder 1 of 8 = Dubbing, Folder 2 of 8 = Eye, Rattles, Beads and Flash, Folder 3 of 8 = Bucktails, Folder 4 of 8 = Natural and Synthetic Furs, Folder 5 of 8 = Hackle Saddles, Folder 6 of 8 = Body Material (exclude dubbing) etc. Under each of these headings, the folder spine label insert, lists the subcategories of what's in each consecutive clear pouch. For example, Folder 6 of 8 has subcategories listed as : - wools - chenilles - sheet foam - soft tubing - pre-moulded foam bodies - raffia ... and so on The beauty of this system is that folders can be added and the labelling system changed with minimal effort and everything stays logged, neat and findable. There is of course a finite limit to what a single folder can store. This limit is reached when the folder wings are forced to diverge away from one another. It's then a simple matter of introducing another folder, finding the saved label spread sheet and editing it to create the necessary label additions. Each Folder has a finger insert hole for easy extraction from the gear bag. So if I want say, orange chenille, I pull the folder headed "Body Materials" and I flip to the pouch indicated by the subcategory spine index to find my brightly coloured chenilles; finding what I want in seconds. Putting things away is just as quick. As for hooks, I use Kamazan and keep them in the supplied boxes, sorted by style code and size in a large single layer, large clear Plano lure box with movable partitions. I use same for all my spooled threads, wire, mini yarn etc. Again, this keeps everything together, in the smallest volume, but everything can be found and returned in the shortest time. I have a second smaller rectangular gear bag, which has its base lined with mat on carpet, non-slip protection rubber. I carry two moulded plastic manilla folder support stands (the type which are designed to keep bunches of manilla folders resting on their spines and staying roughly vertical), which sit on the non-slip rubber inside the gear bag. The stands are used to keep my Plano hook and spool boxes sitting on their hinged sides, ready for easy location, extraction and re-location. The same stands, support my fly pattern reference books a d Petitjean clips etc, When not in use, my fly tying tool caddy (housed in a custom made clear plastic box), pouched DynaKing Barracuda and folded desk lamp, reside beside the stands. People are often amazed at how much gear is efficiently stored, and kept with the bounds of my two, admittedly bulky buy very manageable gear bags. Hope the final outcome of my learning curve over many years helps some fellow fly tying mates. P.S. I forgot to mention how I store my full sized dry fly tackle capes and pheasant tail feathers which are all too long to fit inside the A4 lever-arch pouches. The same stationary office suppliers sell A3 sized clear plastic pouches with expandable bases; again having envelope style flaps secured by a Velcro button. I have around 8 full capes and about a dozen full pheasant tails in on one such envelope, which has an indexed schedule of contents inserted in one side. The pheasant tails remain in their plastic sleeves as purchased and they protrude unobtrusively captured by the pouches flap. This envelope lays flat on the flat suface of the back of the 8 A4 folders when in storage, and otherwise nestles beside the gear bag during a tying session.

[@melissahoney9913]

I make jewelry and your video by far is better than any I've seen on organization. The tool caddy and trash bin are what I need! Where can I order those. I'm sharing this this to my jewelry makers groups because organization is one of the biggest pains! Thank you!

[@TheSlideinn]

Melissa, the tool caddy is a renzetti www.slideinn.com/product/renzetti-tool-caddy/ they are really handy. I am always looking for new ideas so if you have some cool storage stuff share it up. Thanks for watching, Kelly

[@coltenthompson4432]

Thank you so much Kelly I am so glad you helped me on organization because I have a kinda small place and this helped me a lot. Did you make that table I made my own this year and it's great

[@googz2690]

Seems like I do just about the same thing he does for organization. Beads in a small little fly box sort of things, buck tails and calf tails in a big tupaware, big shelving units for my chenilles and goose/turkey biots, my saddle hackle etc. all great ideas. I even took a clothes hangar organizer which convinetly I can hang ten bobbins off of, then a little container for all my sizzles and extra tools and what not, and if the desk you buy already has shelving units above the actual table you're good to go. Great video

[@mikereynolds9569]

Andrew Googins where do you get your fly tying materials or what is the best fly tying materials but not to expensive. I'm just starting

[@googz2690]

I get a lot of my materials from my local fly shops. It's great to support them to the best of your ability. Go on google and search or them in your area. I'm willing to drive an hour to get mine. With websites just look for big name brand fly tying material companies for safety. If you have faith in your ability to weed out the scammers just shop around online for the materials you're looking for. Google shopping can compare prices for you. Hope this helps, Andrew

[@NHWildscapes]

Kelly, Really dig your videos and love the tips you give here. I'll be building my ultimate fly tying cabinet/table next winter in my man cave.

[@jurgenritzhaupt5562]

You, deserve to be subscribed to......... so I did. Thanks for the easy tips on organization.

[@TheSlideinn]

+Jurgen Ritzhaupt Thanks for subscribing, and hope you enjoy the future videos

[@flyfish6473]

I use an empty tissue box for my collect all. The slit plastic opening contains feathers and materials well.

[@brettwandler1206]

Weekly pill containers (SMTWTFS) containers are awesome for beads and hooks.

[@nervousstranger]

I like to leave everything on the bag it came in. When you get into smaller hooks and beads I need to know the numbers for reordering when needed. I flip through my stuff like record shopping. I understand you have tons of experience and it's a business for you. I dabble.

[@TheSlideinn]

Sandwich, I do the same thing with much of my bagged materials, all in drawers stood up so can see the labels, sounds like we dabble much the same. Thanks for watching. KG

[@bennyisom2055]

Oh thanks Kelly

[@edithturbull8714]

very good video

[@justinhedges2151]

Bubble tea straws are great for flashabou.

[@JamesMcCutcheon]

Great I am working organizing my tying materials great video thanks! Question any tips for people who are left handed I am now using my Right Hand for holding the Bobbin. I am slow and awkward. I guess that is the correct way.

[@googz2690]

All you have to do is orient your vise so that it's turned around, you can take apart the clamp piece and turn it around. If you'll notice the clamp is at an upward angle than you'll also notice the angled groove it sits in. Turn it around and boom good to go

[@marksleeper9385]

Hi Kelly, what is a good fly tying light any info would be great, I was glad to see you at LLBeans in Maine thanks Mark

[@chakatania]

The tubes fro flash --- where do you buy those? I've never seen those. Thanks.

[@kevindundass5558]

I am new to fly tying. I live in Cochrane Alberta along the Bow River. Started with your videos. Great information. Easy to follow. Do you recommend fly tying stations? As they are moveable for small spaces? Thank you. Kevin

[@wallo102]

Hello Kelly Great video. Where to buy the large flashabou tube? Dont find them in your shop Kind regards from Switzerland Marco see you soon

[@thelurewasher]

where can you get the tubes for the flashabou and what not?

[@TheSlideinn]

+thelurewasher You can purchase them here: www.slideinn.com/product/dan-baileys-tyers-tubes/

[@philldunagan9989]

Really get much help with your videos. I was wondering what is your favorite fly for large dark stonefly nymph? Phill Dunagan

[@TheSlideinn]

It would have to be the good old pat's rubber leg. It is pretty hard to beat.

[@ghart91]

What height should a fly tying Vise be at? Eye height or low?

[@hendrixlemay5581]

How do you orginize your fly tying matirials???

[@westsidewil]

What is that bench/cabinet behind you?

[@DeanRapp]

I'm trying to find those long clear plastic containers for the pheasant tails and having no luck. What might I search for or where might I find them? P.S. Great video!

[@TheSlideinn]

Dean, we have them here. www.slideinn.com/product/dan-baileys-tyers-tubes/

[@james-lt8ry]

What about how to properly store expensive hackle ? Or any hackle for that matter.

[@rrottet]

ha. Forget it. I see your link. Thanks

[@termite122]

wowie!! if my tying area was that organized i wouldnt find shit..i fired 3 different cleaning girls in the past 2 years cause i explain to everyone of them do not,,,under any circumstance touch or do any cleaning near my tying desk..for sum reason thats confusing for them to understand..i still know where all my stuff is in the snap of a finger..i do notice my actual area near my vice tends to get sameller every year though then i know its time for a lil cleanup...your tying desk is just awesome..i wondered if you made it yourself or was a xmas gift from rock star johnny

[@TheSlideinn]

Termite, I made it hoping it was to big for Johnny Rock Star to break. So far so good. KG

[@Fishingwithtwitch92]

Desk looks awsome. Do you have a drawing for the dimensions of the desk you made

[@kellygalloup6073]

Clint , no I don't. I just took a slab of white pine and cut about a 30 degree wedge out of the middle. I actually did it to stop the wood from splitting. then I took a grinder to the raw edges and blended them to look natural. thanks for watching, KG

[@operationNOBO]

Johnny likes pink ones haha

[@jamesturner8319]

Where do you get your tubes for the flashabou

[@TheSlideinn]

Morning James, They are called Tyers Tubes. We have them here on the site if you would like to purchase any! www.slideinn.com/product/tyers-tubes/

[@GlobalLeadFormula]

Kelly, what is the fly tying light that you use?

[@kellygalloup6073]

Randy, It is a giraffe, but they don't make them anymore for fly tiers, but you can find them on line here and there. KG

[@bennyisom2055]

Mr. Killer really like to commend you on your organizing if you don't mind could you tell me where I can get the tubes for the flashabou

[@harryrobin8087]

How would I store cdc,smaller feathers and capes

[@TheSlideinn]

Harry All I have ever come up with for those is different size zip locks bags, KG

[@aboutme473]

where do we submit questions? i forget

[@TheSlideinn]

+Kyle McGraw you can send your question to [e-mail]

[@robkub5208]

what best wet fly's. dry flys

[@jgrimsta]

I use marked plastic boxes and containers for all my tying stuff, as I have extremely limited space and a extremely small tying area. And that space and tying area might see five different hobby projects within a matter of days, so beeing as organized as possible is the only way to keep my sanity. Theres almost nothing worse to me than wasting time looking and searching for what I need and maybe not find it, as it gets me superfrustrated and angry, superfast. And there is usually nobody to blaim but myself, so take the 2-5 seconds to put shit back where it belongs and save 30 minutes unhealthy high blood pressure and getting pissed off.

[@roccomanginelli9109]

Where do we send our questions to?

[@TheSlideinn]

[e-mail]

[@Sasquatch7foot]

In your organizational video you had those tubes with flashabou the various tying threads and some pheasant tails in the tubes. The problem is is you never say where you buy them.... I have lots of flashabou and threads I would love to put into the tubes but I do not know where to get them, PLEASE ADVISE WHERE!!!!!

[@TheSlideinn]

We used to use Dan Baileys Tyers Tubes, and we used to sell them online. They haven't had stock in a long time so we are currently trying to find a new source.

[@craigster59]

@@TheSlideinn You could purchase from Uline but you need to buy tubes in quantities of 25 ea., caps 50ea. Not affiliated with them, just use them a lot working for motion picture studios... www.uline.com/BL_3651/Clear-Plastic-Tubes

[@georgedolak8120]

Whw=ere do I get the plastic tube for tails? Looked all over. G.

[@kellygalloup6073]

George, We sell them www.slideinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/storage.png thanks for watching

[@coolchris225]

How the heck do you afford all that material??

[@ookiee1]

Where did you get the plastic tubes?

[@TheSlideinn]

Ron, we sell them here: www.slideinn.com/product/tyers-tubes/

[@ookiee1]

@@TheSlideinn just ordered a bunch of stuff from you. Thanks

[@TheSlideinn]

@@ookiee1 Thank you!

[@ookiee1]

@@TheSlideinn feel free to throw some bonus material in their for my crappie fishing😀

[@jparryprodeal]

You always mention Johnny, where is Johnny

[@rschreck876]

Is that a freaking rubber chicken hanging from your lamp?

[@hendrixlemay5581]

Kelly how do you organize your hooks and beads. Name hendrix lemay 25 desoto drive hamilton .ontario

[@kuttycrew]

You should seek help😯

[@billmalec]

If you want to be completely organized, get some real glasses 😁. Go to your Dr and get some bifocals so you don't have to put glasses on and take them off 5,000 times a day. 😁

[@TheSlideinn]

Thanks for the tip, but I use three different powers depending on the fly size. I'm stuck doing the 5k a day program. KG

[@billmalec]

TheSlideinn With the proper bifocals you'd need one pair of glasses. Get them in Transitions Xtra Active and you can use them to fish in also. Then you can throw away the dozens of glasses you have stashed in the car, at home, in the office, etc etc etc . Get organized! 😂😁

[@woodbox50]

after some many years I am still not organized anywhere like the general YOU have provided Thanks again Kelly and video guy Jim? 🤌