Click on picture for an larger, exploded view of the vice.
More details and ordering at Grays web site
Yesterday I was in the middle of tying an Alex on an aluminium tube when I found myself having to hold on to the tube to keep it steady and prevent it from spinning. Three hands would have been useful. The problem was that I was using the type of tying tool that uses a mandrel to support the tube and the mandrel that fits lined metal tubes is necessarily of such a small diameter that it flexes and bends and does not grip the tube at all firmly.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I had the recollection of a vice I had seen that had a chuck, a kind of miniature version of that found on a power drill, to hold the tube. I did a bit of Google-ing and came up with Grays of Kilsyth.
In 2008, Grays introduced a line of very slim 'needle tubes', the smallest diameter lined metal tubes available. Unfortunately, most tube fly vices are not designed to hold such slim fly tubes, with diameters as small as 1.5 mm so John Gray recruited the skills of Dave Wallbridge to design and build a vice specifically to facilitate their dressing.
Having now found my vice at the very modest price of £16 (May 2009), I was able to order it easily from the online fly shop on www.graysofkilsyth.com The service could not have been better. As well as the automated confirmation I soon received an email from John to tell me the order had been received and would be dispatched post-free that afternoon. After an all-night sea trout session last night (don't ask) I surfaced at midday today to find the vice waiting for me on the doormat. It doesn't get quicker or easier than that.
The first thing to note is that no table clamp or weighted base is supplied with the Needle Tube Vice. The 8mm diameter stainless steel shaft supplied should, however, fit most fly tying vice table clamps and bases. I have one or two spare ones from old discarded vices but in any case I was able to just slip out my standard vice from its clamp and slip in the new one.
The vice is well made and simplicity itself. Height and horizontal rotation can be adjusted using the knurled thumbscrew on the left in the picture. Rotation of the fly during tying is achieved by loosening the thumbscrew on top. To insert a tube simply unscrew the chuck, slide it in and re-tighten. Insert the tube by the amount you would leave clear for the small section of plastic tube that holds the hook. The chuck will then not encroach on the space needed for any body dressing required. For longer bare bodied tubes you could possibly increase the insertion as there is plenty of room. However, I've tried aluminium tubes to 2" and not found it necessary.
For those wishing, as I did, to use standard diameter tubes, there is available to accommodate them an additional larger head at only £4.95 (May 2009) so it's well worth ordering one with the vice. However, the needle tubes look very interesting and just the job for sea trout fishing so it will not be long before I try them and therefore revert to the original smaller head. Made of stainless steel, these narrower tubes appear to be stiff enough to be held firmly without any undue flexing.
Some plastic tubes may also fit but I have found that the largest size mandrel from my previous tube tool, the one that is used for plastic tubes and is rigid enough in use, can also be accommodated by the chuck. This is a useful if unexpected bonus and means I can now discard the old tube tool.
To sum up, I find that the vice will hold firmly any tube I wish to use. It is simple, solid and great value. Get one.
CG 14/5/09
