Washington Fly Fishing Forum banner

Any recs for tying cabinet?

11K views 97 replies 43 participants last post by  blackgrass 
#1 ·
I'm dressing up my tying bench and looking to replace the plastic containers I currently use for materials. Thinking something cool like an antique map cabinet. I also came across Gerster out of Ohio that could be cool.



Any other ideas?
 
See less See more
1
#3 ·
Those style of boxes are cool but they sure fill up fast, especially with feather and fur packs. You need something like this:
 

Attachments

#9 ·
I'm working on building a tying bench in my shop with lots of drawers and shelves. One thing I'm working towards is keeping the airtight plastic boxes as part of the plan. Bugs are always part of the problem with feathers, and necks and saddles in a box without the plastic bags take up less room than keeping all the bags. I like the cabinet for things like thread, hooks, beads, and the like.
 
#11 ·
Furniture Shelf Cabinetry Shelving Wood
I love the idea of a beautiful cabinet but I'm a plastic box guy for now. Above are some of mine with others on the floor, etc. Affordable and I like to just be able to see stuff I'm looking for (i.e. not in a wooden drawer) and if it all comes tumbling down on me, it's just plastic boxes full of feathers/fur. A key point for me is the boxes are tightly sealed so less critter risk, a big wood cabinet needs to be bug proof just in case. I've had all my previous materials ruined by storing them in a lovely wooden carry case built by by grandfather...

I'll be keen to see what you end up with Swimmy, a fashion trend setter as always...

Dave
 
#13 ·
View attachment 267495 I love the idea of a beautiful cabinet but I'm a plastic box guy for now. Above are some of mine with others on the floor, etc. Affordable and I like to just be able to see stuff I'm looking for (i.e. not in a wooden drawer) and if it all comes tumbling down on me, it's just plastic boxes full of feathers/fur. A key point for me is the boxes are tightly sealed so less critter risk, a big wood cabinet needs to be bug proof just in case. I've had all my previous materials ruined by storing them in a lovely wooden carry case built by by grandfather...

I'll be keen to see what you end up with Swimmy, a fashion trend setter as always...

Dave
I have a beautiful old roll top like that. Came out of my office when we remodeled Mulligans Old Place about 1985. I'd moved it to my moms 'cause I was living in student housing at the U. Mom instantly adopted it, and fortunately I'm still waiting.
 
#12 ·
A few years back I was helping colleagues investigate moving some fish rearing to an abandoned hatchery. The workshop on this site had an old oak tap and die (or some such thing) cabinet collecting mouse turds. It was 'up for grabs' or heading to the landfill. Not sure what happened to it but you might find something along those lines. Cleaned up nice something like it would be an attractive piece of furniture (in the right man cave).
 
#16 ·
It's very lovely of course but nah, I don't like it from my perspective, a lot of stuff is too far out of reach and hidden, my memory is too crap to know what's where.

Looks like an office in a museum. My aim would be to be like a fly shop where most stuff is visible and just 'there'. I have loads of 3'fers because I don't know what I have. Not a bad thing but I could have more different stuff...

Dave
 
#18 ·
For reference, here is what I'm working with now.



I'm still kicking around ideas. At first I thought about just adding a cabinet to get rid of the plastic.

Now I'm thinking of extending the pegboard from wall to wall and seeing if I can find a big desk that would fill the space with built in drawers like the one I posted above.
 
#19 ·
I am still working on getting a custom desk made, so most of my stuff starts in my "go" bags. But even with that my wife swears there is more stuff on my tying table than in a lot of fly shops she has been in, this is my only concern with getting it all paid y out and organized with labels. Hahahahah
 
#21 ·
All my stuff fits in one file cabinet drawer plus perhaps a shoebox. I must be doing it wrong. Some of these setups are positively palatial. I thought I was going overboard by considering loading my dubbing packs into a dispenser box.

You're going from an awesome tying station to an even more awesomer tying station, Swimmy. Good luck!

Seems like a fly tying station has relatively unique needs that aren't found in standard furniture. That probably explains the improvised systems and specialty/full custom furniture. The XL desk sample you posted is money.
 
#22 ·
I am having Kurt come over and build me one of these:



On a serious note; storage solutions are tough for fly tying. I really only tie streamers and have a closet full materials in plastic containers/peg board as well. I have thought about a "nicer" solution but I am pretty sure it just means I'd have plastic containers stacked all around and on top of said nicer solution.
 
#25 ·
I work with this. All materials that are insect prone are kept in about 30 labeled plastic containers stored out of sight in a large closet devoted to wall shelves. When needed they come out of hiding. Tools, threads, adhesives and the like have a permanent home in the roll top desk.
Picture frame Property Furniture Table Window
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGTom
#27 ·
I work with this. All materials that are insect prone are kept in about 30 labeled plastic containers stored out of sight in a large closet devoted to wall shelves. When needed they come out of hiding. Tools, threads, adhesives and the like have a permanent home in the roll top desk. View attachment 267549
I want that spool organizer.
 
#31 ·
That's good looking, where did you find it?

It could work out well for material storage, there's a lot of volume available in those drawers. But given their so deep (tall) you'd probably need to rig up some sort of internal compartment system. Otherwise you'd just see the stuff on top and have no visibility of stuff on the bottom. I would have to think a bit about how best to do it.

andy
 
#36 ·
Yeah the Gerstner stuff looks solid.

Here's where I am today:

The pre-made desks are 8 weeks out. Just to check out my options I called around to some custom furniture makers. Nothing under $3k.

So I went out to the reclaimed lumber yard. They have some really nice live edge, doug fir slabs and will sell me whatever size I want. I'm thinking of just getting a couple of black metal filing cabinets and setting the slab on top.

I'm still kicking it around but I think it would look super cool and still be somewhat functional. The slabs are beautiful old growth.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Sounds very nice. Live edge pieces can look great.

I've never used it but have done a little bit of woodworking. Talk with the supplier to find out how long their slabs have air dried.

My understanding is depending on thickness, moisture content, and how the stars are aligned....like any other piece of green/wet wood, slabs can warp, twist, and/or split...especially if not anchored or tied into the piece. Meaning if you're just resting the slab on your file cabinets and it still has a high moisture content, it could do some of these things.

NukeLDO did a beauty of a tying table not long ago using a slab, maybe reach out to him if he's not following this thread....or talk with some wood workers in your area.

Post a pic or two when you get it figured out. I'm sure it will look nice....then you'll have to spend time finding the perfect accent/home decor pieces;)

Have fun with your project,

Mike d
 
#38 ·
Talk with the supplier to find out how long their slabs have air dried.
Great advice. We did discuss. I asked if they were kiln dried and while they are not, I was told they are cured and ready to go into your project. They also sand to 40 grit after they cut to my spec.

I will need to coat with poly. Two or three coats should do it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top