Best wood for a trout fly box?

[Dewayne Reding]

I've never built anything this small. What woods are easiest to work with for the intricate joinery of small boxes? Of course I would like it to be attractive, and not be destroyed like oak if it gets damp now and then. I have eliminated pine and oak. How about walnut, cherry and cedar? I have no experience with the exotic foreign hardwoods, other than they feel like they are made of granite.

[Royce Meritt]

Don't know if this will help you or not. I have made LOTS and LOTS of wood fly boxes. I make mine out of a solid piece of wood. Using a template I rout out the inside of the box for the foam insert. (See attached photo.) Using this method there really is no joinery to be concerned with. Almost any wood will work. A good waterproof finish such as Spar Urethane will protect it well.

[Paul Canaris]

Teak would be a good wood to use as it is pretty good around moisture. I can only tell you how I approached this when I used to make these, for a local Fly Fishing Shop. I routed them out of a solid block of wood with a template so they were simply a top and bottom joined with hinges. In this way I eliminated the issue of what glue and leakage at the joints. Ideally you want these to float if they are dropped so there is a possibility of retrieval, so I would add a gasket to the opening.
If youre set on doing joinery though, I would use epoxy on the joints, as well as an epoxy finish. Just my two cents.

[Dewayne Reding]

Thanks Royce. From a functionality standpoint, the solid wood method is probably best. I need/want to practice some joinery though.

[Aaron Frank]

Royce,

How do you do the jumping fish that is on the front of the fly box? Is it hand carved, laser cut, or something else?

Your work is really nice, and I can see that these boxes would be a relatively quick gift for some friends and relatives. Thanks.

Aaron

[Royce Meritt]

Royce,

How do you do the jumping fish that is on the front of the fly box? Is it hand carved, laser cut, or something else?

Your work is really nice, and I can see that these boxes would be a relatively quick gift for some friends and relatives. Thanks.

Aaron

The graphics on the front are lazer engraved. I sometimes also have the recipient's name and address engraved on the back.

[Keith Beck]

Don't know if this will help you or not. I have made LOTS and LOTS of wood fly boxes. I make mine out of a solid piece of wood. Using a template I rout out the inside of the box for the foam insert. (See attached photo.) Using this method there really is no joinery to be concerned with. Almost any wood will work. A good waterproof finish such as Spar Urethane will protect it well.

Royce,

Those are great! That would be a great gift for my fisherman brother. Do you have any details on how you make them and perhaps where you get the inserts?

Keith

[Dan Forman]

Another factor to keep in mind is weight, a well equipped fly vest gets pretty heavy by the end of the day.

Dan

[Dewayne Reding]

Royce,

Those are great! That would be a great gift for my fisherman brother. Do you have any details on how you make them and perhaps where you get the inserts?

Keith

Keith,

If you are referring to the foam inserts? Those are available anywhere you find fly fishing gear. Cabelas, Gander Mountain, and any fly shop of course. They are very common in at least two or three sizes, and can be easily trimmed.

Dan,

Weight is why I was entertaining the possibility of cedar.

[Royce Meritt]

Royce,

Those are great! That would be a great gift for my fisherman brother. Do you have any details on how you make them and perhaps where you get the inserts?

Keith


As someone said before, the inserts are available at most fly fishing outlets or on line. Search for "foam fly box inserts".

As for construction, it is pretty simple. First, get the inserts, cut 2 pieces of stock approx. 1/2" wider and longer than the insert and somewhere in the neighborhood of 1/2" to 5/8" thick (overall size is up to you), using a template or some sort of jig, rout out the interior of the box to the size of the foam insert. Lots of different choices for hinges like small decorative, surface mounted, the tiny barrel hinges, or the barbed leaf hinges that fit into a slot cut into the edge. I use tiny rare-earth magnets in the corners as a latch.

As for weight, I don't think it is much of a factor. The boxes end up so thin that even the heaviest woods don't add up to much weight. My favorite wood for these is probably ash.

Hope this helps.

[Eric Sabo]

Guy I took a class with made one out of figured Cherry... sides were ~1/4" thick. Came out BEAUTIFUL. He used tiny tiny tiny finger joints to connect it.

[Peter Lyon]

Royce,

What type of router bit are you using? And, to clarify, are you saying that the thickness of each side is either 1/2" OR 5/8"? Do you put the foam insert in both halves?

Thanks in advance- and your boxes are beautiful.

[Roy McQuay]

I've never built anything this small. What woods are easiest to work with for the intricate joinery of small boxes? Of course I would like it to be attractive, and not be destroyed like oak if it gets damp now and then. I have eliminated pine and oak. How about walnut, cherry and cedar? I have no experience with the exotic foreign hardwoods, other than they feel like they are made of granite.I know you eliminated pine and oak, but white oak would be a good choice as it does do well outdoors. Cedar would be very good and light but the scent may be transferred to your tackle. As someone else says, spar varnish would protect any wood for this use.

[Dewayne Reding]

Royce,

What type of router bit are you using? And, to clarify, are you saying that the thickness of each side is either 1/2" OR 5/8"? Do you put the foam insert in both halves?

Thanks in advance- and your boxes are beautiful.

Peter

I know you were asking Royce, but yes, he is saying to use 1/2 or 5/8 stock for each side. Some fly boxes do put foam in both sides. Size of flies varies widely. You will definitely need to keep the box walls thin or it won't hold to be useful. (That's no doubt part of the reason why the commercial boxes are aluminum or plastic). Best way to get a good idea of your box size options is to go look at commercially made boxes in a fly shop. There really is no "correct" size, but it would be nice if it fit inside a fly vest pocket. I am going to make a couple different sizes for myself.

[Royce Meritt]

Royce,

What type of router bit are you using? And, to clarify, are you saying that the thickness of each side is either 1/2" OR 5/8"? Do you put the foam insert in both halves?

Thanks in advance- and your boxes are beautiful.

Thanks for the compliment!

I use a 1/2" spiral bit to rout out the interior. Yes, both halves of the box are either 1/2" or 5/8" thick. I usually put ripple foam in one side and flat foam in the other. The 1/2" thick sides work fine for small flies, particularly nymphs and the 5/8" thick sides work for somewhat larger flies. On a couple of ocassions I have even went to 11/16" thick sides for larger flies. Much bigger than that doesn't always fit in a fishing vest pocket.

[Steven Wilson]

As someone who fly fishes a lot I wouldn't take a sinkable wooden flybox into the water; I might store flies with it but for use in the field I want something that floats and/or is sealed (gasket). I also like a box that closes strongly (some use magnets at the corners, some use latches) and has provisions for having a lanyard attached. I like to use the C&F Waterproof boxes with removeable inserts. With fly's costing around $2 each and you can easily store a couple of hundred flies in a box, it's rather costly to lose a fly box. As for wood choice, really anything will work and you're quite free as to finish, prefereably something that's easily repaired. Besides foam inserts where the hook is stuck into the foam (the examples shown by other posters), there are a couple of other methods; foam nibbles (hold the hook, don't get ratty), foam slits (craddles the hook), little boxes, and sheepskin (old school). The inserts can be attached in the box with velcro, glue, or a mechanical holder.

[Peter Elliott]

Great boxes...

Did you know someone who had a laser engraver or did you use a company?

Any way to add a gasket for seal the lids?

Nice work
Peter

[Royce Meritt]

Great boxes...

Did you know someone who had a laser engraver or did you use a company?

Any way to add a gasket for seal the lids?

Nice work
Peter

I guess you would say "both". Bruce Volden (he's a member here at THE CREEK lives a couple miles down the road from me. He does all of my engraving.

I suspect that adding a gasket of some sort is possible.

Not sure I understand the "sinkable wooden fly box" angle. With the exception of a few very dense, exotic woods...wood floats, as do the foam inserts.

[Dan Mages]

Here is a fly rod box I made a while back from some black walnut. The inside lid has since been lined with some batting material to hold my flies. I threw a little bison leather on the ends to dess it up and a little for a strap.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/DanMages/P1010232.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/DanMages/P1010231.jpg

[Paul Downes]

I would second Steve's comments. It's a real bummer trying to recover a metal fly box on the bottom of a stream, just out of the dry reach of your arm.(Meaning that you have to go dunking your head to get the slippery little bugger). I have often thought of making a few floaters myself. Another similar idea I had was to make an ice fishing box with an measuring tape incorporated in the box construction. In other words the tape tab would be at the edge of the box with the tape body fixed inside the box. Then I got to thinking about slimey, slippery, flippy,floppy fish, wet hands and a few fortified hot drinks. Not to mention ice under foot, and often blowing winds.....Maybe not such a good idea. But then again, with a good marketing team. :D
Cedar would be a good choice unless the oils prove distasteful to fish, I can't imagine that would be a problem seeing as how cedars grow in profusion at streamside. Cedar also would keep nasty little varmits from eating your flys. Cypress would be good. Osage orange, because of it's strength, could be utilized in pieces quite thin. These woods offer good moisture resistance in case you dunk the box occaisionaly.
I would guess if a fisherperson doesn't dunk his/her box occaisioanly then they either don't fish much, or are one of them fancy pants prema donna types who just parade around in expensive equipment and blather about hexagina limbatta's and worry about misquito bites.:D

[Peter Lyon]

Royce,

If you would indulge me one more question, who specifically supplies your foam? I did what you suggested last night and searched the web but was unable to find anyone who simply sold the rippled foam in anything less then one inch thick.

I'm a fairly newby (2-3 years) flyfisherman myself and would not only love to have one of these for myself but also to give to a number of my buddies.

Thanks again.

[Dewayne Reding]

"I would guess if a fisherperson doesn't dunk his/her box occaisioanly then they either don't fish much, or are one of them fancy pants prema donna types who just parade around in expensive equipment and blather about hexagina limbatta's and worry about misquito bites.:D"

OK Paul, so we got you down for no solid gold hinges or inset diamonds on fly boxes. :) I know what you are referring to though. I went to a fly shop in Minneapolis last fall. The place was just packed with guys buying $500 outfits. I'm talking fishing clothes, not fishing gear.

I am going to make some boxes out of several species recommended in this thread. When I get comfortable with my new router I'll probably try a few of the Royce style boxes as well.

[Royce Meritt]

Royce,

If you would indulge me one more question, who specifically supplies your foam? I did what you suggested last night and searched the web but was unable to find anyone who simply sold the rippled foam in anything less then one inch thick.

I'm a fairly newby (2-3 years) flyfisherman myself and would not only love to have one of these for myself but also to give to a number of my buddies.

Thanks again.

The foam inserts can be purchased at just about any outlet that sells fly fishing supplies. Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop and Gander Mountain, etc. are good places to start. Most well stocked fly shops have them as well. I buy them locally at Sportman's Warehouse. I know they are available on line through many, many places. Search specifically for "fly box inserts".