UV Resin Adhesion

[Sylvaneous]

UV resin is used all over the place on YouTube tying videos. I used to use it more when I tied more bass flies. I've seen it used in ways that failed. Just in case there are some people on this sight who are not grizzled veterans, I have a few quick observations.
-UV resin isn't very adhesive. I've seen it put on wing cases or whatever... It comes off. Looks great in the vice but that dollop of shine too easily peels off upon use. Flies get some pretty harsh use. Nymphs can't be very delicate and survive long.
-I'm not super sure about this, but MAYBE adding the tiniest bit of super glue on the fly underneath the UV Resin will allow it to adhere for good. Not sure. Seems a little bit like the tail wagging the dog, all this gluing. For what?
-To help keep UV resin on your fly, wrap it all the way around the fly. Make a ring out of it, a collar of solid plastic to hold on to the fly body.
-If the resin is over fiberous material, use your bodkin to work it into the material. Don't think of this stuff as glue, think of it more as plastic wrap. It then gets stuck by the interstitial spaces and holds.
-HOWEVER, even when I do this, I find, after use, it will loosen, then a space opens underneath the hardened resin and looks crappy. That's on bass streamers where they get heaved and hammered in a river. But it doesn't hold fast.

 

[nfrechet]

yup, i believe uv resin is a coating material not a glue

i dont think applying uv resin over wet super glue would work or at least let the super glue dry completely

 

[Marc Fryt]

Thanks for the tips! I also had UV resin pop off on certain flies (like the wingcases on copper johns). I was using Loon's UV thin resin when doing this and I noticed that the thick resin worked better and actually stayed on the fly.
Also, if my finger touched the part of the fly that I wanted to place a small dab of UV resin it seemed to hinder how well it adhered. I think this just had to do with the oils from my hand, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Again, I just swapped over to the thick UV resin and it worked way better.
Oh, and adding the resin in layers really helped. Lay a small layer down, zap it with the UV light, then another layer, zap it again, etc. (and making sure the batteries in the light are pretty well juiced up).

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Thanks for the tips! I also had UV resin pop off on certain flies (like the wingcases on copper johns). I was using Loon's UV thin resin when doing this and I noticed that the thick resin worked better and actually stayed on the fly.
Also, if my finger touched the part of the fly that I wanted to place a small dab of UV resin it seemed to hinder how well it adhered. I think this just had to do with the oils from my hand, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Again, I just swapped over to the thick UV resin and it worked way better.
Oh, and adding the resin in layers really helped. Lay a small layer down, zap it with the UV light, then another layer, zap it again, etc. (and making sure the batteries in the light are pretty well juiced up).

I've made the same observations. Regarding applying in layers, maybe the reason layering works better is that a thick application doesn't allow the UV rays to fully penetrate and cure the glue.

 

[PennKev]

I've made the same observations. Regarding applying in layers, maybe the reason layering works better is that a thick application doesn't allow the UV rays to fully penetrate and cure the glue.

This is probably a factor causing poor curing and adhesion. I've certainly had light penetration's issues with colored UV resins. Additionally, I've also had better/easier curing with thin formulas that don't build up much.

 

[Facemelted]

It's a surprisingly common misconception that UV resin is some type of adhesive... I always coat UV resin with super glue or varnish to seal it.

I never use it as a wing case either because it will come off rather quickly.