Total bead control and use through using Feed-A-Bead

Bead store and dispenser.

This pack includes a foam stand, self-adhesive labels and five clips. The idea is, when I buy a pack of beads I feed them onto the spring loop where they are stored and can be dispensed one at a time. I can even label each clip with details like size and make.

Beads have become a tying staple, brass, glass, plastic and, most expensive, tungsten. Oh, and we have countersunk and slotted and those off-centre jig-off beads. (I’m sticking with beads here, but we could easily include cones, assorted turbo-discs, shaped heads and more.)
In reality the chances are a fly-tying angler will use a small range of bead sizes and colours to suit their fly tying. Which is where this neat little set-up comes in.

Say I am tying half-a-dozen jigs – all the heads will be natural or orange, 2.5 and 3mm, slotted. I feed the beads onto the hook small hole first every time.

Feed a packet

When I buy a packet of beads, I feed them onto one of the Feed-A-Bead clips slot first. All the beads are stored nicely, I can see how many I have. No packets leaking in boxes, no confusion about sizes, so less fiddle and handling around the vice.

Dispensing a bead is easy – feed the next bead up to the open end of the clip passing the coiled closed end. The label for the pack suggests I can slip the point of my hook into the bead while it is on the wire – slide up and off with the bead already threaded onto the hook. I tried that, and it’s easier said than done, maybe my beads are smaller and/or the holes are smaller? What I can do is neatly dispense one bead at a time and thread that onto the point of my hook.

This inexpensive wee gadget seems practical and honestly handy. Tidy, well organised fly tyers may just like the idea of well organised storage. Production fly tyers will find these time-saving and useful. From Hareline via The Anglers Lodge.

Prices: 5 pack with holder or 10 pack (no holder) both £5.25.
From: The Anglers Lodge
www.anglers-lodge.co.uk

Bead use and storage

One at a time: A bead from storage ready to threaded onto a hook.