I use Mustad 3906 size #4 hooks. The wire is 30 pound test clear nylon covered Seven strand wire. I cut the wires so they are two and one half inches long each.
Wires are bound together with size 'A' rod winding nylon thread over the hooks. It is important to use nylon (clear or black plastic) covered stainless steel seven strand wire that is between 30 and 45 pound test. Put the rear hook in the vise and start the thread in the middle of the hook. Run the thread to the eye and back to the tailing position. Take a piece of wire that is 2 1/2 inches long and put it through the eye of the hook, run the wire to the thread and start wrapping thread over the wire. These wraps should be close together and under tension. Apply pressure to the thread so that it bites into the nylon covering, wrap to the eye, back down to the end of the wire, back to the eye and whip finish the thread. Cover the thread with Loon Hard Head cement. Cement is important because the cement fills in those gaps that the thread doesn't fill.
After the cement is dried and you have trimmed it again at two and a half inches, now you can decide what color the body is to be. I am tying a body for a Gray Ghost Tandem using light orange floss. Uni-products just came out with a Pumpkin Orange floss and uni-stretch. This is the original orange floss color that Carrie Stevens used. I use Danvilles light orange, but will soon be switching to the Uni- Stretch Pumpkin Orange.
This assembly I used the Danvilles Light Orange floss.
After the rear hook is cemented and dried,take a number 4 hook and place it in the vise, start your "A" thread 1/4 inch behind the eye of the hook and run the thread close together down to the tailing position. Take the Rear assembly and put the front wire on top (the back) of the front hook. Have the end of the wire stop where you started the thread. It is important that you leave 1/4 inch of clear hook to build the fly on. Wrap the thread close together and under tension to the end of the wire. Make a couple of half hitches and cut the thread. Cement the thread windings and put it up to dry.
Some tiers use 30 pound test mono to connect the hooks. Another way is to tie in a snap or snap swivel to the front hook and then you can add a single or treble hook when you want to. Whatever you do, keep the hooks in right alignment to each other, this helps to make it swim straight. After you have tied a couple tandem hook rigs and allowed the cement to dry over night, take them and try to pull them apart with pliers. If the hook straightens out, fine but if they pull apart, then make some more only use more tension when wrapping the hooks.
The Ron McKusick method of working with mylar pipe.
When working with mylar piping you need to prepare the piping
before
you tie with it. Over the years I have used many ways and prefer the
following.
Cut the piping in 36 inch lengths.
Grasp the end loosely and
pull out the cotton core, you may need to pull out a little then slide
the piping down and work it some. If using the large or wide piping,
the core should slide right out of it's skin. To get more for your
money pull on both ends at the same time to stretch it a bit. If you
want the fuller body then don't stretch it.
I then use 2 clothesline clips. The first I attach to a wire coat hanger frame clip the end of the piping and put the other clothes line clip to the end. This keeps the piping straight while the cement dries. I always put an old newspaper under the pipe to absorb any excess cement.
The cement I
prefer is the LOON water based cement. It is watery so it coats the
piping quickly and dries to a working tack in an hour. I first used
regular cement back 20 years ago but it would chip off easily, then I
tried Dave's Flex-cement. I loved that as it remained flexible and
didn't chip off. What I didn't like was the fumes and sometimes when
used on the pearl pipe it would cause the pearl to collapse rendering
that area useless. I know use the LOON water base as it has the
flexible properties that you need, keeps the ends from fraying and is
odorless. If you do this in a humid area, the cemented pipe may have a
cloudy look, which if coated again after the body is tied should go
away. This cloudy haze is most prevalent on the pearl pipe.
Okay, now that you have the pipe hanging dribble the cement down the pipe starting at the top. I drizzle a little and let it run down. Then I take my thumb and forefinger and squeeze the pipe from the top and run my fingers slowly to the bottom. This coats the entire pipe with less cement and ensures all fibers are coated. NOTE.. use this method only with the holographic pipe and this pipe will spring back to shape after you release your fingers. The plastic that is used on the pearl is too flimsy to spring back to shape if you flatten it with your fingers. I just drizzle the cement down the pearl making sure I don't touch it till it dries. The silver is more durable and according to which manufacturer that makes it, it may take some handling without collapse. After the cement has dried which takes an hour or two, take the pipe off the clips and hanger. Cut the pipe to the same length as the wires are cut.
I use a size 4 hook for the rear and front. Put one hook in the vise and attach the white size "A" thread to the hook. Wrap the thread from the hook eye to the tailing position. Insert the end on the wire through the hook eye. Slide the wire so it touches the thread. Grasp the wire with your left thumb and forefinger. Take a few turns of thread, then wrap the thread close together and under great tension from the end of the wire to the hook eye. This firm tension grabs the wire and grips into the nylon coating so it won't let go. If you made any gaps in the thread wrap, go back and fill them in with more thread. It's best to make each wrap of thread close together so no hook shows through. I make sure my connections are secure. Make 4 half hitches and lay on a layer of Loon Hard Head cement. Run your thumb and forefinger over the cement pushing it into all the thread windings and gaps then let it dry. I like to make up 25 or more of these at one setting. Most fishermen aren't too picky but there's always one in the crowd that wants to bring up the Titanic from the bottom and if the hook slips out will ruin your reputation if it happens. You've heard about the squeaky wheel getting the grease. Take a rear assembly and put it in the vise. Attach the blue uni-stretch and wrap down to the end of the white thread. Pick up a pre-cut section of mylar pipe and slide it over the wire and hook just till it touches the stretch. Take 3 loose turns on the end then pull tight on the stretch. Wrap a smooth taper from the pipe to the hook and whip finish off the stretch and cut it close. You may want to take a flame and singe off any loose fibers of stretch. Put a dab of thick Hard Head on the thread wraps and put it up to dry.
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