Feather Dancing Cedar Fly-Tying Station (Premium Model)
By Scott Clayton

When we finished our basement several years ago I staked my claim on a room I hoped to use for reading, part-time computer work, and oh yes, tying flies. I found the perfect desk to fit the room and the first thing I did was setup my vise. That worked great for a while. However, over time, my tying space attracted clutter like a magnet. Lately in order to tie a few flies I spend almost as much time clearing space, unpacking materials, then re-packing materials after I'm done, as I do tying.

Walking past the Feather Dancing booth at the Fly-Fishing Retailer show their Cedar Fly-Tying Stations really caught my eye. Something about those handsome cedar boxes, that not only store materials and tools but also serve as a tying workspace, drew me in like a moth to a flame. I couldn't help myself I had to try one out.

The Feather Dancing Fly-Tying Station is handcrafted from select Tennessee Red Cedar; each one is hand matched for wood color, hand cut and glued, hand sanded and finished. The exterior finish is two coats of the finest cabinet-grade lacquer. Between coats each one is sanded to achieve a higher gloss and smooth texture. The interior is left unfinished in order to preserve the natural cedar aroma. Its exterior dimensions are 23" x 17" x 5 º". The interior is comprised of nine separate storage compartments:

(2) - 8 ‡" x 9 º" x 3" each include a sliding wood lid,
(1) - 3 ‡" x 8 º" x 3 æ" space that houses the removable thread spool caddy, the front edge of this compartment serves as a vise adapter,
(1) - 21 æ" x 2" x 3 æ" the long edges of this compartment include 10 drilled holes spaced 3 ‡ inches apart intended to hold tools while tying,
(2) - 5" x 3 ‡" x 3 æ",
(2) - 3" x 3 ‡" x 3 æ" each include removable plastic spacers, and
(1) - 3 ‡" x 3 ‡" x 3 æ".

The removable thread spool caddy has 14 pegs and holds up to 28 thread spools. The lid is attached to the box with heavy-duty hinges and is easily detached. A sturdy briefcase style handle and locking clasps are included as well.

The Fly-Tying Station has a classy, elegant look. The finish is very smooth. Opening the lid gives off a burst of cedar aroma, I love that smell. The construction of the box is top quality. The joints are smooth and all pieces fit together like a glove. From the hardware to the Tennessee Red Cedar it's clear no short cuts were taken creating this handcrafted beauty.

I've been tying flies for a number of years now but mainly focus on a few, highly productive patterns. I easily stowed all my materials with room to spare. I don't expect most fly-tiers will fit all their materials inside but the Fly-Tying Station holds quite a bit. Here is a quick inventory of my supplies: 13 chenille cards, 17 bags of feathers (saddle hackles, strung marabou, etc), 12 spools of thread, floss, or tinsel, a couple of pheasant tail feathers, a calf tail, a bag of peacock herl, a couple of bags of flashabou, one neck (I had to cut down the cardboard back in order to make it fit comfortably), half a dozen bags of beads and just about a dozen bags of dubbing (fur and synthetic). I also have a couple of bottles of head cement, some dubbing wax, my vise (Renzetti Traveler), a bobbin, scissors, hackle pliers, a bodkin, and a whip finishing tool. Notice I didn't mention any hooks. That's because awhile back I invested in what appeared to be a great hook box. Well, it turned out to be not that great, and it's too big to fit inside the Fly-Tying Station. However, I do have plenty of room in the Fly-Tying Station for hooks that are still in their original containers.

As a tying bench the Fly-Tying Station works great. All my materials are at my fingertips, no more unpacking materials to get started or re-packing when done. I did try tying with the lid attached, big mistake. As I leaned over looking for something, the heavy lid crashed down on top of my vise. Lucky for me it didn't land on my fingers. Needless to say I was a little shaken. However, it caused no noticeable damage to my vise and I learned a valuable lesson; when tying, REMOVE THE LID.

The Fly-Tying Station's portability is a big plus. Loaded with all my tools and materials it weighs just under 18 lbs. It's very convenient moving from room to room, wherever the family ends up for the evening. It works well placed on a table or the floor or even on my lap. With the lid removed I can sit near the TV and not block my kids' view.

The Feather Dancing Fly-Tying Stations come in two different models: basic and premium. The two are virtually the same except that the basic model uses a maple insert on the inside of the lid, the lid is non-removable, and there are no plastic spacer compartments. The basic model retails for $249 (plus shipping and handling) and the premium model is $299 (plus shipping and handling). The removable lid is worth the extra $50.

Summary:
I like the look, the style, and the finish. I like the quality handcrafted construction. I love the smell. It fits plenty of materials, is highly portable and works great as a tying bench. The only thing I don't like about the Fly-Tying Station is the price. At $300 it is not for everyone. I'd like to see the price down closer to $200. I'd also like to see high-end graphite rods in the $300 price range. Heck, while I'm at it, I'd like a brand new full-sized 4x4 pickup truck for under $20,000. But enough of my rambling. If you have a small cash reserve and you're trying to decide between that second or third "extra" rod, this handsome aromatic cedar box is a great alternative way to treat yourself to a special, unique and yet very functional piece of gear.

Scott Clayton is the Fly Fishing Editor at GearReview.com.

For more information, contact:
Feather Dancing
Sandy, UT
801-553-0712
info@featherdancing.com