Some years ago, I was active in the Southern Jersey TU chapter. We got the idea to frame a couple sets of the flies we raffled off each month. One went to someone who had served the chapter, the other was raffled at the banquet. After a few years, I got tired of paying for professional framing, and bought a rudimentary mat cutting rig. I already had a chop saw and miter trimmer. I could not buy the frame stock as an individual, but the merchant allowed the chapter to set up an account.
The method I used was to put the fly on it's side in a vise, and hot melt clue a length of 1/16 clear plastic rod to the center of the body. The other end of rod was filed to a point. The mat at the back of the frame was marked carefully, and a hole just smaller than the rod was poked through. The flies are then carefully positioned, the mat turned upside down, and a dollop of 5 minute epoxy applied to the base of each rod. When it sets, the excess length of the rods is snipped away, and the frame is assembled and sealed. The front mat and back mat are kept separated by wooden or styrofoam frame around the edges. I do like the idea of the wire run through a thin tube, and might try that if I do this again.
Incidentally, the small flies in the oval mat are Henryville specials, tied by Bill Fink, a long time member of the Henryville club who did not originate the fly, but did write the article for the Pennsylvania Angler that brought it to the public's attention. It's hard to see, but the quill wings are tied in curving upward, and set at about a 30° angle over the body. That's how it was always tied at the club.
