I am really making my own jigs. But I have the Skirts Unlimited kit and it comes with a crappy skirt making tool. I found that the tool struggles with 3 or more tabs trying to pass through the tool when I want a full bodied jig.  Anyone know of a DIY alternative or a better commercial one?

You can tie jigs like I do with gelspun or kevlar thread. Or you can use wire like most others. IMO, that tool is for an on the water emergency.

Not sure if it's worth $25 to you or not, but here's a collar expander that allows a lot of skirt material to be used:

 

http://www.***.com/descpage.html?PCODE=NBSE

BiteMe73,

   Yes I have the unltimate skirt tool that works on all strands of skirts. This tool was available in the 80's, then they went to redesign several years ago, I'm sure it is still available as I will check. It is a 3 pronged tool, that when you squeez the two handles, it opens up the rubber skirt collar. As you keep squeezing the handles, you then take the skirt strands taped at one end and stick it into the collar. Roll the collar off the tool onto the skirt and you're done. I have yet to this day not seen anything better for bulkier skirts like I use on a mop jig. I have the older version, but the newer version is actually better. I will post a link and or pics, if they allow me to do that. If not you can PM me and I will give you all the info on this. All the other skirt expanders and such don't hold a candle to this. I've had mine for 15 years, and I make a lot of mop jigs with a lot of the heavier Starflash skirts. Works great, I will post later tonight.

 

 

 

PS: Moderators.......can I post a link and pics of this tool. I do not make this tool or am associated with the people that make and sell this product. Please let me know?

Ive used this for a long time,almost 15years.Put as many tabs as you want in this.Barlows has them for around twenty bucks I think.

The tool I have been using for over a decade is called the  SkirtMaster skirt tool. It is a 3 pronged tool that expands the rubber collar in 3 different equal ways. One hand operation for the tool and use the other hand to feed the skirt into the rubber collar. Let's see if this lets me post the link

 

http://www.skirtmaster.com/SkirtMasterKit.htm

 

If you guys have problems with the link PM me and I will e-mail you the link

 

Woo hoo it works.