Fairy Liquid Bottle Caps …

[Steve Ruff]

My son has gone and got himself a small 3D printer - it’s excellent.

As an experiment I got him to see if he could produce a copy of the “old school” fairy liquid caps that used to be used as bite indicators when I was a kid.

They are almost impossible to get now.

This is his first go … needs a bit of finessing but not too shabby for a first go.

Do you think there would be a market for them on eBay and if so how much do you reckon he could charge for them ?

Steve

 

[The Sogster]

Apart from nostalgia, where's the need?

 

[Steve Ruff]

I totally agree - there is no “need” as such but the same could be said about 90% of the stuff which most tackle shops stock and lots of anglers end up buying : I suspect that in Yorkshire most tackle shops wouldn’t sell much of that sort of stuff for obvious reasons.

The nostalgia perspective is what this is all about and also the fact that they are not available anymore.

Many anglers of a certain age would have had one of these type of caps in their tackle box and remember them with fond memories when they caught their first roach or perch froM their local pond.

 

[John Aston]

I still use them - not for sentimental reasons but because I prefer them for ad hoc bobbin fishing on the river when I'm in a quieter swim.

Count me in - I will have a half dozen.

 

[mikench]

Never used one and in truth I rarely if ever use bobbins. I have a few I made from a cork from a wine bottle with a hair pin glued in it. I have never used them either. What people will pay for some stuff on eBay never ceases to amaze me.

 

[flightliner]

I'm old enough to remember when I used them for carp fishing a short time before buying a pair of optonics and bow armed indicaters.
Before that however, I caught my pb crucian using a fairy bottle top that would still make news today.
Tbh I'd have a couple in my box purely for the nostalgia!

 

[steve2]

Use to use them for all my ledger fishing. Adjusted them by adding a piece of lie and various numbers of swan shot. They worked just as well as modern over enginnered bobbin set ups.

 

[@Clive]

I honestly can't see the sales being worth the effort. For my part; if I need a lightweight, simple bite indicator I use an old wine cork with a slit in one end and a length of fly line at the other. For more weight I add plasticine under the cork.

 

[peterjg]

Blimey! Don't you blokes know anything? Shop bought bobbins are dead unlucky - you have to make your own, I thought everyone knew that!

 

[The bad one]

When I looked at this thread the time on the clock was 45 mins past the hour. I thought that's about as long in years since I used bottle tops. No inclination to go back to them whatsoever. So I'll pass on buying any thanks because as Peterjg says I make my own bobbins, arms, etc.

 

[Steve Ruff]

Thanks for your feedback chaps - very much appreciated.

I have cancelled my order for my new Porsche and called up the BBC to delay my appearance on Dragons Den.

Very best wishes.

(You know you want one really)

 

[Blue Fisher]

I go back further for my bite indicators I still use a tube of tin foil wrapped around the line. It’s easy to see in the dark but most importantly it’s the sound it makes. I’m now programmed to strike at the sound of rustling tin foil.
Makes a mess If you are eating a pie in a tin foil tray though.

 

[Philip]

Whatever you do make sure you can make them in more than one colour for the retro Carpers. ...Its vital to have a different colour on each rod if you want to be taken seriously

 

[Philip]

I have cancelled my order for my new Porsche

As an aside if you stuck a proper line clip on it and put it on a ball chain then I bet there would be some takers - novelty retro hangers - "only" £19.99 for a box set of three.

...re-order that porsche !


.

 

[The Sogster]

I can see the ad now, 'But mum, I really wanted to make a bobbin from that 3d printed thing I've never heard of'.

Had and used 'em 40+ years ago, I'm out.

 

[Steve Ruff]

A quick update … great idea with the line clip and ball chain … loads of orders flooded in and I have treated myself …

 

[mikench]

Nice Boxster. Mine had aluminium pedals made by RUF.