Float making.

[108831]

Although I've got far too many floats I have started making a few lately. Not entirely happy with these, not straight enough for my liking but continuing with experimenting with hollow pole float tips that are far superior to painted solid ones. I'm also using 8lb Sensor for whipping with the swivels held in a loop of 18lb Sensor. The two brown floats have two coats of acrylic water-based waterproof paint as an experiment to see how robust this is. Second float from the left is loaded with brass rod. The black insert is cocktail straws. Since then I've made another batch of 4 that I have yet to finish.

View attachment 8867

Ahhhhhh,a person who sees the qualities of long inserts Mark,thank God (if there was such a thing....

 

[rayner]

Although I've got far too many floats I have started making a few lately. Not entirely happy with these, not straight enough for my liking but continuing with experimenting with hollow pole float tips that are far superior to painted solid ones. I'm also using 8lb Sensor for whipping with the swivels held in a loop of 18lb Sensor. The two brown floats have two coats of acrylic water-based waterproof paint as an experiment to see how robust this is. Second float from the left is loaded with brass rod. The black insert is cocktail straws. Since then I've made another batch of 4 that I have yet to finish.

View attachment 8867

Your Peacocks have a strong kinship to my own, the only difference noticeable is the inclusion of swivels, My ones also have a cane insert. Plus the paint job I have settled on is only to make for a waterproof float, I'm not too bothered about them looking nice. My finish is very similar to the patchy one on the right, like it.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Your Peacocks have a strong kinship to my own, the only difference noticeable is the inclusion of swivels, My ones also have a cane insert. Plus the paint job I have settled on is only to make for a waterproof float, I'm not too bothered about them looking nice. My finish is very similar to the patchy one on the right, like it.

Give the hollow pole float tips a try; they're far more visible than painted tips and don't unbalance the float so much, plus, of course, the paint can't flake off. The swivels allow the float to collapse on the strike, reduce tangles and, as I'm in no rush, don't need the advantage of being able to change floats by using a float adapter.

 

[no-one in particular]

I have used a whole tube of yellow, I started putting on coats just on the sunken bits to try and get an even look but run out of yellow. Must have done this 20+ times. I will start on the green now. Can't say i am happy but I have a small pot of yacht varnish that will go on at the end after maybe a light sanding; have to see how it goes. Maybe they wont look too bad eventually, good enough to go in a job lot of other auction stuff. One of the red gazette floats came up good with just a good clean so maybe just a bit of varnish on that. Mind you I might keep that big round float, must bit of a rarity. Would make a good sea float but too big for that, maybe a bolt float.

 

[rayner]

Give the hollow pole float tips a try; they're far more visible than painted tips and don't unbalance the float so much, plus, of course, the paint can't flake off. The swivels allow the float to collapse on the strike, reduce tangles and, as I'm in no rush, don't need the advantage of being able to change floats by using a float adapter.

I use swivels with my floats by putting a snap swivel on my reel line stopped with float stops. Float adapters are old hat. For the float to fold on the strike I have a two inch gap between float stops.
I will send for some long pole float tips to try.
My floats incorporate a 4" long cane tips. I think on the whole my floats are longer than yours to combat surface drift, Around ten to twelve inch long.
A bigger shotting capacity helps I think with tow, it allows me to drag more shot on the bottom and have a couple of no1s down around half depth if there a bit of a blow.

 

[108831]

I have used a whole tube of yellow, I started putting on coats just on the sunken bits to try and get an even look but run out of yellow. Must have done this 20+ times. I will start on the green now. Can't say i am happy but I have a small pot of yacht varnish that will go on at the end after maybe a light sanding; have to see how it goes. Maybe they wont look too bad eventually, good enough to go in a job lot of other auction stuff. One of the red gazette floats came up good with just a good clean so maybe just a bit of varnish on that. Mind you I might keep that big round float, must bit of a rarity. Would make a good sea float but too big for that, maybe a bolt float.

Them roach must be strong on the canal to pull that big boy under....mg:

 

[no-one in particular]

Them roach must be strong on the canal to pull that big boy under....mg:

I might keep it as a trotting float, my eyes are going and I should be able to see it and it should pull the line off my wonky reel OK. No need to strike, fish should hook themselves; win win win. I may start a new trend.

 

[bracket]

Here is how I, like most of us, have been passing the time. This is a selection of the new Bracket Isolation range, which to date numbers quantity 93, plus wallets. As a mainly stick float man, I'm not sure if I will ever use some of them. Most likely I will give them to people I don't like and let them figure it out. Pete

 

[purplepeanut007]

Inserted & Straight Burgundy Sarkanda Wagglers

Below are two pairs of floats, inserted and straight "Sarkanda Wagglers",
Both pairs are finished in Burgundy,
gold, violet & black threads. The tips are finished in fluorescent pink & orange........
For lots more pictures click on the link.

 

[Aknib]

^ Very nice indeed! ^

I'm trying to motivate myself to do a couple of balsa and goose quill 'lockdown bobbers', I have the colour scheme in my head but just can't get into the groove at the moment.

I'm sure I eventually will, most likely coinciding with the first prolonged wet spell that we get

 

[no-one in particular]

I have done big boy apart from another coat of varnish but I was wondering, I have some sticky tape and wondered if it looked better with a thin strip of that around the join and then varnished over, what do you think. Also two of the floats got a bit damaged when I was using the sand paper, they were a bit crumbly, can I use some wood filler or something to repair/fill the dents or should I leave them?
Sorry the pics are a bit big, still have not worked the camera out but you should be able to see what I mean.

 

[108831]

I definitely want the roach that can pull that under Mark,it would be named Mobey...

 

[no-one in particular]

I definitely want the roach that can pull that under Mark,it would be named Mobey...

Ho, too right, I would be ringing up the records cliams committee even before it completely sunk, I might put a line roach scale around it come to think of it; 4lb will go about an inch up the yellow I reckon..

 

[no-one in particular]

My progress so far, building up to a crescendo of artistic brilliance like the world has not seen since that da vinci bloke. Any orders for float refurbishment gladly accepted; don't all rush at once

 

[rayner]

Aknid and Purplepeanut floats look good but your efforts Mark bring a true smile to my face. Not sure about functionality though.

 

[no-one in particular]

Aknid and Purplepeanut floats look good but your efforts Mark bring a true smile to my face. Not sure about functionality though.

wait wait, be patient, I only just bought some poly filler today. A long way to go yet.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I've continued to use the 3mm pole float tips insome new floats. I tried these in Avon floats last winter and they worked well so I've made a couple more.

I also decided to finally use some 1mm stainless steel stems that someone on here gave me 3 years ago. I wanted to do my own version of the Drennan wire-stem Avons but with the 3mm pole float tips.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Inverted Glow In The Dark Porcupine Quill.

I have been meaning to make one of these floats for a while but just never got round to it.

Well, I have had plenty of time in the last few weeks and made the float below.

Another one to add to my close range arsenal of floats.

Click the link for the full write up and glow in the dark pics.

 

[markcw]

I have done big boy apart from another coat of varnish but I was wondering, I have some sticky tape and wondered if it looked better with a thin strip of that around the join and then varnished over, what do you think. Also two of the floats got a bit damaged when I was using the sand paper, they were a bit crumbly, can I use some wood filler or something to repair/fill the dents or should I leave them?
Sorry the pics are a bit big, still have not worked the camera out but you should be able to see what I mean.

Marker Bouys ??

 

[markcw]

I definitely want the roach that can pull that under Mark,it would be named Mobey...

I was thinking of that line in "Jaws"
"We need a bigger boat "