Float making.

[purplepeanut007]

Summer Camo.Avons-5BB--New Paint Job

fishing,float fishing,float making,hand crafted floats,traditional floats,purplepeanut007,mike cootes,float making,PP007,peanuts fishing adventures

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Summer Camo.-5BB Avons.
I'm really chuffed with the way these have turned out.
Click the blog link for the full write up and lots more pictures plus the video

 

[mikench]

Beautiful looking floats.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Thanks Mike.
Had a little practice before spraying the bodies which I'm glad of, not easy at first but am getting the hang of it now pal.

 

[Ray Roberts]

They look great. You really do make some special floats.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[purplepeanut007]

Thanks Ray,
I like to try new techniques when I can.

 

[Aknib]

I dipped a toe back in recently, i've had some large cork Avon bodies for several months with the intention of making some very robust heavy trotters.

This isn't the prettiest thing i've knocked up nor was it ever intended to be as it will be spending its life trotting swims that you'd probably walk by, clanking against rocks and gravel and generally getting some heavy abuse so it was literally a twenty minute job.

With the extra buoyancy of the thick stem it should take 12-14 grm which would be ideal for the swims I have in mind and, as is more becoming standard on these floats for me, i've sunk in a boss which allows me to change the tip colours for differing light conditions and roving swims. I will likely whip on a couple of eyes to give me a slider option too as the lighter, balsa versions i've been using have worked really well in either fixed or slider option and been very versatile..

Looking forward to getting it wet, I might even get the chance before the end of the season if the river level fines down and I can get in the swims it's intended for.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Thats s beast !!!!!
Cant wait to hear about the session Aknib

 

[purplepeanut007]

More Roach Avons With Alloy Stems

fishing,float fishing,float making,hand crafted floats,traditional floats,purplepeanut007,mike cootes,float making,PP007,peanuts fishing adventures

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I really like these so made another set of six in red and green and will have some more to come soon.Click on the blog link for all the pics.

 

[Aknib]

Very nice PP, as always.

As an aside the thorn in my side has been a suitable replacement varnish for Morrell's, I love the Morrell's and even used some during my home renovation last year from their Bulwell depot but since Thirsk Decorating Centre ceased supplying it in litre bottles i'm now having to buy 5 litres at around sixty quid (and that's if you say you're trade) and I can no longer justify it, especially as I have to go and pick it up although I may well return to it if I ever do a bulk project again due to its very quick drying time.

So...

The replacement?

I've been using this, it's an own brand yacht varnish which I chose over the branded Ronseal for its shorter drying time and I have to say it's very good, typically drying after a good gloopy coat to fill the imperfections on the surface of cork float bodies in around six hours...

Error 410 | Screwfix

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Ok it's not twenty minutes as per Morrell's but I can live with it if I change the way I work which just makes it different, not difficult.

I will post some finished pictures up...

When they've dried

 

[@Clive]

Steve, have you tried putting hot varnish on? Many years ago I worked in the car trade with an old bloke who had apprenticed working on the wooden pieces on old cars. He described warming the varnish in a container placed in another container half filled with water and placed on a hot plate. The hot varnish was brushed on and in his words "stretched out over the wood". I remembered this a couple of years ago when adapting a built cane fly rod into a light Avon. I poured a little varnish into a small glass jar and put it on a warm radiator. Once the varnish had thinned I applied it as Les had described. It dried in no time and made a lovely finish after two coats.

I would imagine that on raw balsa or cork the hot varnish would soak in much better.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Very nice PP, as always.

As an aside the thorn in my side has been a suitable replacement varnish for Morrell's, I love the Morrell's and even used some during my home renovation last year from their Bulwell depot but since Thirsk Decorating Centre ceased supplying it in litre bottles i'm now having to buy 5 litres at around sixty quid (and that's if you say you're trade) and I can no longer justify it, especially as I have to go and pick it up although I may well return to it if I ever do a bulk project again due to its very quick drying time.

So...

The replacement?

I've been using this, it's an own brand yacht varnish which I chose over the branded Ronseal for its shorter drying time and I have to say it's very good, typically drying after a good gloopy coat to fill the imperfections on the surface of cork float bodies in around six hours...

Error 410 | Screwfix

Thousands of products at low trade prices | FREE next day delivery available | 30 day money back guarantee on all orders.

www.screwfix.com

Ok it's not twenty minutes as per Morrell's but I can live with it if I change the way I work which just makes it different, not difficult.

I will post some finished pictures up...

When they've dried

Its flammable. Be careful heating it up !!!!

 

[The Sogster]

I wish I had the skill to make some of these floats.

However for thinning varnish and quickening the drying time add methylated spirit (oil based varnishes).

 

[@Clive]

Trouble with diluting varnish is that it runs everywhere initially. The hot varnish method avoids that.

 

[purplepeanut007]

50:50 Black Alloy Stem 3g Avons

fishing,float fishing,float making,hand crafted floats,traditional floats,purplepeanut007,mike cootes,float making,PP007,peanuts fishing adventures

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I have been meaning to make some black avons for a while but just never got round to it. These are heavier than the previous alloy stem avons coming in at approximately 3g
Clic the blog link for the full write up and lots of pictures.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Two Sets Of Black Alloy Stem Avons 5AAA & 5no 4s

fishing,float fishing,float making,hand crafted floats,traditional floats,purplepeanut007,mike cootes,float making,PP007,peanuts fishing adventures

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I have been experimenting with some darker paints of late.
Here is the first one in two sizes:
Large 5AAA
Small 5 no 4s.
Black avons with alloy stems, black and red whippings, a white collar and a pink/red tip

 

[Peter Jacobs]

PP has to be the Mr Kipling of floats

He makes exceedingly good ones.

 

[purplepeanut007]

PP has to be the Mr Kipling of floats

He makes exceedingly good ones.

Practice, practice, practice same as everything else lads, but thanks, everyone like a pat on the back.

 

[Borderline]

Two Sets Of Black Alloy Stem Avons 5AAA & 5no 4s

fishing,float fishing,float making,hand crafted floats,traditional floats,purplepeanut007,mike cootes,float making,PP007,peanuts fishing adventures

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

I have been experimenting with some darker paints of late.
Here is the first one in two sizes:
Large 5AAA
Small 5 no 4s.
Black avons with alloy stems, black and red whippings, a white collar and a pink/red tipView attachment 26007View attachment 26005

mind me asking what you write the date etc with?

 

[Borderline]

I notice some floats seem to be attributed to a region i.e Lancashire floats of which there seems to be a number of patterns. is this truly a regional thing, and what other regionbs are there?

 

[Aknib]

I'm struggling with that one too.

I've not as yet seen a pattern in this thread which does not already exist except from the locational specifics of the maker, not that i'm deriding that in any way whatsoever.

I tell a lie...

I do believe that my dear friend Notts Kev came up with the Barbel... 'Blob Float' to very great effect, i've not heard of blob floats before and i've seen the pudding in the eating.

PP is a master no doubt and as fellows of a dying breed I applaud and encourage him greatly.

Aside from that I would argue that anything with a wire stem is a Nottinghamshire float, derived from the John Dean eighties era but then comes a blurred line...

He never (to my knowledge) bought out an Avon version so... Why not?

I love this stuff, objective always welcomed and occasionally learned from... throw in your thoughts on location and wire before I post a version of cane stemmed sticks