Float making.

[@Clive]

Thanks for posting that link Kev.

As a returner to float making I realise that there has been many changes since the old Humbrol paint days of my youth. Luckily my wife likes recycling old furniture so we have a stock of sanding sealer, wood filler and other products that can be pressed into use. And some of my cane rod renovation items and fly tying tools and materials will be useful. The skills shown in the video however cannot be bought over the counter.

Whilst the floats that he makes are beautiful works of art I find myself settling for much lower standards. For one thing I don't intend to sell them. And I know that my skill levels aren't suited to fine craftsmanship. But, the biggest reason is my mindset. A float, feeder or ledger is in my mind a tool, not an object of art. I don't see the need for whipping on a float purely for decoration. And if the seperation of one colour from another isn't quite perfectly defined I can reassure myself that I won't notice at 10 or 12 yards distant. Let's face it; we normally only have a 1/4 of an inch showing anyway. H.T. Sherringham said of his favourite float; "that it was pleasing in appearance, and even more pleasing in disappearance.”

 

[Notts Michael.]

Aknib.... Am I right in thinking that a bit of heat applied gently to a quill will help straightening it, or is it best to not bother and work with them 'as is'?
Also, do you make your wooden float boxes, or are they available from somewhere for reasonable money? they look great.

 

[Aknib]

Aknib.... Am I right in thinking that a bit of heat applied gently to a quill will help straightening it, or is it best to not bother and work with them 'as is'?
Also, do you make your wooden float boxes, or are they available from somewhere for reasonable money? they look great.

I vaguely remember looking into straightening quills a few years ago Michael and yes there is a process, I can't remember whether it was passing them over a flame or dipping them in boiling water but I remember deciding that the margin of error was a split second and opted to just use them as is which, on reflection, i'm glad I did as any curve has no detriment to bite detection and they remain looking natural.

There is of course porcupine quill which is straight but not quite so readily available to forage although they can be bought cheaply enough on Ebay.

This is the guy I use for the float boxes, he oils them so I request mine without a finish so that I can stain and varnish them myself to my taste. I go for Oak which is (relatively) heavy but enduring, he's also done custom sizes for me and I think his prices are very reasonable...

My Hand Made Float Boxes - FISHERMANS PARADISE

fishermansparadise.co.uk

 

[Aknib]

Talking of porcupine quills...

It's a very overlooked material imo and me included, rightly associated with hyper sensitivity and fishing down the edge for shy biting Crucians or Roach but it doesn't have to be.

A few years ago someone gave me a few and asked me to do something with them for him, iirc this one took 7AAA...

 

[Notts Michael.]

Those float boxes are very good for the money, I wouldn't be able to make one as good I'm fairly sure!

 

[Aknib]

They really are excellent and I have no connection with the guy whatsoever other than the fact i've bought a fair few of his float and tackle boxes from him over the years after taking an initial punt.

I did question my choice of material over lighter materials such as plastic or lesser ply, plastic was dismissed because it is plastic and the advantage over much lighter ply was realised when my first ever oak box arrived and I decided to stand on it as a test and, believe me, I was literally seven and a half stone heavier at the time at a few pounds under twenty and back when I destroyed chairs without trying!

Not even a creak although I was annoyed that I didn't take my trainer off and had to sand off the imprint before staining and varnishing it.

One of my 'collections' contains over forty handmade floats which took several months to make and, being rather accident prone, i'm happy in the knowledge that they're safe on the bank and in the basket, and the overall weight difference in carrying a lighter couple of large boxes of floats is probably far less than half a flask of tea.

Thoroughly recommended.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Fluted Avons In Olive Green

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

After a traumatic couple of weeks of motoring I just managed to finish this little pair of avons, one hardwood, one crow quill tip.
Click the link for more pics and full blog.

 

[Aknib]

Very nice PP, I really like the olive & brown natural colour scheme.

Is there a theory behind the different materials used for the tips or did they just turn out that way?

 

[purplepeanut007]

Very nice PP, I really like the olive & brown natural colour scheme.

Is there a theory behind the different materials used for the tips or did they just turn out that way?

Nope,
I have never used crow quill before and thought I would try it for sensitivity in comparision to my std tip medium.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Heavy Inverted Tear Drop Fluted Avon With A Hardwood Stem

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

I always forget to post a float from the prevoius year !!!
Here it is !!!!!!
Heavy Inverted Tear Drop Fluted Avon With A Hardwood Stem. A simple enough design but one I really like.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Goose Quill & Crow Quill Tipped Fluted Avones With Hardwood Stems.

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

I have made one of each for now.
Goose Quill & Crow Quill Tipped Fluted Avons With Hardwood Stems.

 

[Matt86]

Found these beauty's today , going back a few years I used to regularly tench fish on gravel pits but never on the float. Had them as a gift !

 

[Ray Roberts]

Goose Quill & Crow Quill Tipped Fluted Avones With Hardwood Stems.

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

I have made one of each for now.
Goose Quill & Crow Quill Tipped Fluted Avons With Hardwood Stems.View attachment 29370View attachment 29371

They look superb.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Thanks Ray.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Fluted, Inverted Teardrop, Alloy Stem Avons.

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

Some more new floats to show today.
"Inverted, Fluted, Teardrop, Alloy Stem Avons" Taking approximately 3 no 4s (0.6 g) for light river work.
Click the link to read the blow:

 

[purplepeanut007]

Perch Bobbers - Old School & Sliding

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

New Perch Bobbers - Old School & Sliding, plus a nice little story from my old man.
Click the link for the full write up and all the pics.

 

[purplepeanut007]

Inserted Yellow 50:50 Wagglers.

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

Small, medium and large inserted wagglers in yellow with black, red and rose gold threads.
Click the link for the full write up and pictures

 

[purplepeanut007]

Sliding, Inverted, Teardrop Avons 6g

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

This week I have completed a brace of
Internal, Sliding Avons, 6g.
Ihope you like them.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Sliding, Inverted, Teardrop Avons 6g

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

purplepeanut007.blogspot.com

This week I have completed a brace of
Internal, Sliding Avons, 6g.
Ihope you like them.View attachment 29813View attachment 29814View attachment 29815

I like the black whipping on the black stem, it looks like carbon fibre. I had some similar floats, though not so posh, that I bought for deep swims many years ago. They had very small pole bushes where the line exits from the tip. They were unusual and I’ve never seen them in any tackle shop since.

 

[Aknib]

Wonderful floats PP Iove the streamlined, inline design.

I've been mucking around with slider Avons for two or three seasons now, lots of provenance to prove their worth which, for some reason, my laptop won't let me swap from my old laptop but suffice to say they're the most versatile floats you could wish for given that you can rove and use them in 17' of water or 4' by simply sliding up or down the stop knot in a few seconds.