Over the years I have made dozens of floats but I don't use a balsa sealant - I just prime and paint them. I don't bother to varnish them either. I am currently making a batch of river balsas, should I seal the balsa and if so which sealer is best? Thanks.
Sealing Balsa
- Thread starter peterjg
- Start date
There as a lot of detail in a thread on this 18months ago. I'm not sure how you do a link to a prvious thread, but here's
Morrells Varnish/Lacquer
I'd always used cellulose dope to seal balsa, but I got that idea in about 1975, and I've heard people say there are better ways to do it!
Morrells Varnish/Lacquer
I'd always used cellulose dope to seal balsa, but I got that idea in about 1975, and I've heard people say there are better ways to do it!
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
ALL my balsa float are sealed with Cellulose Dope and have been for donkeys years. I always make the effort to seal, lightly rub down and seal again, before another minimal rub down to remove the shine and to act as a bond for the white undercoat. Might sound belt and braces but nothing worse than a float failing because of poor preparation.
NOT to say this is the only way and other methods might be available, but it works for me.
I also use Morrells Severe varnish x 20 % gloss OVER the painted finish which some might feel is OTT (some question the 'gloss' bit) but my floats last well despite heavy use AND they catch lots of fish, always the final test, imho!
ps The Dope can easily be applied (slightly thinned if reqd) with a finger, BUT this needs removing from the skin asap - and I mean ASAP!!
NOT to say this is the only way and other methods might be available, but it works for me.
I also use Morrells Severe varnish x 20 % gloss OVER the painted finish which some might feel is OTT (some question the 'gloss' bit) but my floats last well despite heavy use AND they catch lots of fish, always the final test, imho!
ps The Dope can easily be applied (slightly thinned if reqd) with a finger, BUT this needs removing from the skin asap - and I mean ASAP!!
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flightliner
Well-known member
I use super glue, two coats lightly sanded each time before a final third works fine, used it for years with no problems.
The OP may come back and tell us - in the meantime, I've always used cellulose, but the way it tightens the balsa into a rough and wrinkly surface isn't ideal, and I don't really like having to rub down and re-do. Plus, an angler known on here for making good floats told me that the varnish he uses as a last coat is so good that it leaves you more free about the type of paints you choose.
Cellulose....Dope ? Varnish ?
When first coated balsa normally goes a bit fluffy and needs sanding between coats. Doesn't a sealer have the same affect ?
I meant that I used to assume you had to seal the balsa before painting, and did that with cellulose dope.
Recently - see the thread I linked to - someone told me you can paint straight on the balsa and seal the painted balsa with a type of varnish they favour, again, see thread.
Notts Michael.
Well-known member
Shellac Sanding Sealer should work well, dries quickly if you want to build up a few coats, and sands very smooth. haven't used it on balsa, but I've used the Chestnut brand Sanding Sealer quite a bit on other wood projects and always had pretty good results.
Many thanks for your replies and info.
Usually when I make floats I'm not too fussy how they look as long as they work but this time I thought that I would be. I normally prime the balsa with Zinser 321 primer and then use a matt Humbrol paint with the top in either dayglow or black. This way the buoyancy seems unaffected by not actually using a sealer.
This batch I have carefully turned 22 balsa river floats of differing lengths and thickness and thought that I would spend a bit more time on their finish.
Usually when I make floats I'm not too fussy how they look as long as they work but this time I thought that I would be. I normally prime the balsa with Zinser 321 primer and then use a matt Humbrol paint with the top in either dayglow or black. This way the buoyancy seems unaffected by not actually using a sealer.
This batch I have carefully turned 22 balsa river floats of differing lengths and thickness and thought that I would spend a bit more time on their finish.
Notts Michael.
Well-known member
Sounds like quite a production run 
can we see a pic or 2 when you get some finished?
can we see a pic or 2 when you get some finished?Super glue,sanding sealer,dope from my tests does not effect the buoyancy to much peterjg its not worth stressing over.
It makes for a better finish and a much stronger float the advantages from using a sealer far outweigh any very slight disadvantages regarding buoyancy.
It makes for a better finish and a much stronger float the advantages from using a sealer far outweigh any very slight disadvantages regarding buoyancy.
wetthrough
Well-known member
Just as a bit of a reference I made this the other week and weighed it before and after having had two coats of paint. It's a foam body that had been grain filled. There is 0.211g of paint. It's 9.12mm dia and the painted body is 81mm long.
ian g
Well-known member
Sorry to go off topic but where do you get the foam bodies , nice float.
wetthrough
Well-known member
I buy the raw material Rohacell 51HF Foam Bars for Making High Quality Fishing Floats 420mm Pack of 5 | eBay
but he sells bodies https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/kingfisherfloats?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
but he sells bodies https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/kingfisherfloats?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
ian g
Well-known member
Thanks , is the foam easy to work?
wetthrough
Well-known member
Very. I'm not an experienced float maker but I found it difficult to feather balsa to thin sections, it tends to break up and foam is more consistent, balsa varies quite a lot.
ian g
Well-known member
Thanks , sorry for going off thread , I'll get some ordered