Another craft project.

[rayner]

I've had months of what can only be described as craft projects.
I've made numerous wagglers, tied more hooks than I will ever need, I've had a sort of production line of feeders going for weeks.
Now my feeders are all finished I've started making jigger floats to go with the pullers I made earlier.
I don't think I've saved a deal of cash, the small jobs have helped my sanity a touch.
What sort of tackle have you guys been making if any or even projects at home. Spare time is a mare at times.

 

[flightliner]

I've been busy making a canal style seatbox.
I decided I needed one after A day on the Don with Notts Kev chasing Greyling.
He was using one and it struck me how useful one would be to sit on in the shallow midriver instead of standing.
All would be to hand with the river running below 'tween the legs.
It's the standard type box with a sliding tray with space below for a bit of snap, bait and maybe a reel.
Sessions are short- maybe four hours or so.
The 'ally frame and legs it's fixed too are from a local "commy" tackle dealer and some legs off my old Angling chair.
It's been undercoated but I'm a bit stuck at the moment for a little black gloss paint.
That and a strap and it's good to go!!

 

[nottskev]

Have you got something to put your bait and your bits and pieces on? For my little box I've got an old Drennan Baitwaiter bolted to a bit of scrap with a bit cut off an Octoplus thing. (There must be some old Octoplus bits in every angler's shed)



You can't get much lighter, since it consists mainly of holes. It just pushes down on a leg. I sleeved it with some plastic to make a nice fit.

 

[Keith M]

The rear legs on one of my folding seats used to occasionally collapse so I drilled a small hole and fitted a split pin (attached via a small chain) which just pushed into the hole and has solved the problem.

I made a few short and simple (2 and 3 inch long) peacock quill floats for when I do some lift bite fishing for Tench in a couple of weeks time, when the estate lake opens.

The rest is what I do every year at this time of year:

I’ve respooled all of my reel lines with Dave Harrel Pro-float line or Gold Label Pro-Gold line.
And gave all of my reels a good clean and oil.

And I’ve given all of my tackle bags and tackle boxes a good clean out, and checked that they are all fully stocked, and Ive given all my rods and their cork handles a good clean.

Live also made up quite a few braid hooklengths for when I do a bit of Carping; and checked to make sure that I have all of the hooks and hooklengths that I think I’ll need for this season.

My next job will be to try and solve a problem with one of my collapsible/folding landing nets (see pic) that I clip onto my back when I’m roving, where it’s locking pin keeps moving free and could be easily lost if I’m not careful. It could be another chain and split pin mod or just a bit of soldering but I will have a look at it next week.



I like your baitwaiter mod Kev.

Keith

 

[flightliner]

Have you got something to put your bait and your bits and pieces on? For my little box I've got an old Drennan Baitwaiter bolted to a bit of scrap with a bit cut off an Octoplus thing. (There must be some old Octoplus bits in every angler's shed)
Quote by Notts Kev
No, no add ons Kev, the legs on mine are circular btw but I'm sure I can convert add ons to suit.
You up for another day chasing the ladies later in the year btw Kevin?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Didn't the Octoplus fittings come with some different inserts Mick? I seem to remember some circular inserts . . . .

 

[nottskev]

Have you got something to put your bait and your bits and pieces on? For my little box I've got an old Drennan Baitwaiter bolted to a bit of scrap with a bit cut off an Octoplus thing. (There must be some old Octoplus bits in every angler's shed)
Quote by Notts Kev
No, no add ons Kev, the legs on mine are circular btw but I'm sure I can convert add ons to suit.
You up for another day chasing the ladies later in the year btw Kevin?

I stick mine on the round legs on another box, too, Mick. As long as it fits over it's stable enough, and only tilts a little bit if it's sloppy. Just don't fill your bait box to the brim!

I certainly am!

 

[flightliner]

Didn't the Octoplus fittings come with some different inserts Mick? I seem to remember some circular inserts . . . .quote by PJ

TBH Peter I'm not sure as I most often use a ruckie 'crept when I need to run a float down a river , that's when my old home made tackle box comes out.
It's been that way now for nearly forty years .
During that time most new style boxes have flown under my radar , octoplus, , Penrose and all the rest as if I ever needed one I could knock one up myself .
My old box has adjustable legs, a backrest, padded seat, and provision for rod rests but no platform for my feet but that's not important.
Back to your question, my "new"Kev inspired home made job is mainly old seat box scrap , the support for the box is actually a smallish footplate that caters to circular legs and some black plastic fittings that fit said legs so they could be the octoplus ones you refer to.
All in all it's a bit of a mush mash but for less than a tenner it'll do me fine considering it won't be used more than three or four times a year.

Damm, You can't see the Dovetails lol!

 

[mikench]

Very nice Mick. I’m available for the patent application.

 

[flightliner]

Nice of you Mike ! Fifty fifty ok ?

 

[mikench]

Far too generous of you ; 60/40 in your favour.

 

[Keith M]

View attachment 9074
Damm, You can't see the Dovetails lol!

That’s a great job that you done there flight, nice one.

I still have a similarly designed shallow box like that with legs. It’s a blue plastic Shakespeare ‘top-box’ from the 80s which has legs like the ones in your picture, it also has 4 small shallow side drawers for pole floats etc. and a shallow under lid tackle tray, and it also has a padded seat with a pole groove in it.

It’s still going strong, although I haven’t used it that much over the last few years. However it looks like your box has room for much larger items of tackle and much better feet on its legs than the Shakespeare one does so will be a lot better. :thumbs:

Keith

 

[flightliner]

Keith. The bottom sections of the legs are from an old fishing chair that had developed a bad tear/rip , the tubular upper sections are 15mm but with a thick wall cross section .
I did consider some small drawers but decided not to go down that route, instead opting for the deep sliding till on the runners to max out the space.
There's a tiny magnet let into the side and striking plate on the till plus a tiny wooden "stop" under the lid to help with the magnet.
It's really quite stable, I was a bit concerned it might have had a wobble but it's rock solid.
TBH I think it could do with an upholstered seat but maybe a couple of those garden kneeling mats will suffice.
Looking forward to trying it out on the Donas my old back tho not bad feels the strain after standing four or five hours!