In the right vein

Is FISHINGmagic going to get its proofs read, so it's in the right vain, or is it too vane? Really, Graham....
While on the subject of floatmaking, I have to say I'm not as convinced as Chris of the value of balsa as a float-making material. It depends on the grade. The heavier grades aren't too bad, but a lot of lightweight modeller's balsa dowel is so soft, every dent becomes a split in the varnish/paint, and that WILL let in water, which swells the wood and splits the float further.
For my money - or importantly, for NONE of my money - expanded polystyrene is much better. You need to examine packaging to find the denser stuff with particles about 2mm diameter.
Long poly floats need reinforcement with a tube up the middle, or an epoxied strong wire (which also helps preload the float), and you can't use solvent paint or glues, but a makeshift lathe made with a clamped drill and some sandpaper, and you can knock out poly floats by the dozen.
Even better is closed-cell polyethylene and polyurethane foams - a b***er to paint but you can jump on them and they will float afterwards.

Sorry, folks, the link between the above any anything on the site isn't as obvious as I thought it would be. I'm referring to Chris Thornhill's article about pike float making. My apologies.

When making your own floats always use acrylic paint, not only does this seal the balsa making it waterproof but it helps make it more resistant to knocks, plus you don't need to varnish it either.

I always us elder twigs for my marker or pike floats, never had a problem with them, I have some about 10 year old and still as good as new.

Seal the swivel. You don't need it to rotate and if it does, it lets water in which rots the float.

I make most of my pike floats from balsa.

Keep old trace swivels for the eye at the bottom end. Make the hole with a matchstick before glueing in with Araldite Rapid.

Leave it a couple of days, then give it a couple of coats of yacht varnish.

Rub down with fine paper, then another coat.

Top end gets a couple of coats of matt white enamel. Again leave a day or two, then paint on the fluo orange or whatever.

Give this a day or two, then varnish again and sorted - if you can be assed of course.

Vains (vanes..?) go for the bargain bin in your local sports shop for the Euro 98 dart flights or whatever.

Carefully cut the balsa crossways with a razor blade, then glue in with Araldite, get a fillet of glue alongside where each flight (vane) meets the wood to seal it, then just do the varnish/white/fluo thing.