Float Making

W

Wag

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I make my porcupine floats in pretty much the same way, but use small brass safety pins with the heads cut off as eyes. These give a good free running eye, with a complete circle of brass wire to prevent abrasion on the line.
You can get them in various sizes to suit the type of float you are making.
I also use safety pin eyes, bent at 90 degrees whipped at the bottom and two thirds of the way up balsa (chubber type) floats to make a free sliding float leger rigs.
 
K

Kevan Farmer

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I've used safety pins in the past myself, Carl. I agree it does give a very nice smooth eye to a float and is an excellent way of making a slider. The reason I don't bother nowadays is because I tend to set my floats up with a quick change rig. I use Mustad size 14 swivels with a link attached. This way, if the light changes I can easily change the float to one of an identical size etc but with a different colour tip. I would of course still be able to do so by using a safety pin.

Good idea Carl, cheers.

Kevan
 
A

Albert Watkinson 2

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can anybody tell me where i can buy some peacock quills?.the tackle shop"s dont have them in my area.
albert
 
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Baz

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Daves of Middlewich had them in Albert mate.
I baught some last year. On the bait counter.
 
chavender

chavender

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i use MADDEN-FISHING-Float making materials for some materials but theres none listed
but he may have some peacock quills but not put them on site .you could try flower
shops as florists use them in display or fueng shuay shops or hobbycraft Shops who do a very wide range of craft items suitable for the floatmaker .theres also a shop diy float making materials shop that sell loads of things usfull in float making including carbon stems,you have to e-mail with enquiries as there site
is a bit short on pictures.

i hope some of this is of help
 
J

jason fisher

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sneak up behind a peacock and give him a surprise, then while hes panicking nick his tail feathers.
 
P

Phil Hackett PCPL with Pride

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See latest Articles
Straight Peacock Wagglers the Hackett way

Bad-eyes :0)
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

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Porcupine quills I used to get for nothing. A walk through the bush would produce up to a hundred, not all of them usable of course.
 
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Baz

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That's a bit far to expect a poor old pensioner to go for his quills Ron.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

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"sneak up behind a peacock and give him a surprise, then while hes panicking nick his tail feathers."

No need to jason. Like all birds they moult their feathers every year. you just have to be patient.
 
A

Albert Watkinson 2

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what a response.many thanks you lads.nice to hear you baz.i am not doing much fishing at the moment.in passing when i asked at daves the lad said they dont do them.
albert
 
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Fred Blake

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Just seen this article, so apologies for the six month delay!

All good useful stuff; having been making floats for over 20 years most of the advice is 'old hat' to me, but it's good to see someone is stil prepare to explain the basics for the benefit of all.

One small criticism I'd make however relates to varnishing the float, especially the tip. If a daylight fluorescent colour is used, varnish reduces visibility by reflecting 'white' light as well as the colour of the tip. I use spirit-based colours - Humbrol or Revell (both available from model shops) which do not require varnish to make them waterproof.

Whatever varnish is used for the rest of the float, make sure the final coat is matt so it doesn't flash and scare fish. I like to stain balsa bodies before sealing them, using ordinary fabric dyes such as Dylon. Cane and bird quills can also be so treated. Green or brown alone is good, as is a combination of the two; a couple of dips are necessary for balsa, allowing the wood to dry followed by a light rub down with fine glasspaper between each 'coat' as soaking raises the grain. This gives a good 'natural' colour without adding weight and consequently reducing shotting capacity.

Another good way to seal balsa is with successive coats of button polish (shellac) which seals and colours at the same time.
 
Morespiders

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I will get you some from Chatsworth Albert,just let me know how many you want, about 30 pence each.Ron might even bring some porcupine quills for you as well.
 
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