Float making.

[Keith M]

I agree about nottskev's floats, they look great and are designed for very specific reasons, very impressive.
I've had my first disaster, decided to use some neon paint the kids had, despite knowing it wouldn't work!
The paint didn't take on some parts, the bits it did, now look like they've been dipped in candy floss.
View attachment 7734
It's about as neon as coal dust. The fine sandpaper will be out again tomorrow.

They are what’s called ‘Shabby chic’ in today’s world.
Nothing wrong in that, as long as they are water proof and you can see the tips clearly

Keith

 

[bracket]

I'm sure some people will be envious of my state of the art drying rack!

View attachment 7738

Do I detect a hint of subliminal advertising here? Pete

 

[rayner]

I agree about nottskev's floats, they look great and are designed for very specific reasons, very impressive.
I've had my first disaster, decided to use some neon paint the kids had, despite knowing it wouldn't work!
The paint didn't take on some parts, the bits it did, now look like they've been dipped in candy floss.
View attachment 7734
It's about as neon as coal dust. The fine sandpaper will be out again tomorrow.

The ones in the picture look a little gay for my liking.
I never use paint on my dodgers, just a couple of coats of hard as nails, black the tip off with marker pen.
Peacock and sikanda reed don't need sanding either.
Suits my bone idle persona.

 

[mikench]

You got me....I'm a cereal offender.

That's just corny!

 

[iannate]

That's just corny!

It's not Corny, but it is Flakey?

 

[mikench]

We don't want Mr Owens to feel his post has had a frosty reception instead of a special k.

 

[markcw]

At first i thought kellogs were giving floats away with packets of cornflakes. I nearly offered to do the weekly big shop

 

[iannate]

In all cerealness, it is starting to get a bit cereal [surreal] mg:

To get this thread back on track:

Does anyone put serial numbers on floats? :wh

 

[markcw]

I've blown a few crumpets, and they loved it

 

[Aknib]

View attachment 7816

I really like the long tips and colour, I do a lot of worm fishing which often requires a longer tip so I tend to make all my floats that way and just dot them down when I'm using smaller baits... It's often been a bug bare of mine with commercially produced floats.

I like the old Harcork principle and how they made floats to cover a much wider range of situations with what at first sight appear to be ridiculously long, extended tip colours but I can see the logic in it especially back in the days when folk generally didn't tend to spend the amounts of money that we see being thrown at fishing today.

Good for the lift method, too.

You'll find reed to be a really nice, sensitive material being denser than peacock quill and they look perfect for what you have in mind... Cane also makes a very sensitive tip material for when you're really up against it in the depths of winter.

Keep up the good work, a nice balance between functionality and going over the top with things and they're pretty much everything a float should be in my eyes.

Very nice indeed.

 

[mikench]

Praise indeed from a master.

 

[ian g]

Could anyone recommend a decent varnish . I use satin clear exterior varnish at the moment but would like to know what else others use.

Thanks

 

[Mark Wintle]

Anyone who thinks that reed or cane is more sensitive than peacock quill needs lessons in Archimedes principle. Only the volume displaced matters so if you want a more sensitive tip for a float decrease the volume of the tip either make it thinner or design it in such a way that it's visible with little volume eg a dart flight type design or hollow tip with hole at both ends.

I'm gradually swiching my wagglers to using hollow preformed pole float tips as they don't need painting and are far easier to see than painted solid tips.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I'm gradually swiching my wagglers to using hollow preformed pole float tips as they don't need painting and are far easier to see than painted solid tips.

I've thought of using them, Mark. Ebay listing have them, if they're the same as you use, up to 3mm.

Just got into making some Spezi Wagglers for trotting meat, have to wait until the river calms down though, not ideal at the moment...

 

[Mark Wintle]

That's the ones I use, Jeff, up to 3mm. Some 4mm or 5mm would be useful. I've used them as supplied and also cut the top off 3mm ones with a side hole lower down.

 

[Aknib]

Anyone who thinks that reed or cane is more sensitive than peacock quill needs lessons in Archimedes principle.

Or simply appreciates that a denser material such as reed or cane will offer less buoyancy than a less dense material... Such as peacock quill.

Less density = more air, more density = less air.

You stick to your Archimedes principle, I'm happy enough with mine.

 

[Aknib]

This is not my usual kind of thing as I've never been particularly keen on porcupine quill, it is a commission made on behalf of someone who supplied the quill and gave me a free hand to do as I wish with it.

No money changed hands but I am the better off for several excellent books including A Passion for Angling

The body colour paint is matched to the natural ivory colour on the quill but I didn't want to paint the quill itself as it would erode its provenance and the tip colour is his favourite.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with the composition which allowed a thin cane stem to be spliced in to mount and whip the eye onto and knowing that the person in question likes his Tench fishing I went along these lines...



image hosting cdn

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I've gone from a dislike of porcupine quill to rather fancying knocking a set up for myself... I just hope he likes it lol!

 

[103841]

What’s not to like, they’re stunning Steve!

What paint do you use?

 

[Aknib]

Thanks John... I just use the acrylic artist paints which I can buy for around £1.29 a bottle and they last for ages, in fact I don't think I've ever managed to get to the bottom of a bottle.

They dry really quickly and sand nicely too...



I have got some costly neons which are very good but they take so many coats to reach a good opacity and i'll use the above by preferance whenever I can get away with it.

 

[Aknib]

It's just occurred to me what that colour scheme reminds me of...



:laugh: