making steelhead floats?

[Guest steel'n'esox]

This is my second attept at making balsa wood steelhead floats, Im in the process of building tear drop style with a sliding stem and not a fixed stem, the problem is drilling the hole in the center of one end to come out in the center of the other end, in most instances they go in center and come out off center. Is their an easy way for this to happen? Also D@M rods before they went out of business had a machine or a device for making floats, does anyone have or use one of these? Thanks for any advice

[douG]

Sounds like this is a jig and fixture problem. I bet that Wayne will set you straight.

[DRIFTER_016]

I use a jig and drill press to drill out my balsa.

Then transfer the blanks to a 1/8" mandrel on my custom (aka. home made lathe)

I also use it to turn rod handles and reel seats too.

 

 

It's variable speed too!!!

 

[dnb_cbr]

I think you would need a drill press for best results.

[kemper]

I found when making reel handles that even a drill press isnt perfect.

[steelhedrmatt]

My buddie Warren used to make good floats. He used a lathe, and a drill press.

[CLofchik]

Are you drilling the hole after you've shaped it, wouldn't it be easier to drill the hole beforehand and shape it around the hole?

If you're drilling after it's shaped there's really no way to keep a drill bit from wandering. You can keep it straighter by using a centre drill first (short stubby bit, won't drift), just dimple it in the centre, then make your through hole.

[Guest steel'n'esox]

Thanx for the replys and help folks, I have drilled the hole first before shaping, but it seems to be a case of having the proper tools for the job. I have been shaping using a cordless drill, and drilling the holes with a cordless as well, a variable speed lathe such as drifters along with a drill press is the way to go, I have a 12inch lathe which I make a turn musky baits on, but a smaller version such as the ones for custom turning rod handles is the way to go, thanx again its back to the drawing board

[FishHeadRic]

I used to make them. I had all the bartenders saving the corks for me at Planet Hollywood Tried a few using balsa but it wouldn't turn very well on the lathe/drill. Kept chipping and breaking on me. Finally figured out that if i just used decending grits of sandpaper (as opposed to using a chisel) it wouldn't chip or splinter. As far as drilling the hole all the way through a drill press will help but you'd still be doing the hole before you turned it. Try using a fixed pin on the top of the float and then just rubber band it on. If you want to use a sewing needle for the bottom peg. That way you would only need to use one rubber band on the top and you can feed the line through the needle's eye.

 

 

FHR

[FishHeadRic]

Drifter, that's a great rig you set up there! How many rpm's you getting on that thing? My buddy down here did the same kind of set up but he hooked up his motor to a light swich dimmer and a wall socket to vary his rpm's.

 

 

FHR

[DRIFTER_016]

Drifter, that's a great rig you set up there! How many rpm's you getting on that thing? My buddy down here did the same kind of set up but he hooked up his motor to a light swich dimmer and a wall socket to vary his rpm's.

FHR

 

Top speed is somewhere around 1000 rpm or so.

It worked out well making it out of a couple of old makita 7.2 volt drills (the ones that you couldn't remove the batteries) Motor in the head stock and just a chuck and bearings in the tail stock.

[Sinker]

Is there any particular reason you want the stem to slide? I like them fixed myself, attached with tubing.

 

Sinker

[floatman_mike]

i do mine by taking a square of balsa and drilling a pilot hole with a drill press then i force the whole skewer. I then place the skewer into the drill and place the other end into a hole so that its secure, then begin to use sand paper to form the float into the shape i want.

 

What i have heard is that when u want to paint them... apply 1 or 2 coats of varnish then white and then the colour. The reason is so that the white paint or colour you choose does not soak into the wood therefor you do less coats. I havent tried this method yet but i will soon. Anyways heres pics of the floats i made.

 

[BillM]

I'm lazy, I just buy the Riverwoods

 

Any of you guys have the resources to make some custom wood handles for my Ang Spec? I'd like to get rid of the plastic!

[kemper]

I'm lazy, I just buy the Riverwoods

 

Any of you guys have the resources to make some custom wood handles for my Ang Spec? I'd like to get rid of the plastic!

 

 

I think i just figured out a way to do that, I did some for my raven and they turned out OK but I think I got a better idea.

 

If it works out ill let you know because it can be done with home tools

 

 

Plastic handles SUCK.

[Guest steel'n'esox]

I use fixed stems as well the majority of the times, the sliding stems have less movement in wind harbour situations, the balsa can be shotted up to trot slower in windy conditions with cold water where a slower presentation is more viable, the sliding stem water queens were also good for this as well but dont hold the shot of balsa, therfore a faster drift.

[BillM]

Thanks Kemper!

[Uncle Buck]

for the drill coming out of center on the other end....

 

try using less force when drilling through, or drill half way through on 1 side, then 1/2 way through from the other side

 

we have the same issues when drilling through steel

[BulBob]

You could try making floats you can steer if you like to keep your bait in the water and where you want it wothout recasting.

 

Print this template to scale and past it on 1/4" thick balsawood and cut two pieces at the same time.

Drill the hole after iterlocking the pieces together. Use a piece of WD40 spray tube to reinforce the hole.

A good coat of water proof paint will hold it togehter and make it stronger.

Insert a toothpick to hold it in place on your line or slip rig them for 3D control.

 

 

Here are things you can do with them.

 

 

Happy Holidays,

 

These plans ae compliments Paul Lieb of BulletBobber.com

[BillM]

I don't think that type of float is geared towards steelhead fishing..

 

We are all about a natural presentation....

[Paulus]

You could try making floats you can steer if you like to keep your bait in the water and where you want it wothout recasting.

 

Print this template to scale and past it on 1/4" thick balsawood and cut two pieces at the same time.

Drill the hole after iterlocking the pieces together. Use a piece of WD40 spray tube to reinforce the hole.

A good coat of water proof paint will hold it togehter and make it stronger.

Insert a toothpick to hold it in place on your line or slip rig them for 3D control.

 

 

Here are things you can do with them.

 

 

Happy Holidays,

 

These plans ae compliments Paul Lieb of BulletBobber.com

 

Neat idea. Have you made them out of balsa? I would probably use Urethane over paint, but it seems like it would definitely be applicable in some circumstances. I'm intrigued.

 

I usually just use a hand drill to make my floats. I drill the hole first, then use the same size drill bit with a little bit of masking tape to secure the float onto the drill bit, and shape it with a piece of sandpaper. They are not as pretty as the the store-bought ones, though I often get the hole a little crooked, but that doesn't usually matter too much.

 

p.-

Edited December 14, 2009 by Paulus

[blaque]

I made a batch a couple years back with a mini lathe, but cant quite remember how i did them lol........i made one batch and that was that. Im with Bill M and just splurge now

 

[BulBob]

Paulus,

 

Yes Urethane works too. Put on a couple coats and extra thick around the joint for strength.

It would be good to put a dot of different and bright colors on the sides (one on each keel) so you can tell if it flipped instantly.

Another thing is make sure the grain runs lengthwise when pasting the pattern on the board.

I use a file to make the front more streamlined but it is tricky getting all 4 groves the same and getting a nice 4 fluted arrow head.

I will use fine sand paper to break/round all the other edges.

 

Note: There is narrow window in the laws of physics that makes this thing possible at all.

I was surprised, stupefied, whatever...when my first one flipped direction with a flick of the wrist.

It requires the right weight balance and the hole in the right place and at the right angle.

It also requires the right length to width proportions.

How I got it right the first time was really dumb luck. I did not expect to flip with just a little tug.

I was expecting to need to give it a big tug, if it planed at all, and to have just a 50:50 shot at it going the way I wanted.

Just a little tug to start the half roll / half back flip is all it takes and the momentum does the rest.

 

BillM,

 

I know that Steelhead like spawn drifting across the bottom or flies on a natural float with a little twitch here and there. You'll get no argument from me that these methods work and that they are the most common methods. But there is more to directional floats then first meets the eye or I can show in a diagram.

 

Please allow me to explain a little more about using them. I hope you'll find it interesting. If you are having fun fishing and catching fish you don't need any help! I am not knocking the way you fish in any way but I do have more FUN fishing now that I use them and I do catch more fish. I invented them by accident for fishing rivers for Walleye and Smallmouth but being near lake Erie tribs I also fish for Steelhead.

 

OK, Keeping your bait where the fish are isn't possible if your drifting. You need to reel all the way in and cast again and again and again. With directional planer board floats you cast like always, drift thru the spot, then only reel it up to the head of the spot and let it free drift again. You are only casting once and steering your way back up to where you want to begin a drift. It really does reduce the amount of time between possible fruitful drifts. There may also be fish in a drift lane that you can't reach by casting from where you are standing or wading but could reach using a planing float.

 

And for the record I have held position (like a kite holds position) in a hot spot and gently teased a strike by using enough weight, for the current speed, to get down near the bottom. You can pull them out of hiding spots this way. Directional Floats are simply more functional then non-directional floats. You'll be fishing more and casting less.

 

I like to wade moving slowly down stream, free drifting them far down stream at times. I will reel and steer it back up stream off to my left or right and flip the bail to free drift again. Spinners are also good at catching steelhead. I hold position or run them side to side letting the pulsating currents give it the action. Last time out, I almost lost my rod because I was holding the rod lightly to let my spinner serge with the current.

 

If you don't mind Plastic or SPAM or me High-Jacking this thread.

BulletBobbers come in clear or green/orange and have a glow stick option for night fishing. These are the smallest they can be made at 2" long.

They are heavier then balsa, so for Steelhead I make my own using the template scaled down to 1.5" long and use 3/16" thick stock.

Making them smaller means less planing surface but I like small floats for less resistance with finicky Steelhead.

If color seems to be a problem by spooking the fish in clear water I'll use the clear ones.

 

 

Best Fishes,

 

Paul Lieb