misfish Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Awhile back I had asked a few questions about making floats. With the price of these things today, I decided to make some of my own. These are my firsts, and know the top colors need to be more vibrant, but ones got to start some where. You will notice I have the top pegs taller then norm. My thinking is to keep the line out of the water more at the float. is this good or bad as far as setting the hook? Your comments on anything I need to improve or change, would be helpful. The total cost on material was $14 and change. That is including the paint and stain and satin varnish. I still have enough of that to make another 100 if need be. Edited April 14, 2015 by Brian B
Terry Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 I am thinking some of them have my name on them LOL
BillM Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Those look great Brian. Have you figured out how much weight they'll hold yet?
mike rousseau Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Nice... I think more and more we need to cut costs... Great job... I started making my own stingers hooks this year... Cost max 0.25$ each instead of 3 for $5 at can tire... I probably spent $50+ on 30 stingers last year... I can make 100 for about $20-25
misfish Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Posted April 12, 2015 FNA I use a small lathe. I also use a small angle grinder with sand paper disc,s. I make the form I want then finish with 500 grit paper. The ones that are black and red/yellow, are balsa. The others are poplar. It,s a very dense wood,so it is light. Thanks Andrew. Terry,well ya, there are a few for you.LOL Thanks Bill. I havent tried yet,but will let you know.These are a starting point for me. I can only get better once I have used them. One can spend lots of time making them purdy,but when it comes down to it,they are just strike indicators. I was getting tired of watching $4-$6 floats , floating down the Notty.
fishing n autograph Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 That's beyond my expertise lol
manitoubass2 Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) The things you can make brian! Those look fantastic Edited April 12, 2015 by manitoubass2
Sinker Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 The only time I dont like the high tops is when its windy. The higher the float, the more you fight the wind. Nice job! S.
sauce Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 They look great. Two suggestions. Paint them with the brightest orange paint you can find. And figure out a way to make slip floats for fishing deep water. Drill a 1/8" or smaller hole through and glue a plastic tube in there. Put some super size chamfers on the tube and you are in business. Take a look at ravens balsa slip floats. I like them. But the plastic tube is too soft and line cuts it... I found putting a chamfer on the tube made a huge difference. Sail sells another brand of slip floats with a brass collar at either end. They work too but the tube method is probably best for DIY float making.
misfish Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks again They look great. Two suggestions. Paint them with the brightest orange paint you can find. And figure out a way to make slip floats for fishing deep water. Drill a 1/8" or smaller hole through and glue a plastic tube in there. Put some super size chamfers on the tube and you are in business. Take a look at ravens balsa slip floats. I like them. But the plastic tube is too soft and line cuts it... I found putting a chamfer on the tube made a huge difference. Sail sells another brand of slip floats with a brass collar at either end. They work too but the tube method is probably best for DIY float making. Slips are on the way. Just working on what I want to use for the slip tube. I played around putting one together this morning. Not to happy with it. As I stated,I knew the colors were not what they should be. I can sand and dip the tops again when I find the right color,and re varnish. Thanks for the post Sauce.
moxie Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Is there anything you can't do? Nice. I'd hang off a hook under one of those.
Old Ironmaker Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 I love to see great workmanship like yours Brian. First attempt? Very nice indeed. Did you start with a 6X6 on the lathe? Kidding man. Great work, keep it up.
esoxansteel Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Are you using one piece for the stem, which can sometimes be hard to drill through both centers, at the top and bottom or using 2 pieces, which is much easier to drill into both centers, drilling halfway or almost to the halfway point and gluing both pieces into the float body. The latter is much easier, and centers well
Bluegill Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks again Slips are on the way. Just working on what I want to use for the slip tube. No slip tube necessary. Just one ring at the end of the float. Way better than through the whole float. You can easy make the ring and secure with a bit of shrink tube. This float I made from eastern cedar, always use it as slip float.
FloatnFly Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 you can also try using wine corks! seal em up the same way, and they already have a taper and are easy to sand
Bluegill Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 you can also try using wine corks! seal em up the same way, and they already have a taper and are easy to sand with wine corks you are limited with the size also the surface is not as nice to turn like wood
FloatnFly Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) well you would sand them down, rather than turn them down on a lathe, you can also shape them using a sharp pocket knife. you can also buy corks in various diameters, you can also glue 2 or more corks together to make deeper/longer floats/tapers just an alternative to using wood and trying to shape it without a lathe Edited April 13, 2015 by FloatnFly
Bluegill Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 well you would sand them down, rather than turn them down on a lathe, you can also shape them using a sharp pocket knife. you can also buy corks in various diameters, you can also glue 2 or more corks together to make deeper/longer floats/tapers just an alternative to using wood and trying to shape it without a lathe Ok, that's why I will show one of my craziest floats... but, trust me it can work very sensitive!
FloatnFly Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 haha thats awesome, variation of a those waggle floats using the ol red and whites!
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