anyone make their own tackle?

[luremaker]

heres an updated pic of some of my homemade floats:



thanks for looking

[fullcreel]

You have some lovely floats there, makes my attempts with some crow quills look terrible, which they are!!
Are they for your own use, or would you be interested in selling them? Although I would be afraid to use some of them, for fear of them being damged, or worse.

[blackwater]

Some lovely looking floats there,

I once made a few wagglers using the dried stalks of some hosta plants that were growing in my garden. They did a good job and still use them to date and that is a good year later. It is very satisfying catching fishing on floats you have made yourself, so anyone who hasnt tried it, i would give it a go.

BW

[pompy.bass.man]

my best attemt at making a float is an wine cork lol

[fishypaul]

smashing floats there mate,just love the peacock quills,i had some of them when i was young,takes you back don't it !!!

[luremaker]

thanks for the encouragement! i rarely sell floats as theyre quite labour intensive,if i meet you on the bank i maywell let e have one for nowt!

[paddy2k7_red4life]

great floats made but rather buy them from a shop

[fullcreel]

May I ask how you have been shaping the bodies? I have played about with lengths of balsa dowel, in the head of a power drill. May be next winter I'll have another go.
I asked about a lathe in the local model shop, and was quoted something like 200 squid. So I politely thanked them and played about with the drill, using emeroy boards and sand paper. When I did get a half decent body, grilling a hole for the reed/cane to go through often came out askew.

[blackwater]

I have also played about with the lathe idea, my friend has a large lathe but was just to powerful for the small floats and they ended snapping . I have often wondered if a band facer would be good for it , have to give it a go at lunchtime in school when i get back

BW

[luremaker]

i sharpen a bamboo bbq skewer and posh that through the balsa snap off the excess and then insert into a drill,shave the corners off first then on medium speed shape with rough sand paper then finish with soft. of you can do it by eye if you have a streight eye.