The No.1 forum for all Pike and Predator anglers. New members always welcome.
https://the-pikers-pit.co.uk/
Rosemary wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 11:21 -best of luck with that Rosemary====watch this chapI have a small Myford lathe and would like to turn some cork. So what is the best chuck speed and what would be the best cutting tool. Must admit that up to now my attempts have been miserable failures.
Rosemary wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 15:46 -All part of the funThanks for replies. Kevin. The man in your clip clearly knows what he is doing, I don't. I am also experimenting with balsa wood to make fishing Gazette floats but I am only using a Stanley knife, Dreadnought file and sandpaper for that. I am very good at ruining bits of wood and stuff.
Rosemary wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 15:46 -I looked into making some pike floats. Was cheaper to buy them ready made ....the price of balsaThanks for replies. Kevin. The man in your clip clearly knows what he is doing, I don't. I am also experimenting with balsa wood to make fishing Gazette floats but I am only using a Stanley knife, Dreadnought file and sandpaper for that. I am very good at ruining bits of wood and stuff.
Nige Johns wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 16:15 -No there isn't but I'm telling no one about that.Is there no end to your talents Rosemary ?
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 09:28 -Mr Berry. Methinks that you are a tackle haggler, someone who sells tackle to the public.If that is so you are sure to say that its better to buy. I enjoy making floats and stuff even if they do sit a bit wonkey in the water.Rosemary wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 15:46 -I looked into making some pike floats. Was cheaper to buy them ready made ....the price of balsaThanks for replies. Kevin. The man in your clip clearly knows what he is doing, I don't. I am also experimenting with balsa wood to make fishing Gazette floats but I am only using a Stanley knife, Dreadnought file and sandpaper for that. I am very good at ruining bits of wood and stuff.
Incidentally did you know balsa is classed as a hardwood?
Rosemary wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 12:38 -I am surrounded by floats in my shop......but I still prefer to make my own. Much to the amusement of some customers. Been knocking a load of quill floats up recently. Look up prices of balsa dowel. Not cheap.Kev Berry wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 09:28 -Mr Berry. Methinks that you are a tackle haggler, someone who sells tackle to the public.If that is so you are sure to say that its better to buy. I enjoy making floats and stuff even if they do sit a bit wonkey in the water.Rosemary wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13 2019 15:46 -I looked into making some pike floats. Was cheaper to buy them ready made ....the price of balsaThanks for replies. Kevin. The man in your clip clearly knows what he is doing, I don't. I am also experimenting with balsa wood to make fishing Gazette floats but I am only using a Stanley knife, Dreadnought file and sandpaper for that. I am very good at ruining bits of wood and stuff.
Incidentally did you know balsa is classed as a hardwood?
Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -25mm works out about £1 a 6 inch length---cheaper to buy them ready made if you want a big float for a decent lively and a 3/4 ounce weight for trottingI've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
) ---and the pike have munched 2 of them to kindling.Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Mike J wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 17:09 -Mike. I have been using a variety of machine tool in my husbands business for thirty years, up to now no injuries. The Myford is in my shed with a few other tools. I have posted TOOLS EXPLAINED on another thread.Rosie,
Please take great care when using that little Myford.
Myford lathes are not toys and if any loose clothing, hair or cuffs gets caught on the chuck or material it can wrap around in seconds!
Kev will bear me out, some of the injuries caused by entangling on lathes you would wish on your worst enemy.
To shape a revolving item.
Hold the file at each end, lay it on the cork 1/3 from the file tip and slowly push it forward to abrade the surface.
If using sandpaper cut it into short strips the width of a file and lay a stip on the file and repeat as above.
DO NOT use strips of emery cloth as it can wrap around the cork (or whatever) and snag your finger at rhe same time, with horrible consequences.
For float stems the cheapest, most simple and strongest material are round wooden (cane) bar-be-que skewers.
Cork from a quality bottle* is the best for floats, Champagne/Asti corks are what I use.
Tip;
Quality wine, as apposed to plonk, requires a quality cork to keep it airtight, pressing a wine cork together between you finger and thumb is a common way of testing a wines quality, if the cork is soft the wine is rubbish, if its rock hard it isn't, simples.
Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -when you sanded to required shape just apply a bit of pressure with some brown paper---it slightly melts the surface giving it a hard shellMattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -Cheers Mike, I can get plenty of foam but the cream coloured celotex rather than blue. I work on building sites so there's always offcuts of the stuff laying about.I know the quills don't have to be wrapped but I do just for the job satisfaction side of things!Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
Mattjb wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 13:29 -Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -Cheers Mike, I can get plenty of foam but the cream coloured celotex rather than blue. I work on building sites so there's always offcuts of the stuff laying about.I know the quills don't have to be wrapped but I do just for the job satisfaction side of things!Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
Mike J wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 16:18 -I use whatever quills I can find,mainly gull but I keep ducks so kept some duck quills when they last moulted.The duck quills are a bit short but more robust than the gull quills.Mattjb wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 13:29 -Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -Cheers Mike, I can get plenty of foam but the cream coloured celotex rather than blue. I work on building sites so there's always offcuts of the stuff laying about.I know the quills don't have to be wrapped but I do just for the job satisfaction side of things!Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
HA ha, yes I use the cream stuff as well.
I only mentioned the blue as its easier to find than the cream stuff.
What quills do you use?
Ive been playing with the idea of glueing the thick end of two swan or goose quills into each other and using it as a body for small laying-on floats. I find laying-on in a backeddy very effective for shy biting fish but the method requires a specialist float with just enough body to stop it being pulled under by the back currents but not so much as to cause a drag and alert the fish.
Mattjb wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 20:22 -Mike J wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 16:18 -I use whatever quills I can find,mainly gull but I keep ducks so kept some duck quills when they last moulted.The duck quills are a bit short but more robust than the gull quills.Mattjb wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 13:29 -Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -Cheers Mike, I can get plenty of foam but the cream coloured celotex rather than blue. I work on building sites so there's always offcuts of the stuff laying about.I know the quills don't have to be wrapped but I do just for the job satisfaction side of things!Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
HA ha, yes I use the cream stuff as well.
I only mentioned the blue as its easier to find than the cream stuff.
What quills do you use?
Ive been playing with the idea of glueing the thick end of two swan or goose quills into each other and using it as a body for small laying-on floats. I find laying-on in a backeddy very effective for shy biting fish but the method requires a specialist float with just enough body to stop it being pulled under by the back currents but not so much as to cause a drag and alert the fish.
I tried the balsa for bodies the other evening, soon realised it's difficult to drill as its so soft the bit wanders! In the end I sharpened a piece of fibreglass kite rod and just pushed it through.
Found the balsa much easier to shape and taper than the cork.
If you join the traditional fishing forum which is a bit of a faff to register on ,the float making forum has a lot of info ,pics on but be warned your own efforts will look decided rough after viewing the quality work on there!
Mike J wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 21:14 -To be honest I haven't posted much on there , use it more for info/interest.Mattjb wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 20:22 -Mike J wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16 2019 16:18 -I use whatever quills I can find,mainly gull but I keep ducks so kept some duck quills when they last moulted.The duck quills are a bit short but more robust than the gull quills.Mattjb wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 13:29 -Mike J wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15 2019 10:51 -Cheers Mike, I can get plenty of foam but the cream coloured celotex rather than blue. I work on building sites so there's always offcuts of the stuff laying about.I know the quills don't have to be wrapped but I do just for the job satisfaction side of things!Mattjb wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14 2019 20:00 -I've turned some small cork float bodies on a dremel the only problem I find is you can't get it to a taper without it crumbling but that might be down to using rubbishy cork as Mike says! Got some 15mm balsa to try next time. 4 quid posted for 4 300mm lengths on eBay , didn't think that was a bad price
Hi Matt,
Try the blue insulation foam used by builders in cavity walls, its fine grained and cheap enough to learn what works for you if your a scrounger or bin dive.
To use the foam I rough trim, drill the hole, mount on a knitting needle and shape using a sharp knife and emery board/sand paper, then glue onto the quill and finish.
I use super glue to hold everything together which also strengthens the foam rock hard (you can step on it).
I paint the tip with Goth nail varnish over Dulux One-Coat Undercoat, everything else is untouched.
I never straighten the quill as (I think) the natural bend assists presentation and no bottom eye, and never wrap the quill stem as it wasn't done years ago so why now?
I only use floats that will carry 4 - 8gms or 2.5 - 5 SSG which makes foam ideal as its 1/3 more bouyant than cork in volume.
HA ha, yes I use the cream stuff as well.
I only mentioned the blue as its easier to find than the cream stuff.
What quills do you use?
Ive been playing with the idea of glueing the thick end of two swan or goose quills into each other and using it as a body for small laying-on floats. I find laying-on in a backeddy very effective for shy biting fish but the method requires a specialist float with just enough body to stop it being pulled under by the back currents but not so much as to cause a drag and alert the fish.
I tried the balsa for bodies the other evening, soon realised it's difficult to drill as its so soft the bit wanders! In the end I sharpened a piece of fibreglass kite rod and just pushed it through.
Found the balsa much easier to shape and taper than the cork.
If you join the traditional fishing forum which is a bit of a faff to register on ,the float making forum has a lot of info ,pics on but be warned your own efforts will look decided rough after viewing the quality work on there!
Ive used kite rods, the carbon ones are really good for float stems.
Trad Forum has a few decent members but the guy that owns it is an oppressive autocrat, if you post anything he dislikes you get a black mark against your name, two and your banned.