How to make your own pole floats? - help

[$tephenGiles]

Hi,

I am very interested in trying to make some of my own robust, strong carp floats but don’t know where to start or what I need to try and make a few. I am not looking at making profit and am only doing it so I can tinker with different shapes and sizes etc for my needs. This would also be something to do in my spare time with the satisfaction of catching a few fish on them.

So what I would like to find out is:

• Step by step guide on what to do and what order to do things in?
• What materials will I need to buy and where from (body, stem, tips, eyes, paint/varnish etc)?
• What tools would I need to make them?
• How much do the materials cost?
• How long does it take to make a float?
• How hard are they to make?

Any additional info that would help me would be very useful.

Scanned the net and can’t find any info so thought I would try on here as I know there is members like MO and ACKOO on here that make some very good floats that are known across the match scene already.

Thanks in advance,
Stephen

[simon48820]

Hi mate when you get a minute call me on 07792666579 and i will help you with every bit of info you need to know

[Roha]

HelloStephen,

· Step by step guide on what to do and what order to do things in?
For this question I suggest you look at my website. Although it’s in Dutch the pictures will speak for themselves! Ronald Hammers dobberbouw

· What materials will I need to buy and where from (body, stem, tips, eyes, paint/varnish etc)?
You need to obtain some very strong materials for carpfloats like; glassfibre, carbon, synthetic for floatbodies, coils or strong eyes from stainless steel. Most of these items you can order at Stonfo or at MCM through your local tackle shop. For glue I would suggest Pattex profix PU. It holds materials very good. I have never had complaints of stems pulling loose! Varnish can be yachtpaint or better still the G8 from Vosschemie. We continentals use it with total satisfaction.

· What tools would I need to make them?
You can make this hobby as expensive as you want, starting with a mini drill like a Dremel or Proxxon. If you want to create floats with very centric holes for the stems and bristles you’d better get a mini lathe. To create the same floats over and over again a CNC lathe is best (but very expensive!) The shape of your floatbodies is digitally stored in a computer. You’ll need sandingpaper as wel if you want to create a float by hand.

· How much do the materials cost?
Not much! When you order your materials better ask your dealer for prices. I can create floats which will cost me € 0,42 using the best materials. (It’s the time you spend on making them that makes a float expensive.)

· How long does it take to make a float?
I can create about two or three in an hour. (time to let the paint/varnish dry is not included)

· How hard are they to make?
At first you have to get some experience so in the beginning a few floats may not become what you had in mind. But it is great fun to do and nothing compares your feeling of satisfaction when you catch your first fish with them.

[ackoo]

hello roha,
the g8 do you brush it or dip it and what is the drying times
mark

[$tephenGiles]

Cheers guys.

What is the best way to create the body's for floats? do i buy rounds stripsof balsa and cut to size then use sandpaper or is there better/easier ways of doing this? What size balsa would you start with to do this?

Roha i will try my best to understand as much as i can though still hard in some areas to see whats going on even via a web page translater. thanks for heads up.

thanks
Stephen Giles

[Roha]

hello roha,
the g8 do you brush it or dip it and what is the drying times
mark

Hi,

The G8 right out of the 'bottle' is as fluid (thin) and clear as water so I take just the amount varnish I need and let it rest a while (20-30 minutes) so it becomes thicker. After that I put it on with a brush. You can also dip your floats in it but I don't want to get my bristels wetted by the varnish.
After about an hour or so the varnish wil not be sticky anymore and after 24 hours you can fish with the floats.

G8 is the hardest varnish by far. You can't compare it with yachtvarnish.
The G8 was originally used by Ludo Rosseel. (excellent Belgium floatmaker) and I got it from him.
Normally the G8 is used to be mixed with fine gravel and put on stairways in stores so the customers will not slip and fall.
I hope you can obtain some in the UK as well!

[Roha]

Cheers guys.

What is the best way to create the body's for floats? do i buy rounds stripsof balsa and cut to size then use sandpaper or is there better/easier ways of doing this? What size balsa would you start with to do this?

Roha i will try my best to understand as much as i can though still hard in some areas to see whats going on even via a web page translater. thanks for heads up.

thanks
Stephen Giles

The best ways of making body’s for your floats depends on what you really want. Do you want to create the same body over and over again so you have exact copies of your floats?
Or do you want to experiment with different kinds of body’s?
For making identical float body’s you’ll need some kind of profile (shape) of the float body and a copier. (In a CNC lathe you can store all profiles digitally. That’s the way they do it in factories)
Identical floats are a ‘must’ in the match scene and it’s nearly impossible to get exact the same shape done by hand!

However; Starting to make body’s by hand and sanding paper is far more fun because you can be more creative. Each float you make will have it’s own ‘identity’ if you know what I mean. The size of balsa or synthetic depends on the diameter and size of the float you want to make. (It’s not wise to use a 20mm dowel for a 0,20 gram float.)

And,.. oh..oh.. the difficult Dutch language! (It sometimes is a problem to us Dutch people too.) Next to the North Sea it must be the greatest barrier between our countries.
When you have particular questions don’t hesitate to mail me. I’ll do my very best to translate things for you.

[Roachman]

How to make your own pole floats ?

I also asked the same questions a while ago. Roha was very helpful and informative. His floats are beautifully finished too. He said to me that there are no secrets regarding float making as far as he is concerned, and any questions to him will be answered fully and honestly. This was very true. Hope you are keeping well Roha, did you finally get your new lathe?
Regards, Roachman.

[cheffiers]

this is a very interesting thread, i have a question for all you float makers, How do you know what shotting patterns you are creating, i.e .2 .3 .4 and so on??

[Roachman]

As a "very amateur" float maker, my thoughts are that unless you use a consistent grade/density of material, (balsa etc) and a replicated size and shape, you will rarely get shot loadings accurate. Roha uses a profiling system on his lathe, which goes a very long way to get consistent float bodies.

[ackoo]

after a while you learn what size the body will be experiance and its still depends on the balsa at the end of the day no 2 peices are exactly the same

[Roha]

Hope you are keeping well Roha, did you finally get your new lathe?
Regards, Roachman.

Hey Roachman,

Still having that magnificient view to St Michaels Mount?
On Topic; My Lathe still is the same as you can see on my website. It's an Emco Unimat 3 Which is very accurate. I need to make lots of molds though for this system. Hopefully I get another (homemade CNC) this winter.

[Roha]

after a while you learn what size the body will be experiance and its still depends on the balsa at the end of the day no 2 peices are exactly the same

When using balsa each float is individually checked on how much shot capacity it can handle.
After this I write the capacity on the floatbody with white or black ink and put two thin layers of G8 varnish over it. Now the water can't wipe out what is written.

With synthetic material this capacity check for each float is not nessecary because the density of the foam is very homogenous. If I check one I know the rest is thesame.
(When you want to duplicate your floats it's important to make the bristles and stems exact equal in lenght.)

[Roha]

Hi there,

I receive some messages with questions about the materials I use and where they are available.
For bigger orders of stainless steel wire, carbon, coils (spring eyes) or fibre you can order them at MCM and Stonfo Through your local tackledealer.
Smaller amounts I order at; Panier d'achat - Flotteur au Coup
This site has almost everything you need for making your own floats. (Pole floats as well as wagglers.)
Even a lathe and gear to center your stems and bristles are there.

The synthetic for my floatbody's is called Rohacell. This material i've been using for over 20 years now and I still have floats from this material I made in the beginning. It's very durable, lighter than balsa, stronger too and it does'nt take in water. It is resistant to all kind of chemicals so you even can apply superglue on it. (it does'nt melt)
For normal silverfish floats I use the HF 51 (51 kilo per kubik meter) For the carpfloats I use the HF 110. (This is almost as hard as oakwood and harder to shape with sandingpaper)
Floats made of Rohacell will last much longer than balsa floats. No wonder the commercial float buisiness is not eager to make floats from this material. After some time anglers would'nt buy floats anymore because the onces they already have will last and last...

Normally This material is being used in aerospace and radar technology.
For further specifications see this site; performanceplastics

My forum name is Roha (Ronald Hammers) It's a coincidence the Rohacell (brandname ) looks like my name.
secrets???
Many floatmakers may have them. Mostly because, like me, they have spent many hours and lots of money in their surch for processing good quality floats. Some of them try to make a living out of it. I don't blame them for keeping things to themselves.
For me it's only a hobby. My Belgian Friend Ludo and I give demonstrations at the Expo tackle trade fair in Belgium to show people how to create their own floats. We have no secrets at all. Why would we?
I think its fantastic other floatmakers having thesame pleasure as we have in float making.

[boggy]

hi All,
i have read this thread with great interest, i have just started to make my own floats mainly dibbers and peas. The questions i want to ask is in your opinions: is it best to paint the tips or do you prefer to dip them.
i have tryed dipping but as i leave the dibbers to dry hung upside down i have found that the flourescent orange paint tends to thin out on my dibber tips so i have to dip then again, is this normal or is there a better solution any advice taken .
many thanks

ROB