HOW TO MAKE A HANDMADE FLOAT

Selecting the raw materials

It’s important to pick a cork that is relatively uniform in shape. Then it must be gently boiled to return it to shape. Boiling it for the right amount of time only comes with experience. Too little time and the cork will bow and break, too much and it will simply fall apart and will be too rough to work with. Once boiled, it must be dried for a week before it can be cut to size. I don’t like to measure my floats, I go by look and feel but you can use a ruler to get a universal shape. I cut roughly a third off the cork and then drill a hole through the middle. The size of the hole must match the thickness of the stem, in this case 6mm. It’s crucial that the hole is straight otherwise the float won’t sit right in the water. Once the hole has been drilled the ends can be sanded to produce a neat finish. In the picture you can see the different stages of the cork.

Shaping and turning

The body and stem are now ready to be turned. There are lots of different shapes that will define the float’s performance. The body is the buoyant bit but its shape will dictate how much bait it can take and how sensitive it needs to be. With a traditional perch bobber, it will need to take the weight of a big lobworm so the finished float will be quite round. The traditional bobbers that were used in the early 60s onwards were this shape. Once I have an idea of the shape of the body, I put the float on a metal rod and fix it into the lathe. Coarse sandpaper is used first, grade 80 will take it nearer to the final shape, then a 120 and then up to 180 grade sandpaper finishing with a 240. Then its painted with a coat of sanding sealer. When dry its back on to the lathe to be lightly sanded with 300 grade sandpaper. Depending on the age of the cork, it may need a third or even fourth coat of sealer and a sand. The tapered stem is next and the 6mm hardwood dowel is cut to length. It’s added to the lathe jaws and the end is sanded to round off the corners. The lathe can only do 80 per cent so the final 20 per cent is done by hand. Then it’s returned to the jaws for the stem to be tapered off. I don’t use measurements but, in general, the 6mm body is sanded to an even taper down to about 2mm. The picture shows the body on the lathe at the half-way point, and the finished body is on the right. The tapered stem can also be seen. The tip can now be shaped. A 10mm piece of balsa dowel is cut into a small section that will form the tip of the float. It is added to the lathe and shaped using medium grade sandpaper.

Assembly of the main float

Here are the three sections of the float – the stem, body and the tip. This is all glued with a high strength wood glue. A final coat of sanding seal is added to the float and it is given one last sanding. This ensures all of the gaps are filled and the paint has a good surface to bond to. The brass eye is formed using brass wire and tools that are used to make jewellery. A double loop is essential as this is part of the float that endures the most stress. It is hand-formed from a straight piece of wire to the exact thickness of the tapered stem. It must fit perfectly or the fine silk whippings will not sit correctly. The brass eye is glued to the bottom of the float and left to dry overnight.

It’s now ready to be painted

Finding the right paint can be a challenge – price is no indicator and it’s just a case of experimenting. The consistency of the paint is important, as well as the opacity. Too thin and it will require too many coats, too thick and the whippings will sink in and it will look awful. The number of coats depends on the colour but I usually apply at least three of each colour. I stick to traditional patterns and colours and always include a white band between the top of the body and the tip. This detail is no longer included in mass-produced floats but, for me, it’s crucial. Some spray paint but I rely on a good brush and knowing when to stop. There are no rules and that enables me to create elaborate designs. I’ve used sky blue with red and a black stem with metallic gold. I keep some of the material showing as natural cork. The tips can be painted standard or striped with spiral whippings over the top. When dry, add the silk whippings.

Silk whippings

I use fine twisted silk. It’s very strong but more importantly it isn’t fluffy so takes varnish well. The loose end is laid across the float, and then the silk reel is carefully wrapped around. Overlapping must only occur at the start and the end of the section. This is the most time-consuming part of the float-making process. The body and tip sections are wrapped in silk and the eye is also done. Particular care and attention must be taken for the eye as this section is larger than the others, so an overlap or any gaps here would look unsightly.

Varnishing

The final stage of the process is varnishing. There are many different types of varnish that can be used – yacht varnish is popular but I prefer a flexible water-based floor varnish. The first coat must evenly cover the paint and the whippings. You can dip the float but I prefer to paint it on with a clean brush. The floats are then hung to dry. The number of coats of varnish varies by material but a good starting point is five coats and some floats will take up to 15. Thin layers are essential rather than one thick layer to ensure an even finish. The varnish is added over a few days and the final float is left for a week for it to fully harden.