The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I'm now making some small reed floats,I want to keep the original colour ,what varnish is truly clear as most seem to dark so it colours the tip to be slightly different and the rest of the float.Reelmaker

I made these reed floats 4 years ago using Ronseal Ultra Tough Clear Polyurethane Varnish. The reed was collected from the banks of the River Soar two year previous to me making the floats and was a little darker than normal. I still have a couple of these floats and the varnish is a clear now as it was when I dipped them.

Absolutely superb Mark - and good references for reelmaker.

This is what the reed looked like when I collected it but then left in the greenhouse for a couple of years and then the outer shell removed and it darkens somewhat anyway.



This is the colour after 2 years in the greenhouse and four years in a cupboard in my fishing room.

Superb float set Mark! I've collected plenty of reed but it's in my lockup which is currently out of bounds. Useful to know about your choice of varnish, can I ask for recommended tip paints please?

Liphook wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:48 pm Superb float set Mark! I've collected plenty of reed but it's in my lockup which is currently out of bounds. Useful to know about your choice of varnish, can I ask for recommended tip paints please?

I use the Americana acrylic paints Liphook.

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/decoart-am ... 59890-1048

Thanks Mark

i used pampas grass instead of reed and it worked really well, for varnish and colours I used nail varnish, lots and lots of colours to choose from including clear, very hard wearing and dead easy to touch up if needed.

( I also use nail varnish on quills, it works very well )

Can one buy big tubs of nail varnish. I'm put off using the stuff because buying such tiny bottles seems such a waste.

Flytiers will probably be familiar with Sally Hansen 'Hard as Nails'. My niece, a beautician, got me a box of about 20 standard jars. Not seen it in big jars, perhaps because it could go 'off' before used without the addition of thinners? It's great for flytying varnish/ head cement but I can't comment on using it for reed floats yet.