HomeMade Tipup lights?

[mod_auger]

Has anyone ever made their own tipup lights? I was thinking about possibly making my own. Is it worth the time and effort to make your own or just go and by a few? If anyone has some pics of their homemade lights, I would appreciate to see them.

[NorthwoodsIce]

Well here it is so far, with no reel(yet).  I went against todays image of a tip up and created the beast of all tip ups that will last years.  I am not completely done but the idea is that a magnet will hold the flag end until a fish strikes pulling the rod tip end down which connects the two copper plates turning on the light.  I used an old flashlight, this way it is sealed from the elements and also i can use the built in switch to turn the light off in the daytime.  Since i am in the construction stage mods are bound to happen.  Hope this helps.

[Barleydog]

Northwoods,
You could signal Batman in with that light! 8)  No doubt you'll see your tip-up!  Love seeing "homemade" rigs!

[Skiff]

Nice design, and great use of available materials!  Will you be able to see the light reflected off the tipup from a distance?  Perhaps if the bulb and a reflector dome like a semi trailer clearance light were mounted higher so you could see the bright bulb directly......  But I also like the On/Off switch of the flashlight and the contacts from plumbing pipe clamps  - neat ideas!

[NorthwoodsIce]

I hope that the light hitting the pole will be enough but might make a deflector out of something.  I like the Batman comment and had to laugh because when i was drawing ideas for this thing i noted that i would like to see if from far away and also so that people from far away could see when that big night fish takes my bait, ah the feeling of success.

[AD]

Wow thats a pretty amazing tip-up.     Would it be possible to when you go to the spool adding stage to make it so it would be removable, say for using different strength lines on different spools and stuff so that they are easily interchaingable?      Just a thought, but really a great design I always enjoy checking out what other guys are putting together.     

[NorthwoodsIce]

I really like the idea of interchangeable reels, never thought of that.  I will have to see how this works and then go from there.  Back to the original post, how do commercial (store bought) tip up light work? I have never really looked at one.

[archbishop]

i was thinking of trying those glow sticks, you know the small ones that people put in there mouths. and tying or taping them under my flag so i know when it goes up there cheap if you buy them in bulk and they recharge in the freezer so i imagine they will last along time out in the cold

[joco]

I love th ideal,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and great picture,,,

but you will need a full tip up down,,,,probably a pike,,,

somtime,,,,walleye have small biting,,,,so it wont go down that mutch and it wont put your flashlight on,,,,so wont see it at night,,,,


and flashlight dont stand to long in the -25c.....

i will try somthing wit led,,,and small 9 vols batterie,,,,and a little mercury switch,and will post picture,,

joco..

[NorthwoodsIce]

Well I have since scraped this tip up and now have turned it into a tip down with no light.  Cant hurt to design stuff just doesn't work out every time, still fun making stuff.

[Polar]

i was thinking of trying those glow sticks, you know the small ones that people put in there mouths. and tying or taping them under my flag so i know when it goes up there cheap if you buy them in bulk and they recharge in the freezer so i imagine they will last along time out in the cold

What I do is get a safety pin and a 3/4 - 1 inch round jingle type bell and pin it to the flag.It works great.

[gair-z]

What I do is get a safety pin and a 3/4 - 1 inch round jingle type bell and pin it to the flag.It works great.

me too!  but mine are only like 1/2"er's..  can't here'm very well if it's windy.  still fun when ya do here'em though.   just can't help but sing.. jingle bells.. 

[iceman_4432]

IS that a one million candle power light ?  LOL ..... imagine your very own spotlight lighting up the sky every ... FISH ON !!!!!!   

[Kybar]

How about trying some of those small bobber light inserts.  The ones that Thill makes come to mind.  You could just tape them to you flag and they have an on/off switch too.  I think I'll give them a try the next time out.

[Zorros shack]

  Pretty cool tip up but what whith the light?

[majormaj]

I've done the small glow sticks tape to the flag.  Works pretty good and its not too expensive.  I also have put some reflective tape on my flags then once in a while I will shine the spotlight around the ice and see if any are up.  The tape really lights up.

[Scientist]

i was thinking of trying those glow sticks, you know the small ones that people put in there mouths. and tying or taping them under my flag so i know when it goes up there cheap if you buy them in bulk and they recharge in the freezer so i imagine they will last along time out in the cold

When I read your post with the glow sticks in people’s mouths I had to check you age in your profile. If my father read it he would say “What the F*** is he talking about? Why the would anyone stick a 6” glow stick in their mouth?”   
I have bought the small glow sticks in different colors at Party City or Walmart in the party section.  I attached the glow stick on a polar tip- up at the very top of the flag using a piece of silicone tubing for aquariums. Slip the tubing on the top of the flag on the wire shaft and insert lit glow stick. 

[John_BZ]

very easy and cheap to make a tipup light for a laydown style tipup. all you need is a light bulb, a bulb holder, wire, tin foil, electrical tape, a clothes pin, a rubber band, and a battery. wire up the bulb holder and tape it to the "flag pole" leaving enough wire to run down the pole and all the way across the base. connect one wire straight to the battery.

next take the clothes pin and wrap each end of the jaws with the tin foil and either tape it or glue it down to the jaw. take the wire running from the bulb and connect it to the foil on one jaw and take a peice of wire and connect it to the other side of the jaw and the battery. from there take a peice of tape and fold it in half on the flag shaft. secure the clothes pin down to the base.

the basis is when the tape from the flagshaft is in the jaws of the clothes pin there is no electrical contact. when the flag goes up the tape slides out and the jaws close together, causing the foil in contact with the battery and the foil in contact with the light to come together completing the circuit turning the light on. the rubber band is used to reduce the tension the jaws apply to the tape to make it easier for the flag to trip. that is all there is to it. super cheap, and super easy to make.

[trying to catch a biggie]

all you need is some glow in the dark glow necklaces. Cheap and VERY effective see tilts clear as day

[terry392]

 :tipup:go to local wal-mart and in automotive area look for some fire fly valve stem caps that go on your tires,when there moved the light comes on.I personally havent tried it as havent fished after dark but heard they do work.

[polarfisher]

Northwoods,
You could signal Batman in with that light! 8)  No doubt you'll see your tip-up!  Love seeing "homemade" rigs!

nice

[Woodsman]

Instead of lights on my tip-ups I use reflective paint & light the area with a kerosene lamp.

Orange marks side by side = no bite.
Orange marks up & down = bite.
Simple but effective.

Best Wishes: Rick

[Scientist]

:tipup:go to local wal-mart and in automotive area look for some fire fly valve stem caps that go on your tires,when there moved the light comes on.I personally havent tried it as havent fished after dark but heard they do work.

There are two problems with the tire flies, they don’t work when it is below freezing. The battery dies. The second thing is when it is above freezing and it is windy they are activated all the time