Tip-Up Parts

[reelcharacter]

Awesome!  Good luck with the news reels. 

If you and your bud have success with the all-aluminum reels and can find the time to make some spares, let me know.  If the price is reasonable, I'd be interested in buying 6 or 12 of them.  Would save me the trouble of duplicating the jack style reels.  I have too much experience already in rebuilding those, as I inherited five old (vintage mid-1980's) original style jack traps from my dad. He still lives in Maine, but since the Florida winter climate better suits him in his retirement, he doesn't ice fish anymore!

You are fortunate he did not take the ice gear along with him to Florida. There were some die-hard ice fishermen here on the Shanty who last Spring talked about floating their TipUps with styrafoam on soft water. Suppose that would work for the die-hard Floridian as well . . .   

-Reelcharacter

[CT Ice Dawg]

Nice looking work there Bro, I must say Im cheatin a bit....Im usin mostly Jack Traps parts to build mine, the stuff is pricey like others have stated but it is top knotch. Mostly stainless.
It will cost more to home make a nice trap including our time and all but hey...when someone asks..we simply say.."Yeah I made em".
Wondering what ya used for wood and kinda measurments ya got out out of em. Mine will be in full Mahogany and the cross bases are a slight narrower than the uprights due to cost. If I didnt have the Mahogany lying around,Im not sure what I'd use. cross sections are 3/4x7/8 and the uprights are 1x3/4. I ordered a Jack trap to build off,and some parts to get started.
Heres a pic of my stage 1. I cut the strips and rounded the edges on a router table to smooth em out...then lightly sanded em...Not sure what Im goin to use for a finish...but I wont color em..the Mahogany should be a beautiful redish when done.
Good Luck and Flags Up to Ya.
[/img]

[Van_Cleaver]

I'd probably try a satin polyurathane finish. Some of the newer finishes allow you to brush on several coats in a day. Gives me an idea for what to do with all that 5/4  mahogony stock left from the last deck job. If only I wasn't fishing in my spare time.........Good luckwith them!

[CT Ice Dawg]

Hey Van...thas where this stuff came from...a deck job....whattya think...jus a hard as Ash,Oak and Maple. I like the look too.Good Luck w/ yours Bro.

[Gamalot]

Ice dawg, Nice looking stuff and very similar to the Teak I had left over from a Deck Patio set I built a few years back. Built my tip from it and tried a number of different finishes and found the best to be Teak Wood Oil finish. It goes on easy, gets sucked into the wood and protects and preserves. Mahogony being an oily wood also, I am sure you will be happy with it and it is simple to re oil any time you feel like.
Mahogany and Teak are not nearly as hard as the Oaks, Ashes you mentioned but they are more durable in a water environment and do not splinter like the others.
They also sand and finish very easy.
Good Luck. Gary

[CT Ice Dawg]

Thanks Bro....I received my Jack Traps 26" cross trap and the hardware needed to complete a set of 5 of my own today.....Its true, for what it cost me in parts for them I nearly coulda bought 5 of his....but not really worring about the money(not rich either)  but I wanted to make mine real sweet,and I think he's got the best parts I've seen anywhere. Got any pics of them Teak tips....like to see em. Thanks for input on the Teak Oil, Im definitly going to look into that.Peace

[Gamalot]

Will try to post some pics today, got my Photobucket account set up and need to learn a bit of photograpy 101 to get clear close ups with new camera.
I see you got that part down very nicely and your pics are clear and gorgeous.
Do ya think reading the book might help , .

[CT Ice Dawg]

Heres my lil secret...shhhh....lol    I take alot pics and use different lighting settings on my Olympus...But I stand back about 3 to 4 feet and zoom in....if ya stand to close ya get alotta light wash from the flash....Good Luck n hope that helps ya Bro.

[transplantfromMN]

Nice looking work there Bro, I must say Im cheatin a bit....Im usin mostly Jack Traps parts to build mine, the stuff is pricey like others have stated but it is top knotch. Mostly stainless.
It will cost more to home make a nice trap including our time and all but hey...when someone asks..we simply say.."Yeah I made em".
Wondering what ya used for wood and kinda measurments ya got out out of em. Mine will be in full Mahogany and the cross bases are a slight narrower than the uprights due to cost. If I didnt have the Mahogany lying around,Im not sure what I'd use. cross sections are 3/4x7/8 and the uprights are 1x3/4. I ordered a Jack trap to build off,and some parts to get started.
Heres a pic of my stage 1. I cut the strips and rounded the edges on a router table to smooth em out...then lightly sanded em...Not sure what Im goin to use for a finish...but I wont color em..the Mahogany should be a beautiful redish when done.
Good Luck and Flags Up to Ya.
(Image removed from quote.)[/img]

I am useing oak 3/4" x 3/4" on everything. my main post is 43" long and than 35" cross pieces the reason I made them big is for extra stability in winds. I used my new traps this weekend and they worked great but the wood inside of the reels swelled up and I basically had a hard drag set. So back to the drawing board on the reels and I will hopefully come up with a new plan soon. I will continue to get my crap togather and make a step by step building of traps post when I get it all togather.

[Gamalot]

I have found one of the tips mentioned above to be most accurate and valuable!!!
When you drill and mount the reel shaft, see that it is completely isolated from the drag mechenism. This way, swelling of the verticle wood will not cause a tightening of the reel drag.
I corrected this malfunction on my HLs by removing the reel, adding a nut right against the wood and re fitting the reels and drags. Now when or if the wood swells it does not affect the drag setting.
Still having poor luck with photos, they all come out with that saw tooth look and very poor definition. I promise I will do some reading to learn the proper settings of my camera as I am certain this is where the problem lies.
Lighting is not the problem, when I get close enough for great detail, I can only get a small portion of the tip up in the pic. Move back and zoom in to get the entire trap in and I get saw tooth and no detail.

[CT Ice Dawg]

My traps are 20' for the crosses and a true 26" for the uprights....The Jack I received was 19" on the cross and 25" on the upright. My type of fishing really dosnt require a big trap but I'd like to have some big traps anyway....maybe the next ones will be that way.
 What did you use to protect the wood?
No probs game I've got nothin but time Bro.

[Gamalot]

Finally took some pics of my home made Teak wood tip ups and am going to attempt to get them in here. Wish me luck because this computer stuff usually beats me!

[transplantfromMN]

highlight the url than click the image button above the smilies.

[Gamalot]

Thanks again TPfromMN, Now it is working and I hope I can "ramember evrathing you learnt me"

[transplantfromMN]

Dude those traps look awesome. They look like furniture. hang them above the fireplace in the cabin man. Awesome work.

[Gamalot]

Now for the occassional Night fishing I like to do.
When the flag pops the light goes on and begins to blink and a pizzio tweeter send an alarm you can hear pretty well as long as the wind is not howling.

[CT Ice Dawg]

Ahhhh Game u dirty Dawg those Teaks look real sweet brother...very nice work. looks like I've got my work cut out for me ....I finially have all the peices sanded and smoothed out to my liken.I'm ready to drill the holes and and prep em for the finish I ve got all the parts lined up and ready to go.....but I think Im going to do some type of art work on the sticks first. I was looking at a wood burning tool my wife has....Think I'll burn my name into them. I need to make up a stencil and then burn it in. How do you like those Extremes...I jus scored 4 of Ebay for round 35 bux.....they looked pretty cool so I dropped a bid and won em. Got luckyI think Ive seen em go over 60 bux for 4.
Anyway Nice Work Gamalot.
CT IceDawg

[Gamalot]

The wood burner sounds pretty cool and since you have all the parts lined up and ready then you are half way there.
I see you won something on ebay, not quite sure what it was but nice to hear someone is able to win an occassional auction there.
With this slow dial up, I get beat at the last minute every time.
Keep us posted and get some pics when you get them done.
Gary

[CT Ice Dawg]

I won 4 of the Polar Therm Extremes....I liked the look and idea of them stacking in a bucket real nice and they make a gr8 set of extra traps when my wife feels like joining me for the day. How do you like those Polar therms? Snapping pics as I go..

[CT Ice Dawg]

Did a little work on the traps today...drilled the holes and put togather a test trap to see how it all fits.....So heres a quick pic.

[CT Ice Dawg]

hey Game.....I notice that u an your bro did some ridin on the Hatfeild McCoy trail in WV...I know of 5 trails there which one did you guys run? I have a friend from work with several buddys down that way and he rides those trails often. He goes for a couple weeks and camps on the trails too. He hunts in WV also.

[Gamalot]

I love the Polar Therm EXTREMES. Great for elactrifying! Easy storage in a bucket and great visibility with extended flag. Auger should be no larger then 9 inch, be careful with the antenas when picking up and they could be frozen open. On real windy days with snow blowning I have had trouble finding them if I don't keep the area around the holes cleaned. In fact, once, the only way I did find one was the flag went up!
This is why I have three different sets of tip ups. One for calm days when the 8 inch hole is fine and fishing shallow-Polars, One for windy days or when fishing very deep-Heritage Lakers and my home mades for when I bring a friend as they are fine for all around fishing.
Hope you are or plan to use either Brass or SS screws and wing nuts on those beauties. Makes no sense to cheapen them now for the few extra dollars.
If you really want to make the wood look and perfom great, after you treat it with the Teak oil, allow them to dry for a full day and then use MinWax Paste furniture wax. That stuff is not as durable but really brings out the beauty in fine woods and can easily be re applied any time you want to shine them up. Also helps with ice build up while fishing.
Sent you a PM.

[CT Ice Dawg]

Thanx for the tips Bro.....All the hardware is SS...rite down to every last detail....the reels are Jack Traps too so they're aluminum with a wooden insert. I spoke with Tim Jackson and we set everything up that I would need to make them. His hardware has to be the best stuff I've ever seen....like many others said and I can prove it that it's cheaper to buy 5 of his traps ready to go than buy all the hardware to make 5.  He polys his traps with 2 coats and they look great and shine too. The stuff is thick so I think they'll last forever.
 All I can say is this...for those who have been following this tread...its great to build your own traps..but for those who just want to buy a set and have them last for ever...spend the extra and go Jack Traps.  Heres a pic of a Jack Traps 26" cross. Very nice tip-ups.
[/img]

[Gamalot]

Like the Jacks but will like yours much better with some real wood meant for the elements. Don't get me wrong, I build 99% of my furniture out of red or white oak and it is great wood. For wet environments it STINKS unless you cover it tottaly with a plastic finish. White oak is better but will still warp and splinter if the finish is penetrated.
Your idea of Mahogany or mine with Teak coupled with the quality parts from either Jacks or Heritage will certainly make a much prettier and more durable trap. I think the Jack parts will be easier to work with and the fastening method is much better then those of the heritage brand.
Not too sure I like the wood insert in the reels and think if money was not all that big an obsticle I would search for eithe solid aluminum, Stainless or even Graphite spools. I actually like the graphite Heritage spools better then the metal because they don't get dented, bent or have any sharp edges. Find someone with access to a CNC Lathe and have him wip you out five nice solid aluminum or Brass spools and you will really be in business.
We can get very creative here and very expensive like you and I have said before, but the one thing we can't do is make them better for less money.
I really like the reel and shaft mechenism on the Artic Fisherman Beaver Dams but I do not like the low profile style tip ups nearly as much as the tall, cross stick jammies we make.
Think the biggest problem you might have upon completion is you might not want to use such pretty tip ups in such a harsh environment. Mine take more of a beating in the bucket and during transport then they ever get while in use.

[reelcharacter]

The wood burner sounds pretty cool and since you have all the parts lined up and ready then you are half way there.
I see you won something on ebay, not quite sure what it was but nice to hear someone is able to win an occassional auction there.
With this slow dial up, I get beat at the last minute every time.
Keep us posted and get some pics when you get them done.
Gary

I used to have dial up before getting high speed on-line, so I know where you are coming from. I could never figure out how I was out bid at the last minute / second every time I wanted something that I had bid on. You can even the score, even with a dial up connection, by using something called a Sniping program or Sniping software. It allows you to place a bid and then the software program waits until the last minute / second and submits the bid for you.

You should be able to do a Google search to find out some more info on it.

Good luck with your next bid on fishing equip . . .

-Reelcharacter

[CT Ice Dawg]

Hey Reelcharacter...what do you know about this sniper bid program......if you can beleive this old friend I use to work with about a year or so ago was telling me a guy his father worked with was working on a program very similar to what you spoke of. I know his old man is into PC software but dont really know anything more than that. I do remember him mentioning something about this. Sounds kinda kool.....its just a matter of time berfore someone comes up with something like this or one better.
Hey Game....Im not to sure about the wood insert on the reel either but if Tim at Jack Traps says it works it must be OK. What is this plastic finish you mentioned...I had a guy that does hardwood floors I work with say that to me tonight when I asked him what I should use.
My local paint shop recommends a marine grade varnish due to the fact that a portion of the trap will be submerged in water. I've had several different opions on what to go with...Im afraid of yellowing over the years..I'd hate to see the wood change its color from a beautiful reddish tint to a pitiful dull brown...all caused from a cheap finish.

[Gamalot]

PLASTIC as in POLY-Urethane, spar varnish, marine grade varnish are all in the same class to me. They are great finishes--------for a while and a true pain in the bum to re finish. To do it right you should strip and re coat.
You are useing fine grade wood, Mahogany, Teak and should not cover it but should protect it with an oil based finish that penetrates rather then coats. Mahogany and teak are oily woods to begin with and known throughout the industry for their wet environment properties. Coating them with POLY/Plastic would be great but giving them what they want-Penetrating OIL, would be better.
If I build a kitchen table out of OAK, I use Plastic/Polyurethane. If I build the same table out of a fine wood, teak/mahogany, I use a carnuba wax or penetrating oil. Re coating is a breeze-no stripping is ever required.
My Teak tip ups are in their 12th season and look almost as good as new!
My older Oak tip ups got sold after 5 years because I did not want to strip them down and re finish them when the Plastic/Poly began to peel off and look like trash.
Try it, You will be glad you did on mahogany or teak but never on Oak-it will not absorb it like the oil based woods.
Think of it this way. Gorgeous Boats are complimented with Teak and Mahogany and it is almost never coated with Poly but almost always treated with a penetrating oil. Swim platforms on most boats are made, almost exclusively, from teak, direct water contact and always treated with teak wood oil.
Do a stupid, simple experiment with small cut off pieces of your wood. coat one with Poly urethane, one with marine spar varnish and the last with a penetrating oil and then leave them all out on your deck for a year in the sun and thru the winter.
I already know which finish will win. If you do the same with oak, I will bet you have a few pieces of split junk wood at the end of the year no matter which finish you use.
Poly will, however, look the shinnyest for a while! Oil will have a dull, waxy look and feel for a long time and all you need to do is re oil once a year durring the off season, 2 minute job per tip up! A pint of teak oil stored properly will keep your tip ups happy a protected for your lifetime!

[CT Ice Dawg]

Hey Game...My Jack Trap has a very shinny finish on it and he applies 2 coats of poly on em. ..but again he isnt using a teak or mahogany. With the penatrating oil will the wood swell like others have mentioned? I would like em to shine but also ultimatly last. If I went with the penatrating oil recommend...what name should I be looking for and what is it actually called?
Thanks Bo

[Gamalot]

Teak oil will soak into the wood and become invisible. It will not make them shine at all, just protect them by closing off the poores and not allowing water in.
If you sand the wood with fine sandpaper prior to oiling it the wood will look the same before and after coating except it may darken a bit. I have notice no swelling on my teak tip ups when the oil is applied but can't be positive how it might affect your Mahogany. Best to try a bit on a small scrap so you can see what it will look like and determine if the wood will swell.
Teak Wood Oil is the name, I am sure there are many brands out there and it is used to coat teak and other oily woods for marine environment. If your local paint/hardware store does not carry it then try a boating store. I have seen it here in Wal-Mart in the boating section.
If shine is what you really want then use a high quality Marine polyurethane or Marine Spar varnish Gloss. Follow all directions to the letter and especially the drying and recoating part. Some say second coat after the first coat is completely dry while others want the second coat to go on after a few hours or more.
I think the key to a good adhesion of the poly or varnish is to be certain all oil or grease is off the wood before you coat it. This includes unseen oil from your hands or any tools. If there is contamination on the wood, this is where the plastic coating will eventually fail.
I like the teak oil and it is the easiest to apply and re apply, no need to take the traps appart or disassemble, just give them a quick coat with a rag or cheap brush and your good to go. Joints won't get stuck together and it will penetrate all over.
The Poly or varnish is far more labor intensive, you must do each stick seperately and allow each stick to dry completely, sand between coats to break the gloss and then assemble all the parts. If you will notice on your Jack traps, the wood was first coated and then the parts were added. Possibly all the holes were drilled after the coating was applied rather then before.
I will add only this. If you already have the tip ups assembled with the trip shafts already nailed or screwed on to the wood you could be too late to do the poly or varnish. If you don't get the entire piece of wood completely sealed as in under all the parts, then the water will immediately soak in thru the unsealed areas and start to peel the coating. I would bet Jack Traps are sprayed with an HVLP (high volume, low preasure) system and allowed to completely dry before the holes are drilled or any parts are mounted. This assures complete sealing of the entire piece of wood and makes for a great protective coating. Painting them after everything is in place is not a good seal because the finish will not get under everything and should be avoided. The penetrating oil would be your better choice if this is the case but it will not have the glossy finish like your Jacks.
Good luck with what ever you decide to do.
I have been building furniture for over 40 years and used many finishes. The Poly and Varnish are outstanding finishes when properly applied but few have the patients to do it correctly where water submersion is in play.

[CT Ice Dawg]

Boy is my head spinning now...     I have yet to assemble the traps but Ive drilled all the holes..no matter the finish I agree...doing them without the hardware is the best way to coat them. I'm really having a hard time deciding on what to do....as far as labor intense Im not to worried about that...I have the time to doit rite. These traps wont see any action this year.
So I have nothing but time.....we may be selling our house so I just my not even start them,I dont want my sticks hangin in a drying room and someone poking around and touching em.
I Thank you very much for all your advice Game and Im givin all the options you've provided  a lot of thought.
Thanks Again Bro
CT