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IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: SDFlagChaser on Dec 20, 2008, 10:46 AM

Title: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: SDFlagChaser on Dec 20, 2008, 10:46 AM
Just windering if anybody out there has every built a homemade tip up alarm or tip up lights.  there is a local lake I like to fish at night for eyes, but don't always like to get up every few minutes to go walk around and check the tip ups.  Any suggestions or websites with good instructions are welcome.  not loooking for anything fancy, just something that is cheaper to build than something I could buy,  thanks.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Blaine on Dec 20, 2008, 10:48 AM
A friend of mine made a few lights for night walleye. They worked great but in the end, it was a bit cheaper to buy the Frabill Lil' Shiner lights...

I'd be interested to see if anyone has made anything on their own as well.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: perch on Dec 20, 2008, 10:54 AM
I used to tie glow sticks on my tip-ups but as with Blaine, the Frabill tip-up lights were cheaper in the long run.  1 nights use per glow stick per tip-up = more expensive than the Frabills.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: jdisci on Dec 20, 2008, 10:54 AM
How about those little double bells that you use for bank fishing in the open water? Put one on your tip-up flag and when it pops up you can hear it.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: saskman on Dec 20, 2008, 10:54 AM
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=43160.0 (http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=43160.0)
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: brokenline on Dec 20, 2008, 10:55 AM
one thing that i did was take those annoying happy meal things that make noise when you shake them and duck tape it to one of my flags....
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Blaine on Dec 20, 2008, 11:48 AM
How about those little double bells that you use for bank fishing in the open water? Put one on your tip-up flag and when it pops up you can hear it.

I use those too... Tough to hear in a strong wind but definitely better than nothing!
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Snortwheeze on Dec 20, 2008, 12:04 PM
havent tried but how would like the bouny balls that light up when bounced or something a long that line and tape it or tie it on there
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: BaitWrangler on Dec 20, 2008, 01:29 PM
Tie a string to every flag and hook it up to a bell attached to your shanty.... just watch your feet when you go to land the fish or you may trip.  :D


Really though, I am sure there is someone on here who is handy with electrical stuff and could make something that beeps when the "seal" is broken.  Kind of like those cheap window alarms that people buy when they don't have a hardwired system.    But I am pretty sure thats on the same idea as the manufactured tip up alarms, so it may be easier just to buy them.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: FishGut on Dec 20, 2008, 02:17 PM
Wasn't there a thread here a few years back where a guy was using shotgun shells as tip up alarms? Just listen for the boom...
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: rgfixit on Dec 20, 2008, 04:58 PM
Piece of cake.....
You need a switch
a noisemaker
a battery.

Gimme a few minutes... ;D
RG
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: rgfixit on Dec 20, 2008, 05:08 PM
Mercury switch attached to flag spring
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Mercuryswitch.jpg/250px-Mercuryswitch.jpg)
3v beeper
(http://www.allelectronics.com/mas_assets/image_cache/image_product.align.center;height.250;vspace.5;width.150;modified.1207856853.SBZ-100.jpg)
Battery holder for 2 AA batteries.
(http://www.batteryspace.com/ProductImages/batteryholder/BB2AAA.jpg)

RG
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Bellybuster on Dec 20, 2008, 05:19 PM
9v battery, buzzer, some wire and a clothespin. Mount them to your tipup somehow. Use thumb tacks as contacts on inner faces of clothes pin. Tie short line to flag and small piece of plastic like margarine dish plastic as insulator. When flag goes, pulls line and small square of plastic from between the grip of the clothes pin allowing thumbtacks to contact sounding buzzer. Cheap and easy
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: brokenline on Dec 20, 2008, 06:44 PM
thats a great idea buster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ima go and make one like you said thanks!!!!!!!!!. as for the murcury switch if that broke there could be some serious problems!!
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: swirusek on Dec 20, 2008, 09:52 PM
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=62028.0 (http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=62028.0)
Works good and it is very loud
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: dthrckt on Feb 08, 2009, 10:52 AM
I bought window alarms at the dollar store - they look like this
http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-SP440B-Wireless-Window-Alarm/dp/B000E8T8SS
There's an on off switch and a magnetic switch.
There's a magnet in the smaller piece that keeps the magnetic switch off when it is (very) close to the siren. 
It is a weak magnet and has to be lined up well so I took the magnets out of some cabinet door catches and use those instead. 
The siren part is on the base of my tip-ups and the magnets are on short steel wires attached to the top of the flag pole.
When I set the flag I bend the wire to make the magnet line up next to the siren.  When the flag goes up the magnet goes with it and the siren sounds.
I had a couple w/ sticky magnetic switches (wouldn't go off when the magnet moved unless you tapped them) so I sprayed some cold temp gun oil in them and they work great.
I can hear them from 100 yards even on the windiest days.
I highly recommend this or any other sort of alarm - my success rate on hits has been so much higher since doing this....
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: trapper2000 on Feb 08, 2009, 10:56 AM
i use the glow sticks you can get them cheap at flea marrkets or just set a latern by the spread you can see a flag
                                                                                                                            trap
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Teeder Pole on Feb 08, 2009, 01:54 PM
Posted this elsewhere but here's the pic again... ;-)

(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/Teederpole/alarm1.jpg)



Tight Lines!
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Shadrap on Feb 08, 2009, 04:57 PM
Put the bells on em and if its night add the night sticks. 
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: I walk on water! on Feb 10, 2009, 06:47 PM
I used glow sticks a few nights back. Twon on each trap that way you can see when the flag goes up. Attach em with zip ties. youll need one stick type ans one neckless type to make loop around flag.
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: james on Feb 10, 2009, 06:56 PM
try these,you have to modify them if you dont have polar traps. frabil artic fire tip up lights they work very good, and they are about 10 bucks apeice.

(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll12/jamesmorrison1966/DSCF0298.jpg)

(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll12/jamesmorrison1966/DSCF0314.jpg)
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: BigWilly on Feb 10, 2009, 10:09 PM
Looks good guys.  Good job!!   :tipup:

Doug
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Mr.Buddy on Feb 10, 2009, 10:24 PM
i got some of that reflective tape that they use when they need to put down lines on a freshly paved road. Works really well, just attach a small piece under the flag and when i shine my light outside it lights up really well
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: BucksNDucks on Feb 12, 2009, 12:21 PM
I like to put the bells that you put on your normal poles! just attach them with any material!!!
works good for me, only problem is you got to listen really good...

Keep your bait about 6 inches off the bottom!

I will drill your holes!!!
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: trapper2000 on Feb 12, 2009, 02:31 PM
some great ideas here guys thanks
                                         trap
Title: Re: Homemade tip up alarm
Post by: Scuff on Feb 14, 2009, 07:05 PM
It is a little extra gear to carry but if you get the cheap solar sidewalk lamps or the solar spot lights they will light up around your tip up nicely