MC Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 I have spent a few minutes making some lofting hooks. I could not believe the price they want to charge for a bit of bent steel. I bought 2 1M lengths of 4mm steel rod and one of 6mm from B & Q for less than a fiver. about 10 minutes in the garage bending the rod. Pop round to a mates house to weld the spike on the top and then set the rods in a empty 12B case full of lead shot. I poured some epoxy resin in the top to set the rod and shot in place and left overnight. I quick coat of olive drab modeller enamel and Bobs your mothers brother. Total cost of about a pound each, instead of £6. Lofting poles have been robbed from an old gazebo so I am all ready for saturdays roost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 A nicely done job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markio Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Good stuff Martin. I await the swarms of feathered beasts in earnest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beretta Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 some dodgy welding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 some dodgy welding I know, I did not do it as mine would have been worse than that. I was going to braze them on as it is only 4mm rod but I could not find my blowlamp for love nor money. Still it is only a lofting hook, what is the worst that can happen? the pin will snap off and the decoy will drop to the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw100 Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 I have spent a few minutes making some lofting hooks. I could not believe the price they want to charge for a bit of bent steel. I bought 2 1M lengths of 4mm steel rod and one of 6mm from B & Q for less than a fiver. about 10 minutes in the garage bending the rod. Pop round to a mates house to weld the spike on the top and then set the rods in a empty 12B case full of lead shot. I poured some epoxy resin in the top to set the rod and shot in place and left overnight. I quick coat of olive drab modeller enamel and Bobs your mothers brother. Total cost of about a pound each, instead of £6. Lofting poles have been robbed from an old gazebo so I am all ready for saturdays roost Good job MC they look excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beretta Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 if you did longer spikes martin you could just about mount a dog fish on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 if you did longer spikes martin you could just about mount a dog fish on it Would that work for decoying pigeons? Mind you I ain't driving to Holyhead just to catch a couple of dogfish. Been there, done that :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Great bit of simple diy there MC, I like the empty cartridge shells with lead shot idea! They look very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westcountryman Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Gents, I don't know if I am doing the wrong thing, but I made some loftable decoys at the weekend. All I did was take a old wire coat hanger, feed it through the decoy and create a hook on the top of the decoy. I then use a two hide poles connected together to stick it up a tree. Very simple and effective. Just need to paint the coat hanger metal a matt green colour and I'll be all set. No need for counterweights. It just hangs from a branch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saggy61 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) Gents, I don't know if I am doing the wrong thing, but I made some loftable decoys at the weekend. All I did was take a old wire coat hanger, feed it through the decoy and create a hook on the top of the decoy. I then use a two hide poles connected together to stick it up a tree. Very simple and effective. Just need to paint the coat hanger metal a matt green colour and I'll be all set. No need for counterweights. It just hangs from a branch. The bird needs to look as if it is sitting on the branch and not hanging underneath.. How many birds do you see swinging from a tree branch Edited March 4, 2010 by saggy61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 some dodgy welding LOL I was going to say that pigeon has already cr*pped on the joint Have you used them before? and how effective are these MC? The reason I ask I have been roost shooting a few times recently and have left the first couple of birds land in the tress, but that doesn't seem to produce any more in them just shooting them and waiting for the next incomer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted March 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Stuart, To be honest we did try them on saturday and they didn't really make any difference. The biggest issue was getting them high enough in the trees to stand out. When you are underneath a tree putting them up they look high, when you walk away and look they were only half way up. I had a set of poles that went to about 10 metres but over that and you cannot control them. I am out decoying on saturday and usually set up under a sitty tree so I may put a few up in them, just to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Nice darts. I used them years ago on the farm on a large oak sitty tree that was on a flight line. Certainly convinced the pigeons it was safe to come in and land. We left them up and about a year later the farmer ran a clay competition near the tree but at range. The amount of bemused clay shooters that had a sneaky long shot pop at the brave and bullet proof pigeon proudly sitting high up in the oak tree..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 They do look good Might have a go at making some myself, also got a load of gazebo poles in the shed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegleg31 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 nice job wanna make me some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted March 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 nice job wanna make me some If you want, I am trying to get hold of something else for the weight as the cartridge filled with shot is OK but there must be cheaper options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 MC those do look good and cheap. I am surprised that nobody commented on MerceaDavid's ones that were weighted by the fact that they were on about 5 foot of hazel pole giving extra height. I thought his looked "rustic" but clearly worked and best of all gave a bit of extra height, they were not painted as they were sticks and quite natural! I think yous will be very good in tall hedge rather than a wood, like you said height in a big tree is very difficult the the old gazebo poles do not go far before then just get heavy and bend like Alan Carr in an Essex gay bar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
togger Posted March 22, 2010 Report Share Posted March 22, 2010 If you want, I am trying to get hold of something else for the weight as the cartridge filled with shot is OK but there must be cheaper options. Not my idea, saw it somewhere else, but how about expired torch batteries HP2 size taped on with black PVC tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crosswaters Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 If you want, I am trying to get hold of something else for the weight as the cartridge filled with shot is OK but there must be cheaper options. Was thinking that myself,if you bent the bottom of the wire into a hook then you could just hook on sea fishing weight and also could add heavy or lighter weights to suit wind conditions,just a thought.! I'm off the the shed now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesypeas Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 A trick ive used before now to fashion fishing weights, could be adapted for your solution to your counter weight. Drill several holes (depending on the amount of hooks you have) in a piece of wood, 12mm x 60mm deep, smelt some old bits of lead (not off the church roof) this can be done on your domestic cooker ring in an old pan, pour moulten lead in to holes and place hooks in one at a time, the lead only takes seconds to solidify, break open the wood, hey presto! It might be an idea to hammer flat the bottom end of the hook being inserted in to the mould so it doesn't pull out which it would do if left perfectly round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt fieldcrafter-uk Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 I'd go with a nice simple answer . Lengthen the down bar that the cart is Attached to longer= heavier . No extra fabrication required ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 The bird needs to look as if it is sitting on the branch and not hanging underneath.. How many birds do you see swinging from a tree branch ??? Never, ever bothered pigeons in the 20 years I have been using this method. By the time they have spotted anything wrong it is far too late... Cheap as chips, and I often use 4 lengths of lofting poles to get them way up in the trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgy dave Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 fill with cemet use the shot for reloading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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