Materials used in the manufacture of HillBilly floats.

HillBilly Float Bodies

After much research and field testing I decided to change over from balsa wood to foams for all my float bodies. Foams are much stronger than balsa for their density and of course being of a closed cell nature they do not take on any water even if they get damaged in use. There are three types of foam used and these are described below.

HillBilly Tech 1 Foam,

Tech 1 Foam, This is a very special and expensive grade of foam. It boasts a buoyancy of around 15% more than a medium grade balsa. It is however incredibly strong with the manufacturers stating a compression rating of 218psi. Being a very fine grade closed cell foam which is unable to absorb water it used for a large number of float patterns in the HillBilly range.

HillBilly Tech 2 Foam

Tech 2 Foam. The slightly larger closed cells in this foam make it even more buoyant than Tech1 which makes it the first choice for larger HillBilly patterns such as the Sydney.

HillBilly Tech 3 Foam

Tech 3 Foam. The strongest of all the foams used in the HillBilly range with a very high density rating of 200. It is so strong it can be stood upon with little if any damage (as some have seen me demonstrate). Its buoyancy is similar to that of a very hard balsa which makes it the first choice for the "bagging" floats in my range such as the Critters and Grizzlys.

Float Stems and Finish

Float stems.

Carbon....Used where the maximum buoyancy needs to be retained for a floats physical size.

Glass...The strongest of stem materials and the natural choice for most patterns in the HillBilly range. The weight of the stem is often used to build stability into a float and is the ideal compromise between carbon and wire.

Stainless steel wire.... Used to add maximum built in stability to a float and mostly used on patterns aimed at catching silvers F1's and smaller carp.

Float tips (antennae).... Only best quality hollow plastic high visibility tips are used in the construction of HillBilly floats.

Float eyes.... Best quality stainless steel twisted or spring eyes are fitted with the type being determined by the float pattern.

Finishes....Only the best sealers paints and varnishes are used to obtain the high class finishes on the HillBilly float range.