Habs 7 1/2" needle tailweight ?
 

Obtained a few undrilled bodies from Slip, wondering one or two tailweights ?

He used two tail weights........supposedly from M&D's although I've had trouble getting that to work. The actual total weight is open to question but generally 12-14grams is close (I've gone as high as 17 and low as 10 grams to get the pug to balance correctly based on birch weight and variations in the throat weight......Hab poured this into the needle so it runs all over the place in there and the results are very inconsistent.)

I disagree about Habs pouring his tail weights into the tail. I have dissected more than 1 and they always had 1 long weight in there that would slide out. I found a perfect match with 1 small weights butt to butt.
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I think Numbskull was referring to the throat weight being poured.

I have done that also and if the wire you use to block the thru wire hole while pouring has any looseness, the lead finds it's way thru and makes a mess. I think that is caused by the thru drilling process wobbling the hole out of round in that area. He used a wire the same size as the drill bit to block it off but you don't always get a good seal. That is why some of my tiger needles would turn upside down, but being such a skinny piece of wood, I can see why it happened to me. I am going to get back to making more of those soon.

Be nice to see you build some plugs again, Bruce.

Right. I worded it poorly. The belly weight ahead of the hook hole is poured around a .074 (as I recall) pull wire (piano wire) and leaks all over.

Ah ok. Yes, the belly weight was poured.
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That's what I figured but oddly I've taken a donor apart and found one 7 gram tailweight. Yet the blanks had a drill hole for 2. The ks for the clarification . And yes the belly is poured and one was spread all over. Little drilling and removed the slag. On pouring lead I do that in certain needles and use a welding rod to plug an 1/8" drill hole or a long 5/32 drill bit shank end.

You have to remember, Habs had many elves helping with assembly and mistakes happen easily just like an occasional thru wire missing the swivel.
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I built a few 7.5" habs style needles, I measured a bunch of his needles down at the Narraganset get together in Feb. The tail weight I used is 1/2 oz with 1/4oz+ weight ahead of the hook. It floated with the nose out of the water so I added another 1/4 oz to the nose. The total weight is 2.3 oz and In a tank it settles pretty level. However in the water attached to line it wants to sink tail first and when retrieved it comes in with the tail down about 30 degrees. Is this normal for a Habs?

Sounds about right. His were a tad heavier 2.4-2.5 oz. Probably in the tail compared to yours.....although the size of your tail hook will also make a difference.

Billy mine is drilled out 9/32" 2.25" depth.
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Thanks Matt. 2 - 7 gr