Roach Spreader

o-shot-caw265 · 05-27-2008, 02:01 PM

I am looking to buy a new roach spreader. The one that I currently have isnt making that much of a spread. Anyone know of a good place to buy one or someone that could make one?

Privateer6 · 05-27-2008, 11:01 PM

Why not just get a piece of leather and put it under spreader?

o-shot-caw265 · 05-27-2008, 11:24 PM

Thats a good idea I didnt think of that. Would I just cut it out in the form of the roach spreader but bigger?

Privateer6 · 05-28-2008, 08:40 AM

Basically yes. I would just cut a rounder big enough spread the roach they way you want it. Punch holes to line up with the spreader, and then thread your roach ties through the metal spreader, then the leather rounder.

anishtradish · 06-03-2008, 04:45 AM

I like cutting them out of ice cream buckets LOL

**Joe's Dad** · 06-03-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anishtradish

I like cutting them out of ice cream buckets LOL

Are you eating the ice cream first?

powwowbum49 · 06-04-2008, 11:21 PM

Ya know spreader is not what it should be called...It really is nothing but a feather holder. The roach should not actually have the spreqader pushing on the hair. It will wear the roach out faster than normal if it does. You want the roach to fan out more then you need to wreap it on a smaller bat. Just mist the roach hair with a spray bottle and then wrap it up on a small bat/stick and put it on the dash of a closed up car. Let it sit for the day and it will be dry and reshaped.

Hope that helps

hobbs49 · 06-09-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powwowbum49

Ya know spreader is not what it should be called...It really is nothing but a feather holder. The roach should not actually have the spreqader pushing on the hair. It will wear the roach out faster than normal if it does. You want the roach to fan out more then you need to wreap it on a smaller bat. Just mist the roach hair with a spray bottle and then wrap it up on a small bat/stick and put it on the dash of a closed up car. Let it sit for the day and it will be dry and reshaped.

Hope that helps

Smaller bat? Thet's probably the opposite of what I would have suspected. PB49 can you explain why that works?

I would assume then that if one has kinda a lay-down roach one can use a larger bat to make it stand up more?

Thanks!

powwowbum49 · 06-10-2008, 10:11 AM

Hobbs

Basically what is happening is...by placing the roach on a smaller diameter bat the hair is pulled in from the base to meet the bat putting an outward curve into the hair. Thus when the roach opens up, the curve in the hair will cause the hair to swing open even wider.

As to the other part of your post...Yeppers you can reshape with a larger bat and yes it should help stand the hair up more straight. The reason for this is because the bat meet even with the hair and thus it is not drawn in to meet the bat and it then runs more straight off the base thus allowing it to not open as wide. Now all this said...sometimes the base is just too loosely sewn to keep the hair standing up tall in which case you need to have the base replaced.

Hope that helps

hobbs49 · 06-10-2008, 11:25 AM

Thanks for the explaination PB49! Very interesting!

fly_high_life · 06-17-2008, 09:46 PM

Good explanation! I made my spreader out of latigo leather and sewed on film canisters for the feather holders. Then you can decorate with tape or whatever.

Gledanh Zhinga · 07-02-2008, 10:57 AM

The mention of bats reminded me of a mini, team-logo baseball bat that my son gave me. It's 18" x 1¼"D with the usual taper down to about 5/8"D at the "handle end." It works well for a roach of about 12" to 15" length. These bats are manufactured in Pennsylvania: www.coopersburgsports.com.

I mention this for those with not enough time or tools to make their own bats. I've made plenty of hammer handles from scratch with a hatchet, draw knife, rasp and wood scraper. It shouldn't take too long to make a bat, (especially if you have a wood lathe). Another route to go would be to purchase a wooden dowel and rework it.

Bob & Evelyn Voelker were roach makers who lived near E. St. Louis, IL, and Bob would put a 15" roach on a 19" x 1¼" dowel, one of which I have. The sharp edges at the head end of the dowel were removed to about a 3/16inch radius to keep from damaging the roach. Voelker would drill a centered, blind hole on the end parallel to the length and insert and glue a ¼" dowel into the hole, the small dowel protruding 1½".

At the tail end, about 1½" from the end, a 3/8" hole was drilled through at right angles to the bat length. After the small dowel was inserted into the braid hole and the roach was folded onto the bat, the neck ties were run through the 3/8" hole, a LITTLE tension applied, and they were tied off. Then came the wrap, Ace bandage preferred.

hobbs49 · 07-02-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gledanh Zhinga

The mention of bats reminded me of a mini, team-logo baseball bat that my son gave me. It's 18" x 1¼"D with the usual taper down to about 5/8"D at the "handle end." It works well for a roach of about 12" to 15" length. These bats are manufactured in Pennsylvania: www.coopersburgsports.com.

I mention this for those with not enough time or tools to make their own bats. I've made plenty of hammer handles from scratch with a hatchet, draw knife, rasp and wood scraper. It shouldn't take too long to make a bat, (especially if you have a wood lathe). Another route to go would be to purchase a wooden dowel and rework it.

Bob & Evelyn Voelker were roach makers who lived near E. St. Louis, IL, and Bob would put a 15" roach on a 19" x 1¼" dowel, one of which I have. The sharp edges at the head end of the dowel were removed to about a 3/16inch radius to keep from damaging the roach. Voelker would drill a centered, blind hole on the end parallel to the length and insert and glue a ¼" dowel into the hole, the small dowel protruding 1½".

At the tail end, about 1½" from the end, a 3/8" hole was drilled through at right angles to the bat length. After the small dowel was inserted into the braid hole and the roach was folded onto the bat, the neck ties were run through the 3/8" hole, a LITTLE tension applied, and they were tied off. Then came the wrap, Ace bandage preferred.

I've also seen bats fashioned out of the railing used for stairs. They generally have a flat side that I think can go along the roach base.

powwowbum49 · 07-02-2008, 11:28 AM

GZ

I have seen some interesting roach sticks over the years, most of which were hand carved. Some even showed signs of being steam shaped as well.

I am not sure if folks realize that it was not too long ago that dancers would make roach sticks/bats in custom shapes to give the hair of their roaches certain shapes and kinda a personalized style. Guys would wear roaches that the hair came straight up from the base like a straight dancers today but then the hair would bow way out and over, opening wide like a crow dancers roach but this effect started about 4" up the hair. This was not done with the "SPREADER" (I hate that name for that piece) but instead by shaping. There was an article written by Steve Eagles back in 1984 for whispering winds on the subject. Might have to see if I can post parts of it.

With all this said the shape of the hair on a roach is mainly determined by the stick/bat, however that is only true if the base the hair is on is a good one. Thin bases will not hold up over the long run and will become loose and floppy allowing the hair to fall out away from where it should be standing at. Only way to fix that is to replace the base.

05-27-2008, 02:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
o-shot-caw265 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 10	Roach Spreader I am looking to buy a new roach spreader. The one that I currently have isnt making that much of a spread. Anyone know of a good place to buy one or someone that could make one?

06-03-2008, 04:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
anishtradish AnishTradish Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cass Lake mn Posts: 98	I like cutting them out of ice cream buckets LOL __________________ www.myspace.com/anishtradish

06-04-2008, 11:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
powwowbum49 Arena Director Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: midwest, USA Posts: 812	Ya know spreader is not what it should be called...It really is nothing but a feather holder. The roach should not actually have the spreqader pushing on the hair. It will wear the roach out faster than normal if it does. You want the roach to fan out more then you need to wreap it on a smaller bat. Just mist the roach hair with a spray bottle and then wrap it up on a small bat/stick and put it on the dash of a closed up car. Let it sit for the day and it will be dry and reshaped. Hope that helps __________________ PB49 "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso My comments are based on what I have been taught and my experiences over the years I have been around the circle. They should in no way be taken as gospel truths and are merely my opinions or attempts at passing on what I have learned while still learning more.

06-10-2008, 10:11 AM	#9 (permalink)
powwowbum49 Arena Director Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: midwest, USA Posts: 812	Hobbs Basically what is happening is...by placing the roach on a smaller diameter bat the hair is pulled in from the base to meet the bat putting an outward curve into the hair. Thus when the roach opens up, the curve in the hair will cause the hair to swing open even wider. As to the other part of your post...Yeppers you can reshape with a larger bat and yes it should help stand the hair up more straight. The reason for this is because the bat meet even with the hair and thus it is not drawn in to meet the bat and it then runs more straight off the base thus allowing it to not open as wide. Now all this said...sometimes the base is just too loosely sewn to keep the hair standing up tall in which case you need to have the base replaced. Hope that helps __________________ PB49 "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso My comments are based on what I have been taught and my experiences over the years I have been around the circle. They should in no way be taken as gospel truths and are merely my opinions or attempts at passing on what I have learned while still learning more.

07-02-2008, 11:28 AM	#14 (permalink)
powwowbum49 Arena Director Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: midwest, USA Posts: 812	GZ I have seen some interesting roach sticks over the years, most of which were hand carved. Some even showed signs of being steam shaped as well. I am not sure if folks realize that it was not too long ago that dancers would make roach sticks/bats in custom shapes to give the hair of their roaches certain shapes and kinda a personalized style. Guys would wear roaches that the hair came straight up from the base like a straight dancers today but then the hair would bow way out and over, opening wide like a crow dancers roach but this effect started about 4" up the hair. This was not done with the "SPREADER" (I hate that name for that piece) but instead by shaping. There was an article written by Steve Eagles back in 1984 for whispering winds on the subject. Might have to see if I can post parts of it. With all this said the shape of the hair on a roach is mainly determined by the stick/bat, however that is only true if the base the hair is on is a good one. Thin bases will not hold up over the long run and will become loose and floppy allowing the hair to fall out away from where it should be standing at. Only way to fix that is to replace the base. __________________ PB49 "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso My comments are based on what I have been taught and my experiences over the years I have been around the circle. They should in no way be taken as gospel truths and are merely my opinions or attempts at passing on what I have learned while still learning more. Last edited by powwowbum49; 07-02-2008 at 11:35 AM.

05-27-2008, 11:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775	Why not just get a piece of leather and put it under spreader?

05-27-2008, 11:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
o-shot-caw265 Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 10	Thats a good idea I didnt think of that. Would I just cut it out in the form of the roach spreader but bigger?

05-28-2008, 08:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
Privateer6 Like my new toy? Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cylon occupied North Carolina Posts: 775	Basically yes. I would just cut a rounder big enough spread the roach they way you want it. Punch holes to line up with the spreader, and then thread your roach ties through the metal spreader, then the leather rounder.

06-10-2008, 11:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
hobbs49 Holy Indian Taco Batman! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Triangle Area, NC Posts: 1,179	Thanks for the explaination PB49! Very interesting!

06-17-2008, 09:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
fly_high_life Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: AL, USA Posts: 11	Good explanation! I made my spreader out of latigo leather and sewed on film canisters for the feather holders. Then you can decorate with tape or whatever.

07-02-2008, 10:57 AM	#12 (permalink)
Gledanh Zhinga Blacksmith Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 306	The mention of bats reminded me of a mini, team-logo baseball bat that my son gave me. It's 18" x 1¼"D with the usual taper down to about 5/8"D at the "handle end." It works well for a roach of about 12" to 15" length. These bats are manufactured in Pennsylvania: www.coopersburgsports.com. I mention this for those with not enough time or tools to make their own bats. I've made plenty of hammer handles from scratch with a hatchet, draw knife, rasp and wood scraper. It shouldn't take too long to make a bat, (especially if you have a wood lathe). Another route to go would be to purchase a wooden dowel and rework it. Bob & Evelyn Voelker were roach makers who lived near E. St. Louis, IL, and Bob would put a 15" roach on a 19" x 1¼" dowel, one of which I have. The sharp edges at the head end of the dowel were removed to about a 3/16inch radius to keep from damaging the roach. Voelker would drill a centered, blind hole on the end parallel to the length and insert and glue a ¼" dowel into the hole, the small dowel protruding 1½". At the tail end, about 1½" from the end, a 3/8" hole was drilled through at right angles to the bat length. After the small dowel was inserted into the braid hole and the roach was folded onto the bat, the neck ties were run through the 3/8" hole, a LITTLE tension applied, and they were tied off. Then came the wrap, Ace bandage preferred.