[ronm]

I have scratch built, and built from the kit.
If you are a good builder, you can make the scratch built much lighter.
The GP and Goldberg are both excellent. Glass with 1/2oz cloth and epoxy, using the heat gun/credit card method described earlier.

Are those pictures after you moved the floats forward? They are far enough forward in the pics, but they do look slightly small for the plane.
Your wing looks positive a few degrees to the top of the floats (unless it just looks that way in the pics.)
A flat bottom wing is actually positive 2-3 deg if you go by the flat bottom, so make sure that the flat bottom is either even, or slightly negative to the float tops.

I think you will be a lot happier with the GP or GB floats!

[Canhos]

I think for the price, kit's are fairly economical. If you want a special type of float, I would just use blue construction foam.

Here's a link to building your own from scratch.

http://www.flyinglindy.homestead.com/skisandfloats.html

Foam or wood, they can both be covered with epoxy and glass.

You may be able to get away without water rudders. If you want rudders, you have 2 options. either extend your air rudder somehow, so it can get into the water. Otherwise, you can make up one out of aluminum, brass, or even plastic, and it basically attaches the same way as your nose gear on your trainer (i'm refering to the nose gear block, but it mounts at the rear of one float) . Only need a water rudder on 1 float. If you put 2 on, they are hard to keep aligned.

The kits come with all the hardware, so it may be a good idea to just get the kit. Then, you can see how they are put together, and you will be using a proven design. Scratch building a set of floats for a trainer may not be worth it. If you were needing a scale type, you may need to, but I think you'd save alot of time with the kit. I think they are even laser cut these days, so they just just about built themselves . I have yet to put together anything laser cut, but I hear it's something to marvel at.

My floats have 1 rudder, and I used a nyrod going alond the top of the float, up one of the crossmembers, and it attaches to a short piece of 5/32 wire that I put where the nose gear was. I think the kit came with 2 water rudder assemlies, but I had to remove one as it wouldn't track straight with both.

I'd be posting pics for you, but the Eagle has been sent to the great landfill in the sky, and the floats are tucked away in the attic.

If you can swing it, get a kit. Otherwise, yes, they can be scratch built.

Good luck
Mike

[ronm]

Sorry the pictures are not that clear, but if you look close, in several pictures you can tell there is a bit of negative in the flat bottom wing compared to the float tops.
Most of these are GP or GB floats, all fly excellent!
(I am flying the yellow and the red cub)

http://www.flyingtigers.ca/Photo%20Album3.htm

[Canhos]

https://www.rccanada.ca/bb/viewtopic.php?t=18675 speak of the devil

[KC8QVO]

OOOO I spy a CL-215 We see those fly over our place on Lake of the Woods occasionally.

Yeah, I see what you mean about the negitive angle. You can tell, but the pictures are so fuzzy its hard to see anything

I think Ill just get the kit for the floats since it comes with everything you need except the glue.

Steve

[ronm]

I think that's your best bet, Steve!

[somefly]

Just a quick note --I've done a lot of float flying & if your plane wants to land on it's roof easily so to speak --check your float alignment very carefully--a slight bit of toe in on the floats makes your plane a bare to get on & off the water without flipping--floats should be perfectly straight-& if there is any play in you attachment linkage make sure the (float play) makes the floats travel from straight to toe OUT only--just a thought