Tools of the trade

[hellosugaree]

In the market for a snake hook or two. Where do you all get yours? I just have one of those cheap telescopic ones but I need the real deal. Maybe some tongs and other goodies too. Where's the best place to order them online?

[BarelyBreathing]

I two really nice ones. One is collapsable and goes on my field pack that my dog wears and the other is just long and solid. It's really heavy (which I like).

The collapsable one is by MidWest tongs, and the other I have no idea. It was purchased at a local reptile store with no brand name.

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m611/SnakeShed/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG0606.jpg

[marvelfreak]

I got mine at Reptile basic.com. I have two 38" hooks with rubber coated handle and hook.
They longer have the kind i got but 24" one just like mine and 36" golf club style one thet's looks really nice. 24" Snake Hook (http://www.reptilebasics.com/24-snake-hook)

[SpOoKy]

I get good prices on Gator hooks and I love them :) (not just because the price but because they are great)

[Kingsnakechris]

I went around town and looked for cheap golf clubs and then go to. Walmart and pick up some cheap bicycle hooks. ( they are rubber coated) then cut off the heads of the golf clubs and drill out the hole just barely smaller then the screw end of the bicycle hook. Either screw or wedge the screw end into the hole and wrap tightly with balck electrical tape. I went ahead an wraped the whole club up to the handle just for looks, but make sure it's wrapped very tightly where the hook and club connect. It's pretty easy I've never had a single issue. Plus if you wrap it all the way up it looks real nice...

[hellosugaree]

I went around town and looked for cheap golf clubs and then go to. Walmart and pick up some cheap bicycle hooks. ( they are rubber coated) then cut off the heads of the golf clubs and drill out the hole just barely smaller then the screw end of the bicycle hook. Either screw or wedge the screw end into the hole and wrap tightly with balck electrical tape. I went ahead an wraped the whole club up to the handle just for looks, but make sure it's wrapped very tightly where the hook and club connect. It's pretty easy I've never had a single issue. Plus if you wrap it all the way up it looks real nice...

Might consider trying this, but by the time I spend time driving around getting supplies and tools, chances are it will end up costing me twice as much than just buying a pre-made one :) Although like all my crappy home-made projects, they are more fun to use once you finish :cool:

[Kingsnakechris]

Lol. Had the luxury of living by both a retirement 55+ community and a golf course. I make snake hooks for less then 10 bucks lol only down side is the 55+ community is huge and we share main streets and roads and they LOVE to drive their golf carts around town. Grrrrrr lol

[hellosugaree]

Lol. Had the luxury of living by both a retirement 55+ community and a golf course. I make snake hooks for less then 10 bucks lol only down side is the 55+ community is huge and we share main streets and roads and they LOVE to drive their golf carts around town. Grrrrrr lol

Thankfully they are not driving real cars. At least with golf carts you generally win if they pull out in front of you going 2 miles an hour when you'e going fifty :p

[Kingsnakechris]

Hahaha you don't know how true that is! A few years back there was a golf cart vehicle crash epidemic. They were actually able to get the speed limit where the two cities connect and a few other roads dropped Down from 45 to 30. That wasn't good enough apparently but it's 25, some of them older guys love to ride right in the middle of the road so you cant go around them, but I found a way to fix it... Lol. I got a new truck. A dodge ram 2500 with a 6 inch lift KC light bar and mud tires. They move. LOL

[hellosugaree]

Hahaha you don't know how true that is! A few years back there was a golf cart vehicle crash epidemic. They were actually able to get the speed limit where the two cities connect and a few other roads dropped Down from 45 to 30. That wasn't good enough apparently but it's 25, some of them older guys love to ride right in the middle of the road so you cant go around them, but I found a way to fix it... Lol. I got a new truck. A dodge ram 2500 with a 6 inch lift KC light bar and mud tires. They move. LOL

I hate when people tailgate me in giant trucks. :angry:

I would probably hate it even more if I was in a golf cart though :eek:

If you get big enough tires you might just be able to go right over them :p

[Kingsnakechris]

Lol I never tailgate anyone in my truck unless they intentionally get in my way. And I have thought about just running them over more then once haha

[hellosugaree]

Lol I never tailgate anyone in my truck unless they intentionally get in my way. And I have thought about just running them over more then once haha

By the way, before we go any further off topic, you need to post a picture of one of your hooks.

[Kingsnakechris]

I will soon. I'm making a new one soon Mine is in Tennessee with my cousin at the moment but I'll make one in the next day or so.

[hellosugaree]

I will soon. I'm making a new one soon Mine is in Tennessee with my cousin at the moment but I'll make one in the next day or so.

You should put together a little how-to section or video. What do you use to cut and drill it? Are there any little tricks you picked up along the way that made it easier when you did it on subsequent runs?

[Kingsnakechris]

It's pretty simple. A hack saw is the hard way but the easiest to get your hands on.
Cut The golf club where it starts to widen a little under the head of the club, grab a drill and a drill bit And drill Out the hole slightly smaller then the screw end of the bicycle hook. ( just make sure the hook is rubber coated) then screw the screw end into the golf club where you widened it with the drill bit. If it doesn't go in widen it a little more but not to much that it slides in easy ( you want a nice tight fit) then I use electrical tape and tightly wrap it around where the hook and club connect. I always wrap it all the way up to the handle. ( just for looks) and just make sure it's nice and snug, test it out ( I use a back pack full of clothes) to make sure the hook won't spin or come loose. And there ya have it. An inexpensive reliable snake hook.

[Kingsnakechris]

There's really nothin to it. I've done it the same way many times. I can say that when widening the hole always go to small. If you go to big the hook slides right in and you have to cut further down. It's easier to keep widening it until it fits snug.

[millertime89]

You could've gone the other route with the old farts and their golf carts, small and fast and loud works just as well as a big loud truck.

The suggestions for hooks I was given by the retic community were as follows:
golf club (didn't care for this, might try the modified one)
texas hooks
Mark O'Shea signature series from midwest
tongs.com
new shed

[Kingsnakechris]

You could've gone the other route with the old farts and their golf carts, small and fast and loud works just as well as a big loud truck.

The suggestions for hooks I was given by the retic community were as follows:
golf club (didn't care for this, might try the modified one)
texas hooks
Mark O'Shea signature series from midwest
tongs.com
new shed

Lol it's kind of my heritage to drive a big loud truck. Yeah I've shopped around for hooks before, but you just can't beat the price of building your own safe,reliable,inexpensive hook and its also a pretty cool feeling when you finally get to use it and you know you built it.

[shaunyboy]

i use radiator rollers (for painting down the back of radiators)

just cut the plastic roller off,then tape up the metal,and you have a good sturdy snake hook

cheers shaun

[Kingsnakechris]

Are those longer then the standard paint rollers? Lol I like a good distance between me and the snake especially since 75% of the time you flip a piece of wood or junk or whatever, it's usually a western diamond back smiling up at you.....

[millertime89]

I would be a little worried about the strength of those when used with any of the bigger species.

[Kingsnakechris]

Yeah, I guess it's back to my golf clubs lol

[millertime89]

I too would like to see a thread about how you go about making those. I think I've got a pretty good idea but would like pictures to verify that what I'm picturing in my head is correct. I saw someone on one of the retic FB pages I frequent that mentioned doing something similar but he welds them.

[Kingsnakechris]

Ok, I'm on the hunt today for golf clubs at yard sales, I usually find a bunch but some people want ALOT for them. As soon as I find a few I'll post step by step instructions with pics. I really am a terrible teacher tho lol

[Kingsnakechris]

And I'm terrible at welding so I improvised :laugh:

[Kingsnakechris]

Found the golf club. Going to walmart tomorrow to get the hooks. I'll take pics of the step by step process for ya then.

[millertime89]

"tomorrow" was yesterday.