Net Building

[Mitchell0724]

I was at Mitchell lake this fall and I saw an older fellow with his rod bent right over for like ten minutes. Finally I headed over to see what he had on and I helped him land a beautiful 23+ inch brown trout. I took a picture for him and he said he would pick it up the next day and he did. He also gave me a beautiful net he made. It's my favorite net I have he said he makes a bunch of them every year and gives them to friends and stuff. I'll have to take a picture of it sometime when I don't have so much homework.

 

It's not quite as nice as the nets on here though wow great job!

[CanadianFish]

Sorry for bringing up an old post but DANG!!! those are some beautiful nets you have all built. Gonna have to look into that book cause I am very interested in looking into this. Outta curiosity what would be te minimum required tools to buld one of these?

Again beautiful nets! Nice work!

 

Mike

 

Hey Mike.. thanks for the props..

 

Tools required... hmmmm well I am thinking there could be several options. But to make the one you see here, I used:

 

a router with a 1/4 roundover bit ( you could use a sander to soften the edges.. but for an even top notch job a router is the choice)

a dewalt table saw ( not a big industrial one.. just a small contractor style one)

about 10 C clamps (3")

a jig saw ( to cut out the template on which to mold the strips)

Belt or orbital sander ( I used very hard woods so.. so all the rough sanding was done with a belt sander)

and lots of sand paper 100 through 600 grit.

 

I really enjoyed the process... although it was alittle frusterating and some trial and error as i snapped 2 or 3 strips while bending them to the form.

 

would love to see what you come up with if you go ahead with it.. I am not on too much but feel free to PM me if you need some tips or help.

[TerryH]

Canadianfish has provided a good basic list of tools that I would see as the bare minimum. As you move up the line in the tool department, it just gets easier to do a really good job. Therefore, let me add some stuff that is in the "nice to have" category (tools are like fly rods -- you can never have enough)

 

router table -- for rounding over the edges and cutting a slot for the string that holds the net bag

bandsaw -- for cutting out the templates and pre-shaping the handles (i.e. where the net frame joins the handle)

a good carbide tip rip blade for your table saw (minimum 40 teeth) -- for cutting the thin strips for the frame

surface planer -- for reducing the strips to a uniform thickness with a good flat surface each side

drawing program -- like Autosketch, which allows you to design the frame so as to get the exact perimeter and shape you desire, and to print full scale drawings for templates

 

Hope this helps. Terry

[miked]

Thanks for the help guys, nothing too fancy needed tool wise. Thinking I will gives this a try as another little hobby. I'm lucky that y job can allow me several months a year off so lots of time to play. Thnk I may give this a try this summer, already have most of the tools and plan on picking up most of the others anyhow.

 

Once again.

 

Thanks all.

 

Mike

[fishpro]

Here's a net that I built last winter, along with a nice Crowsnest rainbow.

 

[Xplorer]

Hey guys, Great nets, very impressive.

 

I recently decided to try building my own net or nets. I was wondering where you guys buy the wood?

 

Thanks

Lance

 

[TerryH]

............... I was wondering where you guys buy the wood?

Windsor Plywood. They have every type of hardwood you'll ever want. Terry

[Xplorer]

Thanks Terry!

[Tungsten]

If its maple you guys want i got a constant supply from the garbage bins in new home construction.most sizes are 1x2 in 4'-2' lengths.

[brownonbow]

 

Try Blackforest.

 

Hey guys, Great nets, very impressive.

 

I recently decided to try building my own net or nets. I was wondering where you guys buy the wood?

 

Thanks

Lance

 

[LlamaLeach]

thanks terry

 

had plan to build many a year ago

 

after reading your posts, it reminds me to get back to the shop and make a couple of these.

 

thanks again

 

great pics,

 

[CanadianFish]

Black forest is alittle expensive..

 

Garbage bins could work, but for my purposes would be too small.. I think the shorest piece I would want to use is 6' long..

[TerryH]

............... I think the shortest piece I would want to use is 6' long..

I agree.

[Brunsie]

We built a couple of nets this winter/spring.

I bought ghost nets to put on them but the string is too short to go all the way around.

Does anybody have an idea as to where to buy string. Kite string is too thin and Michael's doesn't have anything other than hemp or cotton which probably wouldn't last that long.

 

thanks

BK

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

try to find some Para Cord, then use one of the small string inside. This should hold for years

[Gaffer]

You can also try one of the camping stores or MEC. That carry lots of different cord & rope. Paracord can be bought a Crown Surplus in Inglewood for a decent price.

 

Gel spun backing may also work. It is pretty damn strong.

 

Andrew

[TerryH]

The stuff I use was bought at Michael's probably 10 years ago. The last time this subject came up, it didn't appear they carried it anymore but you might find something similar. It's a very heavy black crochet cord (Opera size 5 by Coats). Although it's only about 1mm in diameter, it's plenty strong, and matches closely the material in a C&R mesh bag. Terry

[DiabeticKripple]

nice stuff guys.

 

since i have access to my school woodshop, i should make a jig and do these on the side for some cash, as well as for myself

[danhunt]

We built a couple of nets this winter/spring.

I bought ghost nets to put on them but the string is too short to go all the way around.

Does anybody have an idea as to where to buy string. Kite string is too thin and Michael's doesn't have anything other than hemp or cotton which probably wouldn't last that long.

 

thanks

BK

 

For the string I'd try the black braided ice fishing line that usually comes with tip-ups. ::ice fish:: It is a black, braided synthetic that should be about the right thickness and plenty strong enough.

 

[Brunsie]

Thanks guys

As we're using ghost bags, we don't want the string too thin for fear it will cut the rubber.

After I posted yesterday, the lights came on and I went to Brodin's web site. They use 80lb Dacron which is available as planer board line.

 

Oncwe again thanks for your posts

BK

[dryfly]

Tejas Ultra lace is what you want.

 

 

Strong and durable. This lace will outlast the wood frame when installed properly. Michaels sells this stuff but unfortunately only in large (read, expensive) rolls. A small craft shop here in Lethbridge (The Craft Store) sells it by the foot.

 

You need 3X the circumference of the net hoop...that's a bit generous (and a PITA when starting to lace the net in), but you must have enough and only 2X is not enough.

 

You can read about installing net bags into a frame in this book here.

 

Clive

 

 

 

 

 

[DonAndersen]

Brunsie,

 

What is your address - I got a a couple of thousand yards of 110 lb. Dacron line [similar to backing] . It's what I use on my nets. Got mine from BC where it's used to land halibut.

 

No rot - no stretch.

 

Cabella's sells a similar product. http://www.cabelas.com/product/2008-Cabela...ch-All+Products

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[Brunsie]

Thanks Don

Problem solved for now.

However we'll probably build more nets in the future, so maybe next time we're on the same water, I' get a bit of the 110# from you.

 

BK

[dryfly]

TerryH will know better then me. IMHO the Dacron (even 110#) could cut the ghost bags and you'd be better off with a flat cord like the Tejas. It is about 3mm wide and 1 mm thick and very strong.

 

Clive

[DonAndersen]

Clive,

 

I'd suspect that your right. Although the dacron will lay somewhat flat, I wouldn't use in on the new plastic bags. On nylon bags it works just fine.

 

regards,

 

 

Don