Roll-yer-own net

Howdy,

Just finished my first homemade trout net. You can see pics at:

http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/net01.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/net02.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/net03.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/net04.jpg

I'd been wanting to try my hand at woodbending, and this seemed like
a good way to ease myself into it. I built a steambox out of exterior
ply and used a large kettle that the Lee Valley Tools folks sell just
for that purpose.

I planned to make the net out of walnut and maple, but the walnut I
had had too much grain runout and split as I tried bending it. The
maple worked a treat. The handle piece was some showy curly maple I've
kept around the shop for "special occasions".

As can be seen from the photos, there are some gaps, especially
where the handle fits the frame, but those appear to be only cosmetic;
there is no movement at all.

Thanks to Bill "Giving Librarians A Bad Name" Claspy for advice on
wood-bending and such.

FWIW, the bow is 12" long, so it should be just the right size for
my trip to Graham County this June. :-)


Chuck Vance

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
Howdy,

Just finished my first homemade trout net. You can see pics at:


very nice!- I've been thinking of trying a net as well. Did you build a
mandrel to bend the laminates around?

jh

John Hightower wrote:

very nice!- I've been thinking of trying a net as well. Did you build a
mandrel to bend the laminates around?

I built a bending frame from MDF. (It also served as the gluing
frame.) Laid out the contours I wanted, sawed just wide of the lines
and used a rasp/sandpaper to finish up. I drilled holes for clamps at
strategic places on the form, and screwed it to another piece of MDF.
Covered everything with packing tape to prevent sticking when doing the
glueup.

There was an article in an old FWW (1992?) on bending and laminating
a trout net, and I followed that pretty closely.


Chuck Vance

"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
Howdy,

Just finished my first homemade trout net. You can see pics at:


very nice!- I've been thinking of trying a net as well. Did you build a
mandrel to bend the laminates around?

jh