Crabtree net

[MGs]

Does anyone have one of these, or a similar modern equivalent (pear/teardrop)? Having finished my dual top Walker style and being fidgety when I don't have a project on hand, I'm after a new project. I would like to know the dimensions of said net (top of the handle to front of net and width). I have a lot of cane left from the last project which I am looking to split, steam bend and laminate to make the Crabtree style. Having already been put off the bent ash by some information supplied by Snape.

[Paul Cook]

MG , what are your concerns regarding the bent ash . I will guarantee you that bending and laminating tonkin [ my guess that is what you intend to do] will cause you far more trouble than the ash . If you are going to use two strips of bamboo and laminate them together you are going to have to heat treat each strip seperately , bend them and then glue and fix to a former . If the two surfaces are not completely flat you will find that you will have some serious gaps . You wont realise this until you have done all the hardwork only to find that when you take the frame off the former there will be gaps in the glue line which look terrible and make a weak joint .
I am happy to talk through the procedure if you wish to PM me .

[Snape]

I am happy to let you have the dimensions of my Barder 'Crabtree' net.

[Flightliner]

Hi, A year ago I set myself the same project and constructed a former to the desired teardrop shape and ran off 2.5mm strips of spruce some 25 mm wide. The resulting frame is rather nice, the only thing needed now to finnish the job is for someone with the engineering skill/capacity to make some fitting suitable for fixing the frame to the handle of their choice , this part of the job I left purposely as I wouldnt be using it on account of having something very similar already. If anybody on here would like to see the frame I will gladly send them a picture by e-mail if they can forward theirs to me by pm. I have fitted a net to it and it really is something .! :thumb:
I have given the matter some thought of late and have decided to let it go and may advertise it soon.

[Mark]

Just managed to purchase the following landing net.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280849650528? ... 1439.l2649

[MGs]

Mark

That is interesting. A really good price and a good looking net. I have seen footage of people bending whole cane. Looks like a feasible option. I have plenty of suitable cane so may give it a go.

[Weyfarer]

Mark

I have seen footage of people bending whole cane.

Me too - my headmaster of some fifty years ago. Yep the good ole days.


Major Sawbum

[Mark]

Mark
I have seen footage of people bending whole cane.

Me too - my headmaster of some fifty years ago. Yep the good ole days.

Major Sawbum

I use to get it on my left hand, at least four or five time a year.

[MGs]

Have a look on you tube. The cane is bored out with a metal rod, filled with sand, then bent with a blow torch and pressure (whilst also being doused with a wet rag)

[MGs]

Thanks to the prompting from Mark's purchase and needing a stress free hour away from work (working at home) I had my first go at heat bending some cane. I'm fairly pleased with the result. The frame measures 24" x 18". It would seem to be difficult to plan on a size of net due to the differing flex in the fibres.
This was achieved by clamping the cane in a workmate, and applying heat (with a DIY heatgun) and varying degrees of pressure by hand. There are a few scorch marks at the top of the bend. This is where I had to apply more heat than I would have liked, to bend a stubborn section. I will probably have to flame the finished hoop as a consequence. Lots of work still to do.
My initial thought about fixing is to apply male ferrules and use my existing female ferruled block. This would give me 3 different nets to fit to one handle. I'm also making a shorter handle for some trout fishing. Which will probably mean a smaller bent cane net frame (although getting a tighter bend should be easier with some narrower cane).

Oh well better get on with some work, instead of messing about with nets