Making a Richard Walker Net.

Traditional landing nets large and small.
User avatar
Mark
Head Bailiff
Posts: 21142
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:55 pm
12
Location: Leicestershire
Contact:

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Mark »

Very nice indeed.
Mark (Administrator)

The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).

User avatar
TemeLAD
Crucian Carp
Posts: 970
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:16 pm
11

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by TemeLAD »

In a word "exquisite" WM+ :Hat:
"I can't wait to buy a bamboo pole and a filament of line and a tube of breadcrumbs. I want to participate in this practice which allows a man to be alone with himself in dignity and peace. It seems a very precious thing to me".

John Steinbeck

User avatar
Watermole+
Chub
Posts: 1040
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:07 pm
12
Location: Devon & Cornwall border

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Watermole+ »

Part 4. The Hinge Block complete.

..From reading the many posts on these nets, it would seem that this is the bit which poses the most problems to the would-be Richard Walker net maker. To be quite honest, to make this part properly, you do need a mill, or at the very least, a lathe with a milling attachment. It could conceivably be done by hacksaw and file, after the ferrule fitting has been turned on the lathe, but that would be a very laborious process indeed -and it would be very difficult to maintain any accuracy at all.

I have neither a mill, nor a milling attachment, but have found that by clamping a job to the lathe saddle, it is possible by holding the cutter in the chuck, that a crude, very time-consuming, but effective form of milling can be achieved..certainly good enough for this job!
As this will be a 'trial' net, it won't matter too much if it doesn't come out right, because lessons will be learnt and taken on board for when we make a 'proper' R.W. net.
I am going to make this in a very basic, easy-to-follow, step-by-step way, with lots of pictures and hopefully, you will find it reasonably interesting..

..So then, let's get started!

Dick says that it should be made from Duralumin. I only have one piece of this material left, so am going to save that and use a good tooling grade, aluminium alloy instead. The only piece I could buy cheaply, was an round offcut from the Merchant's scrap bin. This was a bit bigger than I wanted but far cheaper than buying rectangular stock of a more suitable size.
The first step was to mount it in the lathe chuck, face off the end and take a light skim off the outside diameter, like this..

Image

Then reverse it in the chuck, making sure it is running reasonably true and do likewise to the other end. It doesn't matter at all, what size, length or diameter, just so long as you have a clean billet of material with parallel end faces.
Next, set up the 4-jaw chuck and mount the billet sideways. Then turn off material from the face (carefully!) to achieve a 'flat', like this..

Image

..We have now done one, so turn it around in the chuck, making sure it is flush against the chuck face and do the same to the opposite side.

Image

Next, re-position it adjacent in the chuck and face off. Turn it again and face off the opposite face so you produce a block..and one awful lot of aluminium swarf!!!

Image

Again, it doesn't matter what size you make it to, just as long as it will be big enough for the job..in this case, we have lots of material to be removed yet. Nor should you waste time getting a good finish; grooves like corduroy are good enough because every face has to be re-machined. You should now have something like this..

Image

Now we come to the tricky bit, because although the cutting ops. are basic, it must be set up right and your calculations have to exact. We now have to put in two slots, which must be the same width+clearance as the net arms and must also be parallel and to leave a calculated width in the centre. To do this, measure the block width, deduct what you wish to leave in the centre and divide the result by 2. That is the depth to which you must mill each side. I clamped the block to the lathe saddle, ensuring the middle was the same centre height as the lathe chuck and then 'clocked' the edge true. Then , with a suitable cutter, gradually went deeper, 0.010" at a time, until the cut was to depth. Then the block had to be turned around, clocked up dead true and the process repeated, like this..

Image

I will not deny, it took a long time to do this way, but the right result was achieved. With a vertical mill, this could be done in 1/2 hour...! Anyway, your block should now resemble this..

Image

The next step is to drill and ream the holes for the pivot screws. Later, I will tap a thread through and drill a clearance hole through on one side only..

Image

It is easier to do this at this stage, rather than later because you still have nice, square faces to grip on in the vice, but be very careful in marking out, exactly where the holes have to go, frequently checking your drawing.

Now it's back to the lathe and to face off that unwanted material to bring the block to finished thickness. Note the use of 'pads' to support and give extra grip to the lathe jaws..

Image

Do this to both sides. Now that you have some finished surfaces, take care not to mark-or damage them. The next steps are very interesting because you can see the block start to take on it's finished shape. Set up and position in the chuck and start to cut away material to produce the diameter where the handle will go. Take great care that this is exactly centralized, because from now on, everything is relative to this. Note also the use of pads to protect the finished surfaces..

Image

When you are confident that the job is centralized and true, rough out with small cuts to the approximate diameter, but do not finish yet..
Then drill through with a 3/8" clearance drill. Dick says 13/32" but 25/64" will be ample..

Image

Next, bore out to diameter and depth, to accept the brass handle ferrule..

Image

Now you can finish turning the outside to good size and finish, putting on any decoration that may be desired. I thought that a tapered rear face would look rather nice..

Image

Next, it's back to the vice to finish those screw holes and countersink one side only to suit your screws. I am going to make mine from brass with a 45 degree c/sunk head.

Image

Now you can cut away material from the front. I am going to leave a 5/8" dia. x 3/4" long spigot, which will locate inside the spreader block to give absolute rigidity. I turned a piece of delrin to an interference fit in the bore of the block, for it to locate on, supporting it with a running centre in the tailstock.

Image

...and that more-or-less completes machining operations. However, I thought it would look neater if the edges of the lugs were gently radiused off with a file to make them blend in more. But now, we still have to make the screws..
I made these from brass, turning to dia. and length, screw-cutting, parting off, then slotting the faces, the latter op. done with a hacksaw and needle file..

Image

Block and screws together..

Image

Now let's have a trial fitting to see if it all goes together..

Image

..and this is the story so far.

Image

The next thing will be to make the spreader block. I have in fact, already made a start on this..

..but that's enough for today!

Regards to all,

wm+

P.S. I am thinking of naming this net 'The Water Rail', in his honour..what do you think?
Last edited by Watermole+ on Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet one of them shall not fall without your Father knoweth" ..Jesus of Nazareth, King James AV

User avatar
Barbulus
Tench
Posts: 2508
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 1:51 pm
10

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Barbulus »

Whoever said you cannot improve on the original might well have got that wrong.....this is turning into a Masterclass for us....marvellous WM+...absolutely marvellous..............

User avatar
Michael
Tench
Posts: 2754
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:45 pm
12

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Michael »

Words are superfluous, or insufficient Watermole+ and I think you should call it the Watermole MK1.....
Last edited by Michael on Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
AshbyCut
Honorary President
Posts: 10142
Joined: Sun May 06, 2012 1:27 am
11
Location: North Warwickshire

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by AshbyCut »

Oh ... My ... Word !!!!!
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

User avatar
GarryProcter
Arctic Char
Posts: 1896
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:48 pm
11
Location: Wilt Shire

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by GarryProcter »

Astonishing wm+, I can't think of sufficiently spectacular superlatives!

User avatar
Snape
Bailiff
Posts: 9982
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:52 am
12
Location: North Oxfordshire
Contact:

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Snape »

Jaw dropping stuff. Amazing wm+! :Hat:
“Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers,” Herbert Hoover.
`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((º>

User avatar
Loop Erimder
Wild Carp
Posts: 9984
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:33 pm
11
Location: Leicestershire

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Loop Erimder »

Coming along nicely
Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish

User avatar
Beresford
Sea Trout
Posts: 4261
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:26 pm
12

Re: Making a Richard Walker Net.

Post by Beresford »

Looking beautiful.

WM+ Was there are reason why you decided to have both bolt heads on the same face of the hinge piece unlike Walker's design that had them placed on alternate faces? I've always wondered why he did this.
The Split Cane Splinter Group

Post Reply

Return to “Traditional Landing Nets”