Homemade

[MGs]

Nobby

I will ring them shortly. Thanks

I have sent you a PM

Mark

[Snape]

You could age it with bluing solution eg Birchwood Casey Perma Blue Liquid
http://www.blackleyandson.com/acatalog/ ... .html#a112
These modern 'safe' bluing solutions can be a bit lame though.
So alternatively post it to me and I'll blue it with some of the Walker recipe old-fashion 'killer' stuff which contains arsenic!
This is a general offer to anyone who might want ferrules etc bluing.
I can't risk sending the nasty stuff out through the post and you have to know how to handle it.
No risk once it is applied and washed though.

[MGs]

Bluing would make it look nicer. would also do the same to the alloy part of the handle, below the thread.

This type of spreader, has one disadvantage, which I identified whilst toying with the Walker style net. That is, that it would become a fixed net, so only transportable in its spread state. It also means fitting the arms after the net is fitted, which means working with at least one of the arms under tension. (Most modern nets accommodate the arm inside the net, rather than being laced to it. This option would also take me slightly away from the aim of trying to make/re-use as many things as possible, thereby keeping down the cost and maintaining the satisfaction.

What have I done I seem to have made a rod for my own back (pun intended) by starting on this project.
Oh well, back to varnishing the handle...I really ought to get some work done at some stage

[Nobby]

Thanks for the pm's on this fellers.

It seems my impression that English ash would do was wrong! Damn!!

I only recently learned that English yew is no good for making longbows either.....don't tell the French what ever you do :chuckle:

[Davyr]

I only recently learned that English yew is no good for making longbows either.....don't tell the French what ever you do :chuckle:

Very true, that - English yew is too slow-growing and knotty to make really good bows. The yew wood for the best English longbows was imported from warmer climes such as Spain and Portugal. It's now becoming quite scarce and is mostly sourced from the USA.

A yew bow from one of the best makers, Richard Head (stop sniggering at the back!), costs a lot of money:

http://www.english-longbow.co.uk/largep ... 20Yew.html

[Weyfarer]

Bluing would make it look nicer. would also do the same to the alloy part of the handle, below the thread.

This type of spreader, has one disadvantage, which I identified whilst toying with the Walker style net. That is, that it would become a fixed net, so only transportable in its spread state. It also means fitting the arms after the net is fitted, which means working with at least one of the arms under tension. (Most modern nets accommodate the arm inside the net, rather than being laced to it. This option would also take me slightly away from the aim of trying to make/re-use as many things as possible, thereby keeping down the cost and maintaining the satisfaction.

What have I done I seem to have made a rod for my own back (pun intended) by starting on this project.
Oh well, back to varnishing the handle...I really ought to get some work done at some stage

Why don't you fit a short sleeve of brass tubing to the ends of the cane arms, in other words make two male ferrules that will fit into the spreader block. Assuming the arms have enough flex in them you will be able to dismantle (and mantle!) the net as per bog standard modern carp nets.

[MGs]

Oh well, the first cuts have been made. MK I is in production. I have decided at this stage that ease and simplicity are the key. Therefore, I have cut two arms (too long at this stage). These will remain round at the base (spreader end) to allow for them to be fitted to the spreader. They will be tapered to provide two flatter faces to each arm. One decision being how much to taper them. Firstly, to maintain strength and secondly, to look pleasing. I am also looking for suitable rings to whip onto the arm ends to hold the para cord.
The two, one inch, mahogany blocks will be glued together, then drilled to take the 3/8 bolt. This will then hold them whilst I drill the more tricky 18mm holes to hold the arms. I had forgotten how difficult it was to hand cut mahogany.
I am not in a position to fit the arms as the net mesh has not arrived, so I cannot determine the angle required to fit. Only when I have determined this angle can I shape the outer faces of the mahogany. I have considered using a router to cut a suitable semi circular groove down the outside of the spreader and using an aluminium plates to secure the arms behind them. Perhaps this will be MK II.



Handle now complete and varnished.

[MGs]

MK I bites the dust. Boring the holes for the arms proved too much for the spreader, which split down the middle.

Back to the drawing board.

MK II likewise. I tried with a rough spreader cut from 1" hardwood marine ply. A similar scenario. Away with the power tools. It would appear that they are too brutal and without the fine control required.

MK III will be a sandwich of two V shaped 2mm aluminium strips holding the arms. Unless I can come up with something more harebrained in the meantime

[Mark]

MG's, here are some close up's of my wooden spreader block. Not sure if this will help you.

[MGs]

Mark, thanks. This was similar to what I was thinking of for attaching the arms to the outside. The problem being to attach the arms to what would be the spreader block, which is why I was considering aluminium plate to cover the cut away sections of your block.

Looking at yours, it seems to be oak, which is interesting.

At least it gives me something else to consider.....the air in the garage was pretty blue this afternoon