The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've recently decided I'd like to have a go at making a landing net and pole. I've sourced some nice oak for a spreader block for starters. I want to make a tear drop cane net head. My question is can I form my block and drill two holes to accept the two ends like a modern spreader block but without any alloy or brass work and glue them in rather than screw to the sides of the cane with the ends sitting on the side of the block ?
Obviously I'll need brass work to attach the pole.

Any feedback as always will be very much appreciated

Hi Bob, are you planning on using whole cane and bending it to shape , or cutting a Culm to size , planing , sizing and bending.

I have made a couple of smaller nets , but they were made as you described by screwing flat planed cane to the outsides of the wooden spreader block and sheathing them outside again with Brass. I can put up a photo if that is the case .

There are several posts on here by members who have made their nets out of whole cane, maybe somebody will be able to assist,if that is the case as I have not tried a whole cane net frame myself.

OMR

Old Man River wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 8:35 pm Hi Bob, are you planning on using whole cane and bending it to shape , or cutting a Culm to size , planing , sizing and bending.

I have made a couple of smaller nets , but they were made as you described by screwing flat planed cane to the outsides of the wooden spreader block and sheathing them outside again with Brass. I can put up a photo if that is the case .

There are several posts on here by members who have made their nets out of whole cane, maybe somebody will be able to assist,if that is the case as I have not tried a whole cane net frame myself.

OMR

Good evening OMR yes I'm planning on using whole cane and heating and shaping. I've spent a fair bit of time looking through old posts in this thread and haven't come across anyone drilling and gluing the whole cane straight into the wooden spreader block. I was thinking either I've missed a post or two or there is a good reason not to do this ???

Cant think of one offhand Bob, but as I say it would probably be better speaking with somebody who has experience of whole cane net construction, my only concern would be that the oak spreader may split if the cane was under tension, if it is heated and bent to shape before inserting hopefully it would be OK , you could always reinforce the oak spreader with some flat shaped brass, if it took your fancy.
Keep us informed !

OMR.

I drilled a block with my bent whole cane. The block is made from marine ply. I drilled it and inserted alloy tubing, then slid the bent cane into it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1225&hilit=bent&start=30

I can try posting a couple of other pictures if it helps

MGs wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:02 pm I drilled a block with my bent whole cane. The block is made from marine ply. I drilled it and inserted alloy tubing, then slid the bent cane into it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1225&hilit=bent&start=30

I can try posting a couple of other pictures if it helps

That would be wonderful thank you sir

BobTheFloat wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 pm

MGs wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:02 pm I drilled a block with my bent whole cane. The block is made from marine ply. I drilled it and inserted alloy tubing, then slid the bent cane into it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1225&hilit=bent&start=30

I can try posting a couple of other pictures if it helps

That would be wonderful thank you sir

Here you go. It is looking a bit battered now but has provided 7 years of good service and is sturdy enough to cope with double figure carp.


The alloy tubing is approximately 2cm in diameter and from memory came from an old landing net pole or the outer part of an extending bank stick. I only used this because of the use of ply. If I had used a solid piece of hardwood, I would probably have just glued the cane in directly. The smaller end of the cane has an alloy sleeve on it to bring it up to the same size. Which would have been from the inner part of the bank stick or net handle.

MGs wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 8:54 am

BobTheFloat wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 pm

MGs wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:02 pm I drilled a block with my bent whole cane. The block is made from marine ply. I drilled it and inserted alloy tubing, then slid the bent cane into it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1225&hilit=bent&start=30

I can try posting a couple of other pictures if it helps

That would be wonderful thank you sir

Here you go. It is looking a bit battered now but has provided 7 years of good service and is sturdy enough to cope with double figure carp.


The alloy tubing is approximately 2cm in diameter and from memory came from an old landing net pole or the outer part of an extending bank stick. I only used this because of the use of ply. If I had used a solid piece of hardwood, I would probably have just glued the cane in directly. The smaller end of the cane has an alloy sleeve on it to bring it up to the same size. Which would have been from the inner part of the bank stick or net handle.

Thanks MGs unless anyone comes forward with a good reason not to glue the cane straight into the oak spreader other than aesthetics that's the direction I'll take

As well as oak I also have a piece of teak which is lovely think I'll try both

Terry, from my point of view as a joiner, I wouldn't use oak for the spreader, specially, if the spreader should be similar to the one, OMR has made of ply wood. Oak, or what ever hardwood you might use, will certainly crack as soon as you put pressure on the quite small joints.
You can, of course, make your own 3-layer ply wood from the oak you have. This will be much stronger than the solid oak as it is.
Generally speaking, gluing the cane directly in wood shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure, that it is a very tight fit. You want the joint to be as strong as possible without any glue. The latter should only keep everything in place.