Greg Madrigal
06-08-2013, 01:26 PM
I have been super busy as of late and unable to post for a while, but this is one of my latest nets. I love this unique net!
This net handle is made from an Australian Banksia Pod. You can see pics of it below. It's much like our native pine cones here in North America, but denser. In recent years, the pod crop coming out of Australia has been comparatively small, and the size of the pods are small as well. This pod was purchased a few years back and was just barely large enough to make a net from. I vacuum stabilized this handle blank with an acrylic resin before gluing it up. This ensures a better water resistance and a stronger handle. The handle is inlaid in copper and Kingman Turquoise. The hoop is black Walnut & Curly Maple. All holes were left open per the client. The lanyard hole has a pressed in copper ferrule. All writing on the net is inlaid in copper to a depth of around 1/16".
The female who commissioned this net, well, who told her fly fishing hubby she wanted it, is an avid fly fisher.
Cutting the pod on the bandsaw to get to the center.
http://i.imgur.com/wnpCsEF.jpg?2
Here is what the inside looks like....Just like the outside only flat!
http://i.imgur.com/fwpKDZA.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/JidTMoo.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/jM5tjF1.jpg?3
Cutting away the riff raff. The seed pod is made up of tiny c 3/32" clumps of compressed straight-fiber balls. These Little tiny compressed fuzz balls get EVERYWHERE while sawing! They get tighter, and harder, the closer you get to the center. Near the center, it is as hard as oak.
http://i.imgur.com/bX3svtC.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/DAW8Bjc.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/Q2lWXbJ.jpg?2
The finished blank ready for stabilization. Note the aforementioned tiny clumps of compressed fiber balls at the top.
http://i.imgur.com/C8wjO2f.jpg?1
The completed net with after 10 coats of a proprietary hand-mixed Danish Oil mixture. Seen at the peak of the hoop is a Latigo Leather magnetic net release I make. More close-ups of that below.
http://i.imgur.com/rO8FsV8.jpg?2
Here you can see the inlaid Kingman Turquoise & copper in the wood's natural inclusions.
http://i.imgur.com/gnp9uug.jpg?2
This is the backside where a large inclusion was filled with Kingman Turquoise & copper.
http://i.imgur.com/xynzDnH.jpg?2
Note in this photo the "stem" of the banksia pod shows at both ends of the handle.
http://i.imgur.com/fl58Ifw.jpg?2
Also note the pattern at the center of the handle. Very unique.
http://i.imgur.com/27Mskdr.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/jvyunBo.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/SKhkLYb.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/WC4uKv9.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/DIuY07R.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/iOsZ6tR.jpg?2
This is a close up of the Magnetic Net Release. It is made from Curly Maple & Black Walnut Burl. The magnet is quite a bit stronger than those I have seen in the marketplace. Personally, I hate it when my net hits the deck while I'm traversing rough terrain, especially boulders.
http://i.imgur.com/CwKWpsC.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/Qn3TBOG.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/dK1ACf7.jpg?2
Since this is an heirloom net, I carve the writing into the hoop using a .020" spiral carbide router bit (which are VERY prone to breaking w/o a steady hand by the way) Then, the writing is inlaid with copper to provide permanent markings. Wenda happens to be the owner's name.
http://i.imgur.com/A5JELsP.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/CRjVQBP.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/OF4BYTP.jpg?1
Here you can see the hand-tied lanyard and the pressed-in copper ferrule.
http://i.imgur.com/bdPMus0.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/ky8vUlk.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/O2AHJqw.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/iwPmBwz.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/0KB1TFN.jpg?2
Hope ya'll enjoyed.
Greg
This net handle is made from an Australian Banksia Pod. You can see pics of it below. It's much like our native pine cones here in North America, but denser. In recent years, the pod crop coming out of Australia has been comparatively small, and the size of the pods are small as well. This pod was purchased a few years back and was just barely large enough to make a net from. I vacuum stabilized this handle blank with an acrylic resin before gluing it up. This ensures a better water resistance and a stronger handle. The handle is inlaid in copper and Kingman Turquoise. The hoop is black Walnut & Curly Maple. All holes were left open per the client. The lanyard hole has a pressed in copper ferrule. All writing on the net is inlaid in copper to a depth of around 1/16".
The female who commissioned this net, well, who told her fly fishing hubby she wanted it, is an avid fly fisher.
Cutting the pod on the bandsaw to get to the center.
http://i.imgur.com/wnpCsEF.jpg?2
Here is what the inside looks like....Just like the outside only flat!
http://i.imgur.com/fwpKDZA.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/JidTMoo.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/jM5tjF1.jpg?3
Cutting away the riff raff. The seed pod is made up of tiny c 3/32" clumps of compressed straight-fiber balls. These Little tiny compressed fuzz balls get EVERYWHERE while sawing! They get tighter, and harder, the closer you get to the center. Near the center, it is as hard as oak.
http://i.imgur.com/bX3svtC.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/DAW8Bjc.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/Q2lWXbJ.jpg?2
The finished blank ready for stabilization. Note the aforementioned tiny clumps of compressed fiber balls at the top.
http://i.imgur.com/C8wjO2f.jpg?1
The completed net with after 10 coats of a proprietary hand-mixed Danish Oil mixture. Seen at the peak of the hoop is a Latigo Leather magnetic net release I make. More close-ups of that below.
http://i.imgur.com/rO8FsV8.jpg?2
Here you can see the inlaid Kingman Turquoise & copper in the wood's natural inclusions.
http://i.imgur.com/gnp9uug.jpg?2
This is the backside where a large inclusion was filled with Kingman Turquoise & copper.
http://i.imgur.com/xynzDnH.jpg?2
Note in this photo the "stem" of the banksia pod shows at both ends of the handle.
http://i.imgur.com/fl58Ifw.jpg?2
Also note the pattern at the center of the handle. Very unique.
http://i.imgur.com/27Mskdr.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/jvyunBo.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/SKhkLYb.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/WC4uKv9.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/DIuY07R.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/iOsZ6tR.jpg?2
This is a close up of the Magnetic Net Release. It is made from Curly Maple & Black Walnut Burl. The magnet is quite a bit stronger than those I have seen in the marketplace. Personally, I hate it when my net hits the deck while I'm traversing rough terrain, especially boulders.
http://i.imgur.com/CwKWpsC.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/Qn3TBOG.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/dK1ACf7.jpg?2
Since this is an heirloom net, I carve the writing into the hoop using a .020" spiral carbide router bit (which are VERY prone to breaking w/o a steady hand by the way) Then, the writing is inlaid with copper to provide permanent markings. Wenda happens to be the owner's name.
http://i.imgur.com/A5JELsP.jpg?3
http://i.imgur.com/CRjVQBP.jpg?2
http://i.imgur.com/OF4BYTP.jpg?1
Here you can see the hand-tied lanyard and the pressed-in copper ferrule.
http://i.imgur.com/bdPMus0.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/ky8vUlk.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/O2AHJqw.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/iwPmBwz.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/0KB1TFN.jpg?2
Hope ya'll enjoyed.
Greg