jimbo1984
Well-Known Member
Please let me know when you do
Anyone make their own purse/gate/long nets?
- Thread starter FrenchieBoy
- Start date
I used to buy lengths of spun poly netting from Bridport Nets and a spool of cord (bright yellow for visibility) and loose rings and then make up purse nets by threading and ringing them myself. Less work than knitting from scratch but cheaper than ready-mades.
I preferred spun poly to hemp. Doesn't get so wet, doesn't pick up twigs and it won't quietly rot and weaken with age till it lets go at the critical moment. Cheap and nasty nylon is horrible stuff.
Essexsussex
Well-Known Member
Jute seems to be readily available I expect that to work as well as hemp. Anyone have any experience with it? Might actually have been jute I used to use.
FrenchieBoy
Well-Known Member
Another question for the more knowledgeable - Which size is most preferable 3' 6" or 4" nets for general ferreting?
I ought to add that in my original post I have not worded it as well as i could have - I said that I wanted it to maybe earn me a bit of pocket money, what I should have said was that I would hope that I "might" be able to sell some of the finished nets just to cover the costs of the materials rather than some "hobbies" that just cost money and give nothing back.
At the moment I am just "seriously thinking" about net making, I have not made a final decision has yet.
I ought to add that in my original post I have not worded it as well as i could have - I said that I wanted it to maybe earn me a bit of pocket money, what I should have said was that I would hope that I "might" be able to sell some of the finished nets just to cover the costs of the materials rather than some "hobbies" that just cost money and give nothing back.
At the moment I am just "seriously thinking" about net making, I have not made a final decision has yet.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
My uncle ( long gone now) only ever set hemp for his nets, as well as being the Estate stockman, he also had the jobs of Warrener and Mole catcher, I spent many many hours with him, learning the tricks of the trade 50 years later, I still have the passion for Ferreting and Mole trapping, but confess to having lost the knack of tying nets for some reason although I can match the quality on repair work
i still use hemp nets., I suppose 50% hemp and the rest nylon heavy gauge nets, all work as they should, I recently lost quite a few hemp nets due purely to age.
Thanks to two SD members generosity, they have been replenished and are all good to go for a few more years
heavy duty nylon are easy to use and no drying out really, but I grew up on hemp nets and the care required to keep em good rabbit catcher
good luck on your venture, it would be nice to have a net maker amongst us, particularly for gate nets and 4’ nets for multi rabbit burrows coverage
my choice for a net would be 4’ with a yellow draw string in heavy nylon, good size and low maintenance
i still use hemp nets., I suppose 50% hemp and the rest nylon heavy gauge nets, all work as they should, I recently lost quite a few hemp nets due purely to age.
Thanks to two SD members generosity, they have been replenished and are all good to go for a few more years
heavy duty nylon are easy to use and no drying out really, but I grew up on hemp nets and the care required to keep em good rabbit catcher
good luck on your venture, it would be nice to have a net maker amongst us, particularly for gate nets and 4’ nets for multi rabbit burrows coverage
my choice for a net would be 4’ with a yellow draw string in heavy nylon, good size and low maintenance
The 'reels' of garden twine (green or brown) will have probably been jute.
As I said in an earlier post, when I first started, that is what I first used -nets made from Jute definitely need to be properly dried after use.
I also used nylon of different colours, as well as using the stuff that 'crab lines' (the orange stuff) are made from - that needs to be double knotted though.
I always made 4 footers. A big net will still work on a small hole but not necessarily the other way round.
Don't forget peg material. Cheap kiln-dried softwood from a builders merchant doesn't last very long and tends to split. Hardwood is best if you can get it. I managed to get my hands on some warped mahogany planks which made brilliant pegs.
Don't forget peg material. Cheap kiln-dried softwood from a builders merchant doesn't last very long and tends to split. Hardwood is best if you can get it. I managed to get my hands on some warped mahogany planks which made brilliant pegs.
hedge hunter
Well-Known Member
I made four footers.as finch says they work on small holes.adding on a couple more meshes as I want along and then reduced them as I finished. I'd have too show you cant explain it properly. Hemp is lovely too work with but a bugger too lose in the dead grass so make em with something that stands out.the Warren's I used too work in the Dale's where massive. So I started using long nets.not good netting fifty or more holes .hard work but boy did I love it
hedge hunter
Well-Known Member
Any one noticed a rise in rabbit numbers on there patch
Picking up now and all healthy.
I took to using quick set basket-fed long nets as well. It's just so much quicker to ring the whole bury with a long net. If you're on your own it's much easier if the action hots up. And you lose fewer when you're not having to take your eye off the ball to reset individual nets or sort out tangles.
I had a couple of 50 yard nets on fibreglass poles and I could cover most buries with those. Still took a bag of purse nets though because there's always stray holes that you can't cover with the long nets, or obstacles that get in the way. Most buries have emergency exit holes which are often set a little away from the main holes and are usually hidden in undergrowth or covered with leaves. They need to be found and netted so you're always going to need some purse nets.
I took to using quick set basket-fed long nets as well. It's just so much quicker to ring the whole bury with a long net. If you're on your own it's much easier if the action hots up. And you lose fewer when you're not having to take your eye off the ball to reset individual nets or sort out tangles.
I had a couple of 50 yard nets on fibreglass poles and I could cover most buries with those. Still took a bag of purse nets though because there's always stray holes that you can't cover with the long nets, or obstacles that get in the way. Most buries have emergency exit holes which are often set a little away from the main holes and are usually hidden in undergrowth or covered with leaves. They need to be found and netted so you're always going to need some purse nets.
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hedge hunter
Well-Known Member
I hope so.miss stalking em with the 22.not shot a rabbit for months on my ground in hope the can make a come back
4' or 4 & 1/2', better looking at it than looking for it.
Make a couple poke nets about 5' double pegged (eg on each end) , very handy
Mesh size - I used a 2 & 1/4" mesh gauge give approx 4 & 1/2" , the slightly wider mesh allows the ferret plus collar to pass through a bit easierthan the 4" mesh
Two tone nets will prob be easier to sell if thats the route you going down.
On a shaped net, I tend to use yellow for a few rows, change to black or green for main body of net, then back to yellow to the finished ring.
This helps identify your own nets and the yellow ends help the net stand out when picking up too.
Good quality rings are a must, 30mm gives a little extra weight on a windy day and allows a fuller needle to pass through when knitting.
I always use a double knot too, not because I don't trust my singles but find the double knotted net lies just that bit better on a windy day.
Each to their own but hope that helps
I've used jute but found it a bit on the heavy side especially when wet. Nothing against it but certainly not as good as hemp.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
some areas i have permission have all but disappeared, but just 5 miles away they are in really good numbers, control wise ferreting in the winter, summer time the .22
just shows what time does. i now have a tendecey to keep an eye on the areas more than i used to just to see numbers breeding and bolters emerging,
Frenchy, I have made tonns over the years , I can show u how I do it , and if I can find my needles your welcome to them , smooth nylon is a pig to use spun is far easier, the knots dont slip and it wont rot , you will need a 2 inch wide piece of thin but strong wood or even strong plastic will do , fairly busy with shooting but can put a night to one side to show you, you have given a lot on here , it would be nice to put some your way , ps haven't forgot you want some rabbits !!
FrenchieBoy
Well-Known Member
Aaron, that would be great, whenever you have the time, there is no rush. I would really appreciate that!
I have to say that I was thinking of just getting a couple of 8" needles, a few rings, some cord for Draw Strings and some Jute (Or ideally Hemp) to see how I got on (Or how much of a cock up I could make
) to start with. If all was well then I would get a couple of reels of spun polyester to do the job properly.Essexsussex
Well-Known Member
exactly - I taught myself from a two side of a4 instruction at the age of 14 (before the days of YouTube!) I used them until they eventually gave up.Aaron, that would be great, whenever you have the time, there is no rush. I would really appreciate that!
I have to say that I was thinking of just getting a couple of 8" needles, a few rings, some cord for Draw Strings and some Jute (Or ideally Hemp) to see how I got on (Or how much of a cock up I could make
Add that little 2” piece of wood Aaron mentions and you are away.
there is nothing but about £20 to lose!
ES
I made all of mine with spun poly which is available in lots of bright colours, very handy if you are putting 50 - 60 nets out if you don't want to lose gathering in, a lot of mine are 2 colours, i was doing a darker colour to go ocver the hole then twigged the rabbits see them against a bright sky so was a bit pointless. Spun poly doesn't tangle like nylon and doesn't rot like hemp so if yo forget to dry after use its not the end of the world.
Very satisfying to make and use your own, a bit like reloading, but you won't get rich quick, i toyed with the idea of making and selling but for how long they take its just not worth it, but then i have very little spare time!! As said above, dead easy to try and won't cost much, some very good vid's on you tube on how to make. Braided nylon makes the best draw cord in my opinion.
Very satisfying to make and use your own, a bit like reloading, but you won't get rich quick, i toyed with the idea of making and selling but for how long they take its just not worth it, but then i have very little spare time!! As said above, dead easy to try and won't cost much, some very good vid's on you tube on how to make. Braided nylon makes the best draw cord in my opinion.
hedge hunter
Well-Known Member
Made my board and needle out of perspex.make sure you get whatever you use very smooth
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