# Steam Bending



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

*Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*

Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.

I built a custom fly rod back in 1998, and it is still my favorite (a 9ft 6wt on a Winston 3-piece LT blank). I was able to save 60% off the stock rod by building it myself. I was also able to get all of the features and performance that I was looking for, without having to compromise on materials or style. I get an extra thrill out of catching a beautiful trout with a fly I tied and a rod that I built myself.

One thing I always wanted to try was building my own custom landing net.

If the plan is to just make a functional net, I realize that this is one project that will not save me any money over buying a cheap net off the shelf. I was in my local Bass Pro Shops looking for a rubber replacement net bag to use on my frame (no luck) and I noticed that they had foreign made wooden nets with cheap nylon bags for sale as low as $4.99! I'll probably spend more on the glue to make my net!

I want a high quality net, with a rubber bag that is easier on the fish, as I tend to release almost all of the trout I catch. I plan to make mine much prettier and more durable than the cheap nets at Bass Pro Shops. I have all the materials on hand, so really, I'm making my net for the cost of a replacement net bag (I'm pretty good at convincing myself when I really want to build something).

To build a wooden net, I needed to learn steam bending, a woodworking technique that I have also wanted to try for quite a while. I checked out a few steam bending blogs here on Lumberjocks and I read all the books in my local library before working up the nerve to give it a try.

Here are some photos to show you my progress:

Here's my steamer set up. I used my Coleman camping stove as the heat source and my "lobster pot" from my backyard grill to boil the water.










I ripped several 3/8" strips from 60" boards using my table saw. This was a little dicey because I had to remove the blade guard in order to get the fence closer to the blade. I used a long push stick to feed the wood and made sure to position myself off to the side and out of the "line of fire". This is probably my least favorite wood working technique because it is the most dangerous.

The first two strips that I tried to bend, one cherry and one walnut, cracked and wound up in the scrap pile. I think I have this figured out now. My wood is all kiln dried and sits in my garage where the humidity is usually less than 10% and temps can get as high as 120F for weeks at a time in the summer. I decided to soak my strips in my swimming pool for 24 hours before attempting to steam them.

Once the water gets boiling, the steam rises up through the clear tubing and into the 3" ABS Pipe which serves as the "steam box". The temperature in the steam box gets up to 210F according to my kitchen thermometer.

After about an hour of "cooking". I took my strips of wood out of the steam box and bent them around a form that I made out of MDF secured with dowels to a Melamine base. The MDF ring is covered with clear packing tape so it won't get stuck to the net frame during the glue up process.










Above is a 3/8" strip of alder clamped around the frame and glued to a walnut handle. I used high quality waterproof wood glue.










Above is a 3/8" strip of walnut glued and clamped around the alder.










Above is a close up of the handle. I have a lot of hand shaping and sanding to do once the glue has dried.

This first net is built on a template with a 9" diameter (I traced a dinner plate on to MDF and cut it out with my jig saw). The length of the hoop is 13.5". The handle length is 9". This should be big enough for most of the trout I typically catch. Now I need to find a good deal on a net bag.

I plan to plane the strips even with my block plane (the walnut is slightly taller than the alder), round the hoop on all sides using sand paper, and shape the handle using a combination of hand rasps and my orbital spindle sander. I'll then drill the holes for stringing the net bag to match whatever net bag I decide to use (I'm leaning toward the Brodin rubber catch and release bag unless I can find a better price on a similar product). When it is ready for finishing, I will seal it with several coats of spar varnish I'm not sure if I will use any stain first or not. Once the varnish is dry, I'll attach the net bag and add a lanyard and a retainer clip to the handle.

Stay tuned for an update showing the shaping and finishing. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

Regards,

RetsofNV


----------



## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


I look forward to seeing the finished product.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


Nice job.

Steaming is a lot of fun and a very useful technique.

A couple of things that may help in the future:
1) try not to use kiln dried wood… life will be easier. The steaming kiln dries it anyway.
2) if you have trouble wih the corners slivering off and ruining pieces, take a tiny chamfer off each corner before steaming.


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tips. I'm not likely to find non-kiln dried wood out here in Las Vegas. We don't have the luxury of buying right from the mill out here in the middle of the Mojave Desert (unless I special order and have it shipped to me). For now, I'm experimenting with the wood I have on hand. Soaking it in the pool for 24 hours before steaming it seems to have done the trick. I bent a second net frame today out of cherry and walnut with a maple handle. I need to buy a few more clamps so I can bend more than one net at a time.


----------



## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


thanks for this blog

brings steaming to us beginners 
in a simple way we can understand

looking good


----------



## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


Nice job, but a couple of things hit me a bit off key. First was using a Coleman inside. VERY dangerous due to the fumes. Second is cutting thin strips using the fence so close to the blade. There's an easier, safer way and that is to use a thin strip cutting jig. The jig is simply a piece that locks into the miter slot and sets a distance from the blade but is set up ahead of the blade by several inches. To use it, you set the distance between the jig and the blade on the side opposite to the fence. You then lock the jig to the table's miter slot. You set the wood against the jig and bring the fence up snug against the board. Fire up the saw and make your cut with the majority of the board between the fence and the blade, leaving the thin strip free. To cut another strip, put the board against the jig and move the fence up snug to it again. Keep this up until you have enough strips cut or the board gets too narrow to safely run through the saw.
There are a number of simple jigs for this purpose here on LJ. You can make one in under an hour out of odds and ends around the shop.

Hope this helps.

Paul


----------



## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


By the way, my late father would have loved one of these. He retired to Campbell River, British Columbia as he loved fishing and hunting. His proudest moment fishing was his "Tyee pin" winner. To qualify for the pin, you must use no heavier than a 20 pound test line and you can't have your line and your outboard in the water at the same time. If you intend to troll, you must use oars.

Dad's fish was a 46 pound salmon. Took him an hour and forty five minutes to land. Got his photo on the front page of the local paper and his was the biggest taken by hook and line that year. To top it all off, he used a hand tied lure of his own design and work.

I think the grin on his face in that picture was bigger than the salmon! (grin)

Paul


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net*
> 
> Fly fishing is one of my other hobbies and like wood working, it can be very expensive. Thankfully, I've been fly fishing for close to 25 years and gradually acquired some really great gear that will last a lifetime. To keep costs under control, I like to tie my own flies and build as much of my own gear as possible.
> 
> ...


Hi Paul,

I've made three net frames so far with my steamer. I think I'm finally done with sanding and ready to move on to finishing them.

Thanks for the comments. I hope I can get to BC someday. It sounds like fly fishing paradise. I grew up on the East Coast and used to fish for landlocked Atlantic Salmon in Maine every summer.

I have only fished for Pacific Salmon at the Salmon River in Upstate New York (a tributary of Lake Ontario). I had one awesome day there back in late 1997, with my cousin-in-law. I landed several big fish on my 8wt fly rod and the largest was a 40lb male King Salmon with a huge hooked jaw. It's still the largest fish of any kind that I have ever caught. What I remember most was that I tripped on a submerged rock and went for a swim in 34F degree water (while snowing) while posing for a photo with that fish. I managed to hang on to it and I had it smoked. It was delicious. I was glad that I had a change of clothes in the car that day.

Now that I live in the middle of the Mojave Desert, I don't get to fish for salmon. I manage to make a few trips a year to fish for high elevation trout in Northern Nevada, the Eastern Sierras of California, or South-Central Utah (all between 4 - 5 hours drive from my home).

I try to be as safe as I can when I'm woodworking. The Coleman stove is technically inside my garage, but what you can't see in the photos is that it's only about a foot from the open garage door and there is a fan blowing out on top of the oak bookcase that is right behind the steamer. I've thought about moving my steamer to my backyard so I can run it off the side burner on my BBQ grill as I have a gas line from the house to the grill and won't have to use those little Coleman fuel bottles. First, I need to build a rack of some sort to support the steamer tube on the closed top of my grill and I haven't gotten around to that yet. Sounds like a good project to tackle this weekend.

I would love to cut my strips using the jig you suggested. I've researched them before. The problem I have is that my table saw is a Craftsman with non-standard miter slots and I have yet to find a source for aftermarket bar stock to fit the oddly shaped slots. I was able to make myself a crosscut sled by using maple runners on the outside edges of the table (I posted a video blog about this sled), but I haven't figured out a solution to allow the strip cutting jig on the left side of my blade yet. I was thinking maybe of trying the magnetic type that fastens to the table top if that will work with my saw. Another problem I think I will run into with my saw is making a zero clearance plate for it. It would require a very thin insert. The stock insert is pretty close to the blade on the right side, but there is a large gap on the left that I will need to close to cut strips on that side.

Someday, I'll have a better table saw, and all these problems will be a distant memory. At least I'll know exactly what I'm looking for when I can finally afford it.

- Regards,

Jeff


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

*Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net - Video Update*

Here's a video update on my steam bending project. Enjoy:


----------



## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net - Video Update*
> 
> Here's a video update on my steam bending project. Enjoy:


Nice job on the team bending. The finished and sanded net frame looks good.


----------



## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net - Video Update*
> 
> Here's a video update on my steam bending project. Enjoy:


The fish nets look great. I was going to ask why you thinkg the first net did not close up on the handle but you answered that. Thanks for posting. I am going to try my hand at steam bending for a little project.


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending A Trout Fishing Net - Video Update*
> 
> Here's a video update on my steam bending project. Enjoy:


I'll be looking for your project. I'd like to find some other uses for my steamer.

I did the sanding on net #2 today and while I was at it, I worked on fixing the gaps in net #1. After a little glue, sawdust, a burnisher, and more sanding, I think it's looking much better now. I'm going to make a couple more net frames before I clean up my dust and finish all of them at the same time. I'll put up another update when I get to the finishing stage. They are a lot of fun to make. I like projects that I can knock out in a couple of days.


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

*Steam Bending Trout Fishing Nets: Shaping and Finishing*

It's been a while since I posted my last update on this project and I've made a lot of progress.

Once I got the basic shaping and sanding done, I had to stop until I found the net bags that I wanted to use on the frames. As of this week, I have everything I need to finish the nets, so here are some more photos to show you what I've done so far:

Here is net #2 after bending, but before glue up. This photo gives a good look at how I pegged my circles to the melamine base board (this circle has a 9" diameter). This worked really well and allows me to switch out the circles to make nets of several different sizes using the same base board.



Most of my shaping was done on my Rigid orbital spindle sander (one of my favorite tools) which was a huge time saver. I finished up with lots and lots of hand sanding using several foam blocks in grits of 60, 100, 180, and 220:



I "got my groove on" by hand. I had started out trying to create a jig to help me carve them with my Dremel tool, but after wasting a few hours, I found that I had much better control and it wasn't that difficult to just do it by hand using a small half-round file followed by my 1/4" chisel and then more sanding.

I measured for the lacing holes based on the net bags (found on eBay) and I made myself a small wood block that I clamped to the frame to keep the holes equally spaced. The groove protects the 200lb test dacron line that holds the net bag to the frame, but it also makes it very easy for me to drill the holes in the frames.



In these photos, the nets are hanging up for five coats of Minwax Marine Spar Varnish. The photos were taken between coats two and three.



Net #1 was made of walnut and alder with a walnut handle, Net #2 was made with walnut and cherry with a maple handle, and Net #3 was made of all walnut. Because I cut my strips 3/8" thick, I only used two strips per net. The next time I make one, I'm going to try to cut my strips 1/4" thick so I can use a three strip lamination in each hoop just for style.



I have a few more steps to complete and a few more tips to discuss once the varnish has hardened so I'll post a final update with more photos after I have all the bags laced into the frames.

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

Regards,

Jeff


----------



## fisherdoug09 (Jan 29, 2011)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending Trout Fishing Nets: Shaping and Finishing*
> 
> It's been a while since I posted my last update on this project and I've made a lot of progress.
> 
> ...


Very nice nets. Being an avid fly fisherman I always key in on anything having to do with fishing on LJ. Will follow your progress here on the nets.


----------



## WoodenFrog (Jun 4, 2010)

Retsof said:


> *Steam Bending Trout Fishing Nets: Shaping and Finishing*
> 
> It's been a while since I posted my last update on this project and I've made a lot of progress.
> 
> ...


Very Nice, thanks for the info!


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

*My First Bending Project is Completed!*

The Nets are done and I'm really pleased with how they came out, this being my first attempt at steam bending or building my own net frames. Two of them will make nice gifts for my Dad and my Brother.



Net#1: Walnut and Alder Hoop with a Walnut Handle. The inside diameter of the hoop is 9"x14" with an overall length of 21.5". One of my hand made fly fishing lanyards is on the table behind the net. I fish with a lanyard to hold my fly fishing tools rather than a vest most of the time.



Net #2: Walnut and Cherry Hoop with a Maple Handle. The inside of the hoop is 9"x16" with an overall length of 24".



Net #3: Walnut Hoop with Walnut Handle. The inside diameter is 8"x15" with an overall length of 25".



I learned a lot by trial and error along the way. Here are some tips I'm happy to share:

Bending Tips:
#1: Look for wood with straight grain. Quartersawn wood would be ideal if you have access to it. I made the most of what I had on hand and tried to use the straightest grain sections for the hoops and the rest for the handles.

#2 If you have trouble with your strips breaking and splitting after steaming them for 1 hour at 210F - 212F, try soaking the strips first. I broke my first two strips and then started over by placing all of the rest in my swimming pool for 24 hours. If you don't have a pool, use your bathtub.

#3: Work fast as the strips will cool rapidly once they are removed from the steamer. Set out all of the clamps you will need beforehand. I started my bending at the center of the strip and worked back toward the handle spacing my clamps evenly on each side as I went.

#4: Bend the wood gradually to avoid splitting. It's hard to describe, but you will get a feel for it with practice. It feels sort of like the wood is stretching a bit as you bend it. If the strip is hot enough to bend, it will feel a bit rubbery as you increase the pressure.

#5: Keep a thermos of very hot water within reach to give you some extra working time to get a tight fit as you clamp up your handle. This was a big help on the second and third nets that I built.

Sourcing supplies:

#1: I really wanted to use rubber net bags over nylon or cotton, because they are easiest on the fish and they resist tangling when fishing more than one fly at a time (which I do most of the time). I didn't care if the bags were clear or black. I couldn't find any local sources for net bags here in Las Vegas (including our local BassPro) and didn't see many affordable options from the usual online fishing stores. I finally found them for sale on eBay from another fly fishing woodworker and got them for half of what I would have paid for replacement bags from one of the famous net manufacturers. The best deal would have been to buy the net bags in bulk from the manufacturers but they had a minimum 100 net bags per order.



#2: Braided Dacron kite line is perfect for stringing the net bags. I priced braided Dacron fishing line at several online stores and it was pretty expensive (like $40 for a 300 meter spool of 200lb test). I needed less than 10' per net so it seemed like a waste to buy an entire 300 meter spool. I was looking through my garage and I stumbled across the duffle bag full of kites that the kids and I fly at the park from time to time. I had several 500 foot spools of braided Dacron line (exactly the same stuff as the braided Dacron fishing line) in both 80lb and 200lb test. So my kites will only reach 470 feet now (who's going to notice?), at least I saved the $40. I went with the 200lb test line because I liked the thickness.



#3: The Size 10 screw eyes and split rings came from Home Depot.

#4: I made the net retainer lanyards myself using a Chinese Snake Knots and King Cobra Knots that I learned from watching YouTube videos. All I need to add now are magnetic net releases. I'm going to be building these myself using rare earth magnets epoxied into small wooden blocks to match each net frame.





Net Assembly Tips:

#1: Make a simple spacer to ensure that the hole spacing is consistent. I waited to drill my holes until I had my net bags in hand, so I could measure the spacing I needed. I used a piece of scrap from one of my broken strips to make the spacer block which I clamped on the frame between each hole location.

#2: Use a piece of monofilament fishing line to thread the Dacron line through the holes. I used 25lb red Amnesia mono (which I use for fly tying and leader building) as my threader because it is easy to see. You need to thread the Dacron through each hole twice, so a piece of strong, thin mono is ideal for this task.



#3: Get comfortable when you plan to thread the net bags into the frames because it's going to take a while. I watched the entire NLCS game last night while I was doing my threading and I finished about the time the game was over.

One of the best things about this project was that it didn't require very much wood at all to build an attractive net frame. I have a nice piece of Pau Ferro and some Ash with an interesting grain that I plan to use in my next two net frames. I'm also planing on cutting my strips a bit thinner so I can use three to five contrasting colors in my hoops. Now that I'm practiced up, I've got the confidence to push my designs a bit further.

I hope this has been helpful to any of you who have wanted to try steam bending or net making for the first time.

Regards,

Jeff


----------



## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *My First Bending Project is Completed!*
> 
> The Nets are done and I'm really pleased with how they came out, this being my first attempt at steam bending or building my own net frames. Two of them will make nice gifts for my Dad and my Brother.
> 
> ...


what?? your not making a hundred


----------



## Retsof (Apr 12, 2012)

Retsof said:


> *My First Bending Project is Completed!*
> 
> The Nets are done and I'm really pleased with how they came out, this being my first attempt at steam bending or building my own net frames. Two of them will make nice gifts for my Dad and my Brother.
> 
> ...


I would love to build these all day long, but I don't have customers for them. I just wanted to learn the skills. If anyone is ever looking to split a bulk purchase between a group of fellow net builders, let me know.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Retsof said:


> *My First Bending Project is Completed!*
> 
> The Nets are done and I'm really pleased with how they came out, this being my first attempt at steam bending or building my own net frames. Two of them will make nice gifts for my Dad and my Brother.
> 
> ...


Those look too pretty to use. Great job and the explanation of the process was educational.


----------

