I know many of you make your own nets but not something I am exploring to do at this time. Just too many other things on my plate to do another hobby.

I broke my Tenkara USA net last trip and need step-by-step advice for repair of this net. I posted a picture of the broken net in my other non net thread so thought it best to post this official question here so I can take in any and all advise and try to fix my net.

As you can see, it broke fairly bad but at least it is still intact. Large cracks and breaks that this novice does not know how to fix. Need to know what materials I need so I can head to local stores and buy the goods. Since this may be specialty goods or tools, recommendations for where to buy the goods.

I mean do I just try to push the pieces back together as best I can and cut off any sharp jagged wood pieces and then use some material to bind it all back together again? Do I squirt some wood glue in the cracks first and then push the pieces back together and use some clamps to hold it tight.

These are the things myself and other net newbies would like to know.

Would hate to lose out on a nice net like this since it never saw a fish yet (it was my 1st trip out using it) so must fix it and have use of it once again.

Thanks for the help!

tj

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Tenkara USA, Director of Customer Service

Tenkara Junkie - Tenkarajankī
Now sporting all of the Tenkara USA Rods!

I have built a few dozen tamos in a few varieties. Your net is broken on both sides and it appears that the fractures go into the hoop/ handle joint.
You need a new net.
Consider the TI Tenkara net. I have one and they appear to be indestructable....well...what I mean is that you have to drive over it with a car to damage it. I bet I could fix it even then.
You need a new net.

My condolences, Mac. I think it may be possible to patch it up but it would be a lot of work and would never be as new. I would set it on a shelf and make up a story about a giant fish or a battle with a sasquatch Sucks that it never held a fish, though.

Personally I'd glue it together with wood glue while securing with a clamp, then wrap rattan around to reinforce the broken sections.
On one of the more painful parts may be to reconnect the mesh bag, but with a little patience it's not a big deal.

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Tenkara USA, founder
打仁得流, テンカラ大使
About me and Tenkara USA

Would Gorilla Glue be a good match? I have used that when gluing wood before but it expands, and out of the seems you get dried glue that needs to be shaved off later. Might leave a whitish mark in the cracks but the stuff does stick real well.

tj

_________________
Tenkara USA, Director of Customer Service

Tenkara Junkie - Tenkarajankī
Now sporting all of the Tenkara USA Rods!

You can use gorilla glue, but I recommend Tite Bond III.

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Tenkara Guides

I would recommend gluing and then wrapping ( lashing) the broken section.

In George Dyson's article about "String Theory" - he ask "The puzzle is not why did human beings start lashing things together, but why did they stop"

His point being that the lashed joint is often superior to other types of fastening methods. It is stronger and more flexible than other methods before failure.

http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol09/?folio=186#pg188

If you want to spend a little time and little money, I think gluing and lashing is worth trying in an effort to save your net frame.

Actually , perhaps just wrapping and not gluing might be better, it would hold the broken joint together yet have some elasticity should the joint be stressed again. Using glue might decrease the elasticity of the repaired section. You could lash first without gluing. If that isn't satisfactory, undo the lashing, glue the joint and then wrap it again.

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

I'd say Gorilla glue will work okay too, if you're mostly looking for a quick fix-it. Which is also fine.

Stephen asked me to post a picture of nets with rattan reinforcing the joints. BEAUTIFUL NETS!

Dr. Ishigaki's main net was broken in a way very similar to yours, he's not a craftsman, so he just sloppily put some glue on his and wrapped rattan around it. Works fine still.

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Tenkara USA, founder
打仁得流, テンカラ大使
About me and Tenkara USA

Maybe we should start a "How did you break your net thread" as it seems to be a common thing.

We can then judge from a score of 1 to 10 on the most less graceful method. hehehe

tj

_________________
Tenkara USA, Director of Customer Service

Tenkara Junkie - Tenkarajankī
Now sporting all of the Tenkara USA Rods!

It looks like the net is repairable. None of the breakes seem to have completely severed the rim. I would use the same techniques that I've used to repair broken bamboo fly rod sections. In this case, I would remove the net or at least the part of the net near the breaks. Next, dry fit the broken and splintered rim sections back together. Once you have acheived a good fit then separate the broken pieces with pins. This separation is necessary to allow the glue to be applied to the interior of the break. Then, using toothpicks or a small brush, apply glue to the splintered pieces. After gluing remove the temporary pins, from the inside out, allowing all the pieces to knit back together. Any of the modern wood glues will work for this repair. I would suggest that you use a glue with a long open or working time to allow you to work with out having to hurrry - Titebond, epoxy (30 min. to provide working time) or a polyurathine glue - are all good choices. Once you have the breaks saturated with glue then bind with string to hold all in proper alighnment while the glue sets. After the glue has set, remove the binding string and sand to a smooth surface removing the excess glue and string impressions.

The next step is to refinish the net around the break. For bamboo rod repairs I would wrap the broken area with white silk thread and finish with varnish. When the silk is saturated with varnish it becomes almost invisible. The finishing of the silk will take several application of varnish with sanding with a fine grit sandpaper between each application. When you are satisfied with the finish you may reattach the net to the frame. I think Daniel has provided instructions.

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Mark

"I have laid aside business and gone a fishing"

Izaak Walton