I'm wanting to know what I need to have and do to make a net. Any help would be appreciated.

Huge amount of info here in this forum on making nets. Anything in particular you wanted to know? The hardest part is finding the branch that you think will suit your needs.

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

Well like once I get the limb what do I need to do to it? What are the steps?

First thing I do after I saw the limb is tie a loop into it. A template the size and shape you desire would be the best way to make your loop. But at the same time a loop may not be possible depending on the type of wood and time of year. Alot of variables in wood. Hackberry is an easy wood around here. I find leaving the bark on for awhile while the branch dries makes it easier to remove, and protects the wood while shaping your loop and angle from loop to handle.

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

I've not built a tamo frame myself. I've just had a bit of fun early on finding Japanese links about how to make them. Since then many people here in the USA have made them and you can read about how they did it by reading the older post in the Tenkara Nets section of the forum, this section.

I would encourage you to open the Resources section and look at the steps taken to make a tamo. Or go to page 4 of this section and work your way back from the older post to the newer post, reading through the processes people have taken who made their own Tamo net frames.

The short list of steps are
:
1/ decide what diameter net you want, in the gear section are listed 24cm and 27cm nets. About 9.4 and 10.6 inches. That is - if you are going to use this type of netting.
http://www.tenkarausa.com/product_info.php/products_id/113

2/ cut a branch with the right diameter for the handle, with 2 branches coming off the main branch at more or less the desired angle to the part that will become the handle.


3/ clean it up a bit and clamp the smaller branches in a circle of the correct diameter while you let the wood dry. You might want to clamp it so the circular part is flat and the handle part comes off at the angle you want. Use some kind of form to clamp it to. Metal hoop, bucket, a piece of plywood cut the the correct diameter. Let the two ends of the smaller branches overlap. However, some people like to leave circular part a bit irregular and not try to make it as perfectly circular as they can force the wood to take. Which might require steaming or wrapping the wood in a cloth and pouring hot water on it to make the wood pliable enough to persuade it into a flat circle.







4/ after it has dried sufficiently, cut the small ends off at an angle that can then be glued , pinned or lashed together to make the circular part the net frame


5/ when you think the wood has dried enough to take the finish of your choice, stain, varnish, oil, whatever. remove the frame from the drying from. Remove the bark if you left it on before apply the finish you want to use.


6/ attach the net - the TUSA video of the process
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1BLpj72XHo

Some people like to add a piece of deer antler to the handle end which is a traditional thing to do in Japan. You can read about how to do that in some of the other post here. Also read the other post to see what other people used for finishes, how long they let the wood dry , type of wood they used, etc.

Good luck,
D

Update - sorry about the broken image links. The images where there when I captured the image links. Now when I go to the web page where I found the images I wanted show it now shows the same X-icon instead of original images.
Maybe the other images from that page will be useful.
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/urotasoniko/18430979.html

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

I posted the steps for my first net on this post here: viewtopic.php?f=39&t=704
It's probably time to work on a better post for that, but it may have to wait due to some large projects.
The main thing I would change from that step-by-step account that I did is the splice. I used little toothpicks and made the splice very short. The toothpicks are totally unecessary and probably not a good thing. Instead, it is crucial to make the splice as long as possible, about 2-3" long.
I can't find any posts I did on the steps for this, but the best way I found to cut the splice was at the suggestion of Stephen McGowen. He suggested overlapping the arms of the net, wrapping a little bit of cord around them, dropping some white glue on it to make a type of a cast, and then hand-cutting the arms together in the same angle. To this end it is important to have a good and very fine saw to work with.

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About me and Tenkara USA

Ok thanks for the info! This really helps!