Tuesday 3 May 2011

Net Making Tools (p2)

Here is another selection of tools I use for net making, Including Netting Needles, a Needle Winder and a Netting Stand Click on the pictures to see them full size.

Netting Needles or Shuttles.
OK, I admit it; I have a Netting Needle fetish ;-)
Here is a selction of the needles I have in my collection, all are manufactured from various plastics. Sorry to all the wood purists out there that like to make their own; maybe next time I will have some wood needles to show.
By the way if you have never made a wood needle for yourself, I can highly recommend doing it, you will learn a lot by making your own; and there is nothing quite like making an piece of netting with the tools  that you have also made.

Here are some injection moulded Nylon needles, in 6, 10,  12, 14, 16 and 20 inch lengths.

 A well known passage molded on one of the needles pictured above, though what the words have to do with net making is beyond me, obviously designed by a knot tyer that could not think of something netting related to have molded into the needle ;-) I like it non the less though.

Norwegian Netting Needles, from Norway just incase you were wondering.
These are my favorite needles, made from Acetal, an engineering plastic; which is very strong and hard wearing, I have many sizes of these varying from 6.5mm wide x 100mm long, up to 32mm wide x 310mm long. the largest of which I use for my Hammocks and normally have 30 of them filled and ready for action to make each hammock body.
I do keep a large stock of these needles for sale; but they are not cheap.

 Toka Needles, in 8, 10, 12, 14 and 27 mm widths and vary from 5.5 - 9.5 inches long, I don't bother with these much; though the smallest size is great for making small mesh netted items.

Some more molded Nylon needles, I don't like these much as they have a short body section so don't hold very much twine, these needles are in 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 inch lengths.

 Glass reinforced Nylon? needles from Loomis, U.S.A. same pattern as the Norwegian needles but in my opinion they are not nearly as nicely made.

Some basic plastic needles in 6, 8 and 10 inch lengths, the plastic is a little more flexible than Nylon but the design of these needle is very well thought out; having a long tongue which touches the top of the opening; they will not spill twine when dropped, and they also hold a fair amount of twine, and I prefer these to the Nylon types.
I use these needles for workshops and teaching, and also keep a fair stock of them for sale.

Some small Nylon needles which I bought at a knot tying meeting; I only bought them because I could not find anything else I wanted; and hated having to go away empty handed.
These are 6" long and the body is slimmed down allowing a larger amount of twine to be wound on the needle without bulking out too much.

These plated steel needles are used for very fine decorative and Guipure netting, these particular needles are cheaply made and tend to have burs or plating defects which can catch on the twine being used, you can buy good reproduction brass copies of this type of needle but they are fairly pricey, I am not really into doing this type of netting, but the finished articles can be very beautiful indeed.

You can never have too many needles, OK so maybe I have a few more than I really need, but when making any piece of netting; I may have up to 25 or 30 needles filled and ready to use, there is nothing I hate more than having a needle run out of twine when I am going at full steam, and having to start winding another needle full of twine, better to have enough wound up before starting on your project.

 Needle or Shuttle Winder.

My; now not so Top Secret Weapon! and before anyone asks, I can not make you one; sorry, I no longer have access to the tools and materials to do this sort of work now.

The device will only work with Norwegian style needles that have a "H" or "I" beam type cross section.
I can fill any size of needle I have in seconds, and winding up many needles is no effort at all.
Here pictured with a 12" Norwegian needle

The Netting Stand.

This netting stand is based on a design used by net makers on the island of Vinalhaven in Maine, U.S.A and is described in the book "Down East Netting" by Barbara M. Morton.

The stand is used for braiding (or knitting) small net items such as Lobster trap heads (entrances) and bait bags to go inside the traps.

The small box at the bottom of this stand has weights in it to stop the stand from being pulled over whilst pulling the knots tight, the top box is for holding spare needles and mesh sticks (Gauges).
The netter or group of netters would sit by the stand and work from a hook or in this case a steel rod at the top of the stand.

The Netting Stand in use.
Giving a Net Making work shop at the 25th Anniversary of the IGKT in Fareham 2007.

Take care,
Barry ;-)

 

9 comments:

Rita said...

And I thought I had an abundance of shuttles and needles. I don't even come close to what you have.

Knotty Bear said...

How Do Rita,

There really is no need for having all those needles other than selling them on to students or other interested parties.

That said thoigh; I do like to have enough needles full at the start of a project so that I don't have to stop mid flow and start filling again, on a hammock body I use up to 30 needles or more having to stop, re-fill and start again 29 times would just aggravate me no end.
in my own personal neddle set I have about 50 of each of my most used sizes. the rest are stock.

BTW; I hope you are doing good business in your Netting Nook, seems like a very nice set up you have there.

Take care,
Barry ;-)

Johnny Debt said...

Hello Barry

So glad that I came across your blog and site - you have some superb pieces on both!!

I too am the proud owner of some tools made by PJ. I just wish that I could produce knots to the same standard as his tools.

I have been to the Solent Branch a couple of times now, do you still go there?

Have now bookmarked your blog.

Kind regards
JD

Knotty Bear said...

How Do Johnny,

Thank you for your kind comments much appreciated.
I have seen the tools that PJ sent you and very nice they are too, I am sure the work you do is worthy of the tools you use to help make it, and good tools make the job a whole lot easier too.

Sadly I am no longer a member of the IGKT so I will not be attending any more meetings, maybe someday our paths may cross though (it's a small world)and we can tie some knots.

Take care, and happy knotting,
Barry ;-)

Johnny Debt said...

MMmmmm.... it would appear that you know more about me, than I do you??? Ah but having read your blog and site I do know your sleeping habits (hammock)!!!! Does that make us even?

I certainly plan to do a pilgrimage to see Des Pawsons collection. The problem of living in Dorset is that there are very few knotting works of art to view and touch. This is why I try to get over to Fareham whenever I can, as there is nothing closer that I have found yet.

Just loving your site and blog - keep posting!!!

JD

Knotty Bear said...

How Do Johnny,

Lets call it even then ;-)

Des & Liz are very much worth a visit.
I can honestly say that I would have much less of a problem finding knotty works of art and inspiration to look at in Dorset; than I have ever seen here in Hillingdon, but I guess that depends upon what you are looking for, you are no doubt surrounded by knotty bits n' bobs but can't see them for looking ;-)

Take care,
Barry ;-)

fischer 57 said...

Guten Abend

Mein Name ist Konrad Urbanek ich komme aus Österreich und bin Hobbyfischer

Ich wollte mich nur informieren ob es den Netting Stand zum nachbauen oder zum kaufen gibt.

Vielleicht können Sie mir Unterlagen schicken.
mfg Konrad Urbanek

Knotty Bear said...

Guten Abend Konrad ;-)

You can find instructions for the netting stand in the book, "Down East Netting" by Barbara M. Morton.

http://www.vinalhavenhistoricalsociety.org/publications/netting.html

Maybe you can find on Abe books or amzon also.

Mit freundlichen grusse,
Barry ;-)

Knotty Bear said...

Guten Abend Konrad ;-)

You can find instructions for the netting stand in the book, "Down East Netting" by Barbara M. Morton.

http://www.vinalhavenhistoricalsociety.org/publications/netting.html

Maybe you can find on Abe books or amzon also.

Mit freundlichen grusse,
Barry ;-)