Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimmer)?

[rock]

I've had pretty bad luck with the "standard" nets from the local box & pool supply stores:

The plastic ones crack:

I'd replace the nets when they tear, if I could:

But, even the aluminum ones with replaceable nets fail due to the plastic edges falling apart:

So, my question:
Q: Where can I find better quality nets?
or, better still:
Q: How can I build my own nets out of stronger material (does anyone do that)?

 

[Butterfly]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Hopefully someone can comment on a better product........or how to make one.

Having quality equipment makes pool work a pleasure.

For whatever equipment you use, my suggestion is to rinse after use and store out of the direct sun. UV damage can really shorten the life of equipment.

 

[rock]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Hopefully someone can comment on........how to make one.

That's mainly what I'm looking for.
Good hard cheap durable materials for making out own nets.
Whatever we come up with, will help everyone.

 

[thehowheels]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

For whatever equipment you use, my suggestion is to rinse after use and store out of the direct sun. UV damage can really shorten the life of equipment.

This is a key point. I'm looking to budget for a deck box to keep my pool tools out of the sun, organized, and out of sight.

 

[harleysilo]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Research makers of custom trout fishing nets is where I would start.

 

[rock]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Research makers of custom trout fishing nets is where I would start.

This is, for example, a home made trout fishing net I found on the web:

Perhaps I 'can' modify the design to go on the end of a pool pole.

QUESTION: Do you guys have a recommended source of bulk netting?
(I was thinking about buying a roll of window screen material at Home Depot.)

BTW, the one pool tool that seems to hold up well are my brushes!

 

[harleysilo]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

I too thought about the window screening as a source for netting, it's either fiberglass or aluminum i think. I also don't know how you'd secure it to whatever frame you use, perhaps you could overlap it around the frame and then sew it together. Maybe you could use some of the welded wire, i'm thinking the 1/2" spacing stuff to make the sturdy base, and then cover that with the thinner window screening. The welded wire could be attached to a frame with a roll of wire sewing it together, or zip ties....

 

[2.ooohhh]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

I bought one that was well reviewed off amazon, Time will tell but it is much sturdier then the assorted rubbish my local pool store had for the same and sometimes higher prices.

http://amzn.com/B004VLB7E2

Has held up well so far and seems very stout compared to the broken one I tossed.

 

[rock]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

I too thought about the window screening as a source for netting,

I bought a window screening kit and the hole size seems just about right (and it says it's protected against UV damage).
Plus, it came with these black cords which are perfect for replacing the rope which doesn't weather well in the sun, for tying down the floating chlorinators!

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/128 ... 867580.jpg

Now I have to figure out how to anchor the netting as the plastic always breaks off even the aluminum frame nets:

I like the idea of mixing the welded wire with the fiberglass netting.

I bought one that was well reviewed off amazon

I like the apparently thickness of the netting, and the price of $22

But, I'm worried about the plastic breaking off, making the system of securing the net useless.
It does say "Longest lasting plastic rims in the industry" ... which implies it does not have the metal rim.

But, as I've noted, the metal rim is useless when the plastic clamp around it is what breaks!
Here's my broken plastic rim (I wish they made it out of the same durable plastic they make my recycling bin out of!)

http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/128 ... 867625.jpg

 

[2.ooohhh]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

It is a metal hoop, with heavier netting that is stitched better and has a tough plastic scraper/abrasion protector around the metal hoop.

It's kinda like the nets with the white netting in the pic below on steroids. And at $22 it's a pretty easy buy for me. Once it arrives I just walk by that isle at my pool store an laugh at all the cheap plastic "tools" they are selling.

 

[2.ooohhh]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Hey ROCK, I asked (after seeing the made in America sticker on my net) the company that makes the net I got also sells replacement nets, vclips, and leading edges for all their line of professional nets. So should one" wear" part give out you can order just what you need to fix it.

http://www.puritypool.com/

 

[rock]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

So should one" wear" part give out you can order just what you need to fix it

Thanks. In the case of my aluminum rimmed skimmer net in the first post's pictures, you can see two of the three parts wore out (i.e., the net and the plastic that holds the net onto the aluminum).
I think it's a poor design - at least that one was.

 

[rock]

Re: Do you have ideas for making a sturdy net (leaf & skimme

Drat. My blue aluminum framed skimmer net just broke. I'm gluing it back together, as we speak.