Window net for net and release

Barb Beck barb at birdnut.obtuse.com
Thu Jun 14 11:41:17 EDT 2001


Hi,

I have been putting a small "window" toward the bottom of the bags of our
nets for the last three years.  It makes it easy to safely and quickly
examine the butterfly or to show it to a group.

I have been using the plastic from the clear plastic bags which some
mattress pads came in to construct the window.  They have been amazingly
durable - right now the bags on our two main nets are almost worn out and
the window is still intact.  We have them in several nets which we loan out
to butterfly count participants.  One of those did come back with a tear in
the plastic and net - I think from a run-in with barbed wire - there were
also holes in the bag.  The rest have held up to three years of use.

If you want to make one, cut out a small piece of plastic from the clear
heavy plastic bag the size of the window allowing an extra half inch or so
around the edges to attach it to the net. Trace its pattern on a piece of
wax paper.  Place the wax paper pattern inside the net where  the window to
be placed.  Then using the pattern as a guide and the wax paper to keep from
gluing the net together,  trace the outline of the window onto the net using
ShoeGlue, Kiwi Tennis Shoe Repair or Shoe Goo ( some of the brand names of
the stuff to patch tennis shoes).  Place the window over the glue and smooth
out the creases.  The glue sometimes causes the plastic to wrinkle a little
at the edges but do not worry.  Let it dry for a day, peal off the wax paper
then cut the net from the window.

Note:  If you trace your pattern on the wax paper using a permanent marker
make sure that you reverse the wax paper when you slip it into the net to
act as a pattern on which to trace the glue. I foolishly used a bright red
permanent marker on a one of ours and did not reverse the pattern.  I now
have a window net with a nice red frame.

Barb Beck
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada




 
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