|
How to Make a Plankton Net
Here's how to make your own sturdy plankton net to use in your investigations. (A completed net is shown above).
Materials
- About 25 feet of strong, flexible rope.
- Lampshade frame, about 1 foot in diameter. Use the frame from an old table lamp, or purchase a frame at a crafts store.
- Paint straining bag. This is a fine nylon mesh bag for filtering paint (approx. 1.5 to 2 feet long).
- Sturdy non-rotting thread or light cord, and sewing needle.
- Sewing pins.
Steps
Web links, provided at right, will take you to other Web sites where you can learn the basic sewing and knot tying techniques you'll need.
1. Attach the open end of the paint straining bag to the round outermost wire of the lampshade frame. To do this, fold the top half-inch of the material of the bag over the wire, pinning the material together as you work, then stitch through both thicknesses of material to secure the material to the wire. Use a catch stitch or hemming stitch for a neat, secure hem.
2. Tie one end of the rope to the center of the wide end of the lampshade frame, using a secure knot such as a perfection loop (angler's loop).
3. Tie a small loop in the other end of the rope, using a knot such as a bowline.
|
