How to build a custom wood fly fishing landing net
This is the jig used for drilling the lacing holes in the frame, and cutting the groove. The wood block shown on the inside of the net frame is used freehand to back up the frame and reduce tear out from the drill bit. Detail of the Dremel tool and router attachment mounted on the end of the jig with an adjustable height bracket made from a piece of plywood with two slots in it and a couple of 1/4-20 carriage bolts and inexpensive plastic knobs.. If you make one net or several nets that are all the same width, this can be a fixed height mount by directly mounting the router base to the edge with holes drilled into the base. At the right height to get the drill bit centered in the frame. The Dremel tool and Router base mounted underneath the jig as in a router table. There are two ways to cut the groove with this Dremel cutter. The top pictures show several pieces of brass tubing that act as spacers or bearings to control the depth of the cut. The bottom pictures show a bearing block that the frame will rest against to set the cutting depth. You can pass the frame by the cutter twice by turning the landing net frame over and reversing sides, and then the groove will always be centered, and you can adjust the width of the groove that way also. There are two ways to cut the groove with this Dremel cutter. The top pictures show several pieces of brass tubing that act as spacers or bearings to control the depth of the cut. The bottom pictures show a bearing block that the frame will rest against to set the cutting depth. You can pass the frame by the cutter twice by turning the landing net frame over and reversing sides, and then the groove will always be centered, and you can adjust the width of the groove that way also. A flexible steel ruler, or plastic strip is used to mark the hole spacing with the awl. The spring clamps hold it in place There are two ways to cut the groove with this Dremel cutter. The top pictures show several pieces of brass tubing that act as spacers or bearings to control the depth of the cut. The bottom pictures show a bearing block that the frame will rest against to set the cutting depth. You can pass the frame by the cutter twice by turning the landing net frame over and reversing sides, and then the groove will always be centered, and you can adjust the width of the groove that way also. There are two ways to cut the groove with this Dremel cutter. The top pictures show several pieces of brass tubing that act as spacers or bearings to control the depth of the cut. The bottom pictures show a bearing block that the frame will rest against to set the cutting depth. You can pass the frame twice by reversing sides, and the groove will always be centered, and you can adjust the width that way also.

This is the jig used for drilling the lacing holes in the frame, and cutting the groove. The wood block shown on the inside of the net frame is used freehand to back up the frame and reduce wood tear out from the drill bit on the inside ply.

Detail of the Dremel tool and router attachment mounted on the end of the jig with an  adjustable height bracket made from a piece of plywood with two slots in it and a couple of 1/4-20 carriage bolts and inexpensive plastic knobs.. If you make one net or several nets that are all the same width, this can be a fixed height mount by directly mounting the router base to the edge with holes drilled into the router base at the right height to get the drill bit centered  in the frame. The backing block should be shaped with a curve to fit the inside of the frame in order to make good contact. Moderate hand pressure is sufficient to prevent tear out.

There are two ways to cut the groove with this Dremel cutter.

The top pictures show several pieces of brass tubing that act as spacers or bearings to control the depth of the cut.

The bottom pictures show an adjustable bearing block that the frame will rest against to set the cutting depth.

You can also pass the frame by the cutter twice by turning the landing net frame over and reversing sides, and then the groove will always be centered, plus you can adjust the width of the groove that way  by changing the height of the cutter above the surface.

The underside of the jig showing The Dremel tool and router base mounted much like a router table.

A counter sink is used by hand to chamfer the edges of the holes on the inside and outside of the frame. A home made handle makes using it easier

A flexible steel ruler, or pre-marked plastic strip is used to mark the hole spacing with the awl or a pencil.
Detail of the Dremel tool and router attachment mounted on the end of the jig with an adjustable height bracket made from a piece of plywood with two slots in it and a couple of 1/4-20 carriage bolts and inexpensive plastic knobs.. If you make one net or several nets that are all the same width, this can be a fixed height mount by directly mounting the router base to the edge with holes drilled into the base. At the right height to get the drill bit centered in the frame.
These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles A counter sink is used by hand to chanfer the edges of the holes on the inside and outside of the frame. A home made handle makes using it easier

These are some of the forms for bending, shaping, and gluing the net frames and handles

The bending and gluing forms are mounted on some recycled pedestals for boat seats, which makes it easier to work with  because they swivel and the height can be adjusted.

These are plywood based jigs. With careful cutting the form and base can be made from the same piece of plywood.