#643778 - 03/21/08 08:23 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: CoopDog]
|
possum skinner
trapper
Registered: 12/25/06
Posts: 2393
Loc: Virginia 38 - act 10 - feel 68
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#643920 - 03/21/08 09:51 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: CoopDog]
|
CoopDog
trapper
Registered: 04/25/07
Posts: 1154
Loc: Mid-Ohio 16 years old
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#644077 - 03/22/08 05:58 AM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: CoopDog]
|
TexA
trapper
Registered: 12/24/06
Posts: 2079
Loc: Estherville, IA
|
A visit to your local Farm & Home Store, you can get most, if not all, of the supplies you need right there to make decent snares, or a lot of other "things" too.
You'll need Cable, small nuts, small washers, larger washers. The tools needed should be in any fairly-equipt work shop.
For cutting cable, about the simplest method is using a Cold Chizzle, a Hammer and a piece of heavy metal. Again the R/R track chunk. There are Cable Cutters and some types of pliers that work too, but to begin, the hammer-method works just fine. I've cut hundreds and hundreds of feet of cable that way over the years. Just don't hit the Chizzle too hard and keep it sharp.
You will probably be wanting to snare Coon and/or Coyotes for sure. PROBABLY, the most-used size cable for either of those critters is the 3/32 size in either the 7 x 7 or 1 x 19 twist. Either of them will work. Just be sure the cable they have is fairly limber. Some of the stuff they carry is cheap junk and isn't limber enough for good snare making.
The most common length for any snare is 4 to 5 feet long. If you get about 100 ft to start/learn with, you can end up with about 20 snares from it.
You'll need a "Lock" or some sort so the loop will close when a critter sticks his head or body through it. The quicker the lock closes, the better chance you have of catching him around the neck. That is the "BEST" way, but in the case of Coons, not always or even seldom do you catch coon around the neck. That's another discussion all together so we'll just leave it at that for now.
Back to the lock.
Simple Lock can be made using simple FLAT Washers, also bought at the F/H Store. I like the larger sizes, like 5/8ths inchers. Ones about the size of a half-dollar piece is my choice. The thicker the better (for me too).
For 3/32" cable, drill two holes through the flat washer, one on each side. With a center punch and hammer, mark the place on each side of the washer where you want to drill the holes. Use a 3/32" drill bit for both (to start with). Lock the washer in a bench vise for a secure hold on it. Don't try to hold it in your hand. Drill it in the center of the material of the washer, exactly or as close as you can, directly across from each other. Clean out and excess material around the edges of the holes.
Take the drilled washer and put one side (with a hole in it) into the jaws of the vise. Just put the washer in far enough to cover the metal on one side of the washer. Secure it tight in the jaws. Then using the hammer, bend the other side of the washer over, making it look like the letter "L". You should have a hold on the short side and one on the long side of the bend. There is your LOCK.
To hold the whole thing together, there are a lot of things you can use. K-I-S-S Method applys here. ("Keep It Simple Stupid")
The simplest thing to use is a Steel Nut and smash it onto the body of the cable using the vise or even just the hammer with the nut/cable laying of a heavy piece of metal (like a piece of railroad track).
I use the Vise first to squash the nut and then a single smack or two from the hammer on the heavy steel is enough. Just don't smash/smack the nut/cable too much. The nut could break or you could cut the cable and you don't want either thing to happen. Just squeeze the nut down snug onto the cable body and then smack it a time or two with the hammer. That should be tight enough!
With a bench or hand held grinder, now grind off the "fuzzies" that are sticking out of the end-side of the just smashed nut. You want all of them fuzzies to be ground off - smooth.. If you don't remove them, they can/will grab the fur on the neck of your catch and can damage the fur. You don't want that! Grind 'em off.....
Take the loose end of the cable in one hand, the L-bent washer in the other. On the long side of the washer, with the small end pointing down, place the free end of the cable through the hole in the washer/lock, from the top down.
Now, loop the free end of the cable back around to the short side of the washer, the side now pointing down, and run the cable through the hole in the short side and out the other side.
That should complete the LOOPandLOCK portion of your snare.
Try sliding the lock down the snare cable to close the loop. It the lock slides smoothly when closing, you got it on correctly. If it doesn't, you probably have the lock on backwards.
One other thing is that if you think the lock is on properly and the loop doesnt' close pretty quickly, you can drill the 3/32" hole in the short side out to the next larger size. That will just make the hole in the washers short side a little oversized and close easier. You will loose a little of it's "locking ability" but I've never had that problem.
The only thing left now is to put a loop on the far-end so you can fasten it to some sort of anchoring devise.
The easiest way to make a loop is by using the same nuts (3/32") and a small washer (1/4"size is OK). Slide the 1/4" washer over the body of the cable, make a loop and go back through the hole in the small washer again. Pull a couple feet of cable through the washer and attach another 3/32" nut to the end of the cable. Smash it down just like you did on the upper-end of the snare. Grind off the "fuzzies" again
Slide the cable back through the small washer until you have a small & adjustable loop on the bottom-end of your snare.
That my friend is about as SIMPLE as a snare can get! There are several "other things" a person can and will probably want to add to the basic snare, but you just built your very first USEABLE devise to catch and hold about anything.
A WHAMMIE can be added to help hold the snare in place on a support wire, usually a piece of #9 wire stuck into the ground.
A SWIVEL can be added to the bottom end (leave off the adjustable loop) of the snare so it can swivel and not kink-up quite as bad as without one.
A NAME TAG is REQUIRED in most states. Printed tags are available from trap supply companies or specialty houses.
Other type LOCKs can be used too. Some people prefer different ones and they all work to some extent, but the washer type is about as K-I-S-S as it can get. They can be re-used over and over again. I've used some of mine for as much as 20+ years now and they are still doing-the-job!
Different sized cable, along with different sized holes in the washers, or different locks all together and a few other little personal goodies can be used on your snares. Over time, you will want to try something else. Do it and see for youself WHAT WORKS FOR YOU....
A good SNARING BOOK will yield a lot of possibilities for you and your snaring attempts. I would advise you to buy one ( & maybe even a tape or ?? ) to learn as much as you can about how to use the snares. They are very efficient and cheap also. Proper use and placement of them when setting is a MUST.
Be Careful where you set them. They can do a lot of harm if not placed correctly and tended to also.
Good Luck
(Get that book/video) SOON!!!!
_________________________
TexA
Member Iowa Trappers Association
National Trappers Association
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#644080 - 03/22/08 06:07 AM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: TexA]
|
trapperkeck
trapper
Registered: 11/12/07
Posts: 404
Loc: Crofton, NE
|
If you go to one of the major supply houses and order your stuff it will be substantially less money. Cable in particular goes for about .10/ft locally, but I can order it from The Snare Shop for .05/ft. Same with about everything else you will need.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#644327 - 03/22/08 10:02 AM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: trapperkeck]
|
goldy
trapper
Registered: 12/31/07
Posts: 1210
Loc: minnesota
|
If you go to one of the major supply houses and order your stuff it will be substantially less money. Cable in particular goes for about .10/ft locally, but I can order it from The Snare Shop for .05/ft. Same with about everything else you will need.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#645557 - 03/23/08 06:58 AM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: Daniel Edinger]
|
TexA
trapper
Registered: 12/24/06
Posts: 2079
Loc: Estherville, IA
|
No one said anything about "how much it costs" but for someone to get "started" making his own snares, he sure isn't going to go out and buy several thousand feet of cable & other stuff to make them.
Paying FREIGHT is NOT CHEAP either..... figure that in too.....
_________________________
TexA
Member Iowa Trappers Association
National Trappers Association
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#646382 - 03/23/08 04:35 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: possum skinner]
|
ADC
trapper
Registered: 12/25/06
Posts: 4445
Loc: Iowa
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#646404 - 03/23/08 04:48 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: ADC]
|
TexA
trapper
Registered: 12/24/06
Posts: 2079
Loc: Estherville, IA
|
Good for you Coon Catcher.....
_________________________
TexA
Member Iowa Trappers Association
National Trappers Association
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#646542 - 03/23/08 06:10 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: coon catcher]
|
possum skinner
trapper
Registered: 12/25/06
Posts: 2393
Loc: Virginia 38 - act 10 - feel 68
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#646766 - 03/23/08 07:49 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: coon catcher]
|
Cletis Richards
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 625
Loc: SW MO Carthage
|
Cooncatcher, check your regs , I believe that your state might have cable restraint regulations instead of snares , being a relaxing lock, deer stop, max loop stop,a BAD, maybe an inline as well as anchor swivel are required. So please check your regs on what snares are legal in your state.
Edited by Cletis Richards (03/23/08 08:05 PM)
_________________________
April 5, 1948 model
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#646799 - 03/23/08 08:03 PM
Re: Snare Making
[Re: coon catcher]
|
Cletis Richards
trapper
Registered: 12/23/06
Posts: 625
Loc: SW MO Carthage
|
Some of the info ,although correct and good was for snares which do not conform to your cable restraint regs. Did not want you to violate your state laws. Hang a few, it's fun.
_________________________
April 5, 1948 model
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
