Make your own Metalic strips > $300 each

[R. Exnicios]

Most of this has already been posted in another thread "your club pistes" but I wanted to create a new thread for people that were asking me questions and could not finr the original thread.

We made our own metallic strips. These are the real deal. They have been tested and used to great success (once we put them down correctly.)

We contacted an industrial supplier and ordered 304 stainless steel mesh made to the width we wanted. They had an unlimited selection of gauge and mesh thickness. It was just a matter of selecting the correct one.

So here's the scoop:

We ordered welded wire mesh from Dorstener Wire Tech (http://www.dwt-inc.com). They have every diameter and mesh (Number of openings in a linear inch measured from the center of one wire to a point 1" distant). They have standard lengths of 60” and 72” (1.5 M and 1.8 M) but will make any width you wish.

We ordered 304 stainless steal welded wire mesh, .017 diameeter, 14 mesh. This is a little smaller gauge than some of the $1,000 strips that are out there but we wanted to see if we could get by with a little smaller wire and save some weight. One person can carry a strip!

We ordered 3 60” x 100’ rolls which we made into 6 strips. Total cost of mesh, shipping, 3 cans of paint, 3 rolls of tape…….$1450. That’s $240 a strip. we also discovered that we needed to put a thin layer of carpet padding under then to stop them from sliding on the floor. We went to carpet world and purchased thin, dense padding; $45 a roll. So that brings the strip cost to $285.

The strips are 15.25 Meters long and 1.5 Meters wide. I posted picts here:
http://homepage.mac.com/exnicios/PhotoAlbum15.html


Cutting and painting them was surprisingly easy. Just be sure to where gloves.

We actually found several suppliers of steal mesh we selected DWT based on their ability to get us the mesh quickly (3 days). Several companies sent us free samples of the various meshes and gauges. It was just a matter of deciding which one we wanted.

Once we figuered out the best way to put them down we were able to put once down in 15 min with 5 people. You put them down the same way you do the old coppers but you don't "stretch them" just make sure they are flat & use duct or gaffers tape.

Good luck making your strips!

Cheers

[Mergs]

One thing Rich didn't point out was that the cut edges of this material is EXTREMELY sharp! Either wear heavy work gloves or, as I found out by contacting the company, you can get the rolls with 'salvage' edges, which is basically where the edges are folded over and secured. Much safer and there is negligable cost difference. And they are stock items, but because most folks are getting smaller than 60" or 72", they normally stock raw edge material. Also, it is a woven wire mesh, not welded.

The 304 Stainless Steel is very durable and you shouldn't need to repair the strips near as often as the old copper ones need, but if you do, remember that SS doesn't solder, so tears need to be either 'sewn' back together (with wire) or a patch woven over the spot (both a bit more time consuming).

Just my $.02

[CvilleFencer]

To repair this type of strip coudn't you just take a rubber mallet and pound down some metalic tape over the hole/break/dead spot like we did with the old copper strips?

Thanks again for posting this Rich! This is a serious resource for divisions and clubs wanting metal strips but not wanting to pay $3000 a pop!

[R. Exnicios]

Mergs I';m not sure if it is Woven or Welded? I have no idea! I'm not that smart

But YES, YES, YES wear gloves! Even the "clean" edges will cut you to pieces. Anyone at the CCO this weekend saw my taped and bandaged hands!

Here are the numbers and codes from the labels:

DWT
Dorestener Wire Tech
19994 Hickory Twig Way
Spring, TX 77388
USA

IMP 120

Mill Code : 3486
Roll Number: 04526-05
Mesh: 14
Wire Diameter: 0.017"
Alloy: ST304
Roll Width: 60"
Roll Length: 100'

Tel: 281-651-6226
Fax: 281-651-6228

Cheers

[Mergs]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

To repair this type of strip coudn't you just take a rubber mallet and pound down some metalic tape over the hole/break/dead spot like we did with the old copper strips?

Thanks again for posting this Rich! This is a serious resource for divisions and clubs wanting metal strips but not wanting to pay $3000 a pop!

You could, but it wouldn't hold up any better than it did for the copper strips. Usually we would pound the metal tape and then solder the edges, but eventually it would just tear.

304 SS CAN be welded (316L is better, and is one of the materials offered), but welding such small wires becomes problematic.

Rich - When I asked at DWT about the material, and when I went to the website, it was Woven Wire Mesh.

[SJCFU#2]

Supposedly stainless steel can also be soldered or brazed, although I've never tried it myself. See www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1178 - I stumbled across this while researching the best way to repair SS strips.

Problems include the need for an aggressive flux (typically phosphoric-acid based), soldering produces a relatively weak joint (how weak depends on the solder) and brazing generally involves temperatures where carbide percipitation occurs (less of a concern for 316L grade).

Good luck with the new strips!

[Mergs]

Rich,

Do you have any of the samples left over from your search that you can send me to experiment with?