Fencing Strip/Piste - which to buy?

[Vince]

What is the best fencing strip, by value (Price/Quality)?

I just started a fencing club, and I'm trying to get a long-term goal which involves a more open facility, and 5-6 strips. So I was curious as to which strip you guy's would recommend for, or against.

Thanks!

[DHCJr]

Asking for best of anything in fencing is a loaded question. Is this going to be permanent or will you want to be able to move? What sort of floor will you be putting them on?

[KD5MDK]

Are you asking for the metal strip itself, or for the box & reels?

[Vince]

DHCJr: Asking for best of anything in fencing is a loaded question. Is this going to be permanent or will you want to be able to move? What sort of floor will you be putting them on?

I am not certain what the floor will be, as we will need to find a new facility when we buy the piste's.

Portable, but it doesent have to be easily portable.

KD5MDK: Are you asking for the metal strip itself, or for the box & reels?

I'm talking about the actual metal strip, the piste, not the reels & scoring machine, the thing you walk on.

[DHCJr]

The piste like what is now used by the USFA are portable as individual sections, but together you need a forklift and a large truck for just 1 or 2. Each container holds 2. For more a moving van may be necessary. They are also more expensive, but they take less maintenance. But when you do have to fix something it is more difficult, not just slapping on a piece of tape.

[KD5MDK]

If your requirement is that it be conductive, I think the only defensible choice is sectional metal strips. Or maybe steel mesh. The other options, either woven metal or the "carpet" conductive strips aren't going to last long enough if you use them every day.

[brtech]

The sectional metal strips are probably the way to go. There are currently two basic kinds: the thinner "PBT" style (actually made in Turkey), and the thicker "BG" style, made in China. They probably will both be pretty good in a semi-permanent location, although we had quality control problems with the latest batch of BG strips USFA got in for Summer Nationals. These are the "banana" strips.

There are clubs that have used thin perforated metal sheet aluminum screwed to the floor. These "Cheese graters" tend to be hard on shoes, but cost a lot less than the sectional aluminum.

The older copper mesh is to be avoided: too much maintenance. There are reports of some using stainless steel mesh, but I have no experience.

I agree that the carpet strips probably won't last, but we'll see.

Of course, most salles don't have metal pistes, and some of those that do only have one or two. Really plush clubs have many.

[noodle]

could go with the cloth strips, also. they're pretty neat but expensive

[KD5MDK]

could go with the cloth strips, also. they're pretty neat but expensive

And would last how long in daily use?

brtech - Talk to Scott Harkey about the stainless steel mesh strips, he's got a dozen or so. So far I haven't seen any problems with them, although I don't know if you'd want to take extra steps if you were mounting them permanently.

[brtech]

brtech - Talk to Scott Harkey about the stainless steel mesh strips, he's got a dozen or so. So far I haven't seen any problems with them, although I don't know if you'd want to take extra steps if you were mounting them permanently.

Here is what I worry about with stainless steel mesh:
When you (inevitably) get some kind of hole or tear, what do you do? Weld it?
We know how to repair copper mesh (solder) and the aluminum sectionals (drill out rivets, remove side extrusions, shuffle or replace a piece, replace side extrusion, rivet). We are in the process of reworking the older USFA aluminum sectionals now.

I don't see any practical way to repair a hole or tear in stainless mesh. I suppose you weave in a new wire or a patch, but that doesn't seem like it's going to work all that well.

[KD5MDK]

It's a good question I don't know the answer to. On the other hand, I haven't seen a hole yet, so it may not have been tested yet.

How would you repair the aluminum "PBT" style strips?

[SJCFU#2]

I have seen many holes and tears in stainless steel mesh strips - most of which were never properly repaired.

Supposedly it is possible to solder stainless steel however I've never seen anyone do it. From what I have read it requires phosphoric acid flux and it is important to watch the time and temperature because the chromium can start to precipitate out of steel at temperatures around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

[noodle]

And would last how long in daily use?

who knows. i don't think anyone's yet purchased one for daily use.

[erooMynohtnA]

I have seen many holes and tears in stainless steel mesh strips - most of which were never properly repaired.

Supposedly it is possible to solder stainless steel however I've never seen anyone do it. From what I have read it requires phosphoric acid flux and it is important to watch the time and temperature because the chromium can start to precipitate out of steel at temperatures around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

You could always try brazing it instead. Probably has the same drawbacks, though.

[brtech]

How would you repair the aluminum "PBT" style strips?

Same way. Each section has several panels, and you take them apart and shuffle or replace the panels. In the USFA strips, there are only a couple of PBT sections that need an edge repaired. They do need new rivets, and the antiskid material needs to be repaired or replaced.