New build starting off a pain in the tush

Ceycham

Ceycham

Established Member
I began Norman's new house upgrade this week, and true to my nature I couldn't be satisfied with just what's out there. I had to build from scratch and make something custom: In this case an aluminum screen cage with plexiglass front double doors with measurements 42" H x 30W x 20 D. Turns out working with aluminum screening is a nightmare. Getting the spline in the channel is NOT as easy as they make it look on youtube. I get 3/4 the way around and slip, accidentally tearing the screen. I've thrown away more aluminum screening and my fingers are bloody from pokes with aluminum fibers. Never again. Norman had better appreciate this.
 
Yea thats why i switched to vinyl hardware cloth, aka poultry netting, aka chicken fencing, aka snow fencing. You just have to ask yourself "if i buy the mesh that is 1/4-1/2" so the cham can get a foot hold, will the feeders get out?".
 
JacobH said:
If you have a cheap roller, it is not easy.

This is pretty much exactly what I do. Very easy and fast.

Click to expand...

I definitely did not have a jig like that. I finally upgraded to a better roller, and it was marginally easier. Wondering if my spline was too large. I thought I was following that the chart told me at the big box store, but perhaps I was reading it incorrectly.
 
.140 That should be good. I've found the when putting in the spline if you orient the screens so you are pulling the spline tool towards you it seems to work better. I've made 4 cages recently and it gets easier as you go.
IMG_7918.JPG
 
Action Jackson said:
.140 That should be good. I've found the when putting in the spline if you orient the screens so you are pulling the spline tool towards you it seems to work better. I've made 4 cages recently and it gets easier as you go.View attachment 196362
Click to expand...

Those look great!

My newest fail seems to be that my screens did not come out square (or rectangular). Once I put all the screens together into a cage it looked ok, but it was actually far from it. I couldn't tell until I set it on top of a rectangular piece of wood that would be the base of his cabinet... Nothing about it is square, or even rectangular. I think I pieced together a bunch of slanty rectangles (rhombus shaped) without realizing it, and now I have a wonky shaped cage. Time to do over! I am so much better at working with wood. Wood gets me. screen, metal, plastic, not so much.
 
Ceycham said:
Those look great!

My newest fail seems to be that my screens did not come out square (or rectangular). Once I put all the screens together into a cage it looked ok, but it was actually far from it. I couldn't tell until I set it on top of a rectangular piece of wood that would be the base of his cabinet... Nothing about it is square, or even rectangular. I think I pieced together a bunch of slanty rectangles (rhombus shaped) without realizing it, and now I have a wonky shaped cage. Time to do over! I am so much better at working with wood. Wood gets me. screen, metal, plastic, not so much.
Click to expand...

I think I read you used a dremel tool to cut the frames. This is far from ideal and won’t produce consistently accurate cuts. Also one of the keys to making good screen cages and there are several, is to use a chop saw with some kind of measuring stop so all the pieces are the same lengths. If your off a 16th or more things start to get sloppy. I probably spent around $600 on materials including several sheets of pvc. I will probably get 5 bigger cages and a few smaller ones out of this. I see myself making a bunch more cages as I need them and will probably buy a measuring stop guide to ensure proper length cuts.
 
Action Jackson said:
I think I read you used a dremel tool to cut the frames. This is far from ideal and won’t produce consistently accurate cuts. Also one of the keys to making good screen cages and there are several, is to use a chop saw with some kind of measuring stop so all the pieces are the same lengths. If your off a 16th or more things start to get sloppy. I probably spent around $600 on materials including several sheets of pvc. I will probably get 5 bigger cages and a few smaller ones out of this. I see myself making a bunch more cages as I need them and will probably buy a measuring stop guide to ensure proper length cuts.
Click to expand...

Must have been someone else with the dremel, I used a miter saw. The only thing I'm sure of is my frame cuts, lol. The problem lies in my screening process. This time around I am going to construct a jig to keep everything in right angles while I'm screening. That video Jacobh posted showed a jig being used and that makes a lot of sense.
 
Ceycham said:
Must have been someone else with the dremel, I used a miter saw. The only thing I'm sure of is my frame cuts, lol. The problem lies in my screening process. This time around I am going to construct a jig to keep everything in right angles while I'm screening. That video Jacobh posted showed a jig being used and that makes a lot of sense.
Click to expand...
If you used a miter saw then that shouldn’t be the problem. Some of my screens are petty big but came out square without a jig.
 
Action Jackson said:
If you used a miter saw then that shouldn’t be the problem. Some of my screens are petty big but came out square without a jig.
Click to expand...
Mine were definitely not square. I just didn't notice because I was EXPECTING them to be square thanks to the little corner bits. apparently enough tension with the screen can throw them off.
 
I have a bunch of cages that I did without the jig that turned out fine. I mainly bought it because I am slowly building lots of cages and noticed some of the screens bowing in on the sides. If I were you and building just one cage. I would just make sure the frame is square and take my time installing the screen.

The first cages I built took me a while. I messed up some screens by punching holes in them. It gets easier with every screen. I remember being pretty pissed when I made the first cage. It turned out fine, but took a while and I wondered how I was gonna get the rest done in the time I had. Just takes practice.
 
JacobH said:
I have a bunch of cages that I did without the jig that turned out fine. I mainly bought it because I am slowly building lots of cages and noticed some of the screens bowing in on the sides. If I were you and building just one cage. I would just make sure the frame is square and take my time installing the screen.

The first cages I built took me a while. I messed up some screens by punching holes in them. It gets easier with every screen. I remember being pretty pissed when I made the first cage. It turned out fine, but took a while and I wondered how I was gonna get the rest done in the time I had. Just takes practice.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've noticed I get a little better with each screen. I'm hoping all this frustration will end in a good result for me too. I'm confident it will, but I can't say I'm enjoying the process. Hope its the last one I ever have to make!
 
Well, in the end, I had the same trouble the second time around, even though I kept the frames square as I made them. I am beginning to realize its the size that is the issue. The frames just cannot support all that tension at that size. The good news is that having redone it all, I did get better at the process, and also I love the black screen I used as opposed to the charcoal. Huge visibility difference!

Meanwhile, to solve the square issue, I'm just going to have to construct the cabinet tightly around it to hold everything into square against it's will. Being wood (something I can work with and understand the limitations of) I know at least that will be square!
 
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