Screen Mesh Size

I just ordered two different sizes of stainless steel wire mesh from the link provided by Tex. (Go to McMaster-Carr.com and type "screen mesh" in the find box. This will bring up a wide variety of materials and grades, even precut discs. The "High-Volume Lightweight-Particle-Filtering Stainless Steel Wire Cloth", aka bolting grade in 304 stainless seems to be the best bang for the buck.)

High-Volume Particle-Filtering Stainless Steel Wire Cloth, Woven, 304 Stainless Steel, 54x54 Mesh, .0055" Wire Diameter, 12" X24" 54 × 54 0.013" - 49% open area - 0.0055" wire diameter #9230T41

High-Volume Particle-Filtering Stainless Steel Wire Cloth, Woven, 304 Stainless Steel, 30x30 Mesh,.0065" Wire Diameter, 12" X24" 30 × 30 0.0268" - 65% open area 0.0065" wire diameter #9230T28

I'll let you know what I come up with once I can incorporate vents using this wire in a few roach enclosures.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
So far the 30x30 works for fresh new babies of Shelfordella lateralis, Periplaneta White eye and normal, and Therea petiveriana and olegrandjeani. I haven't tried it with Gyna or Surinam yet. I'll also try with Green Banana and Pale Bordered field roaches in the near future.

FYI

The lateralis babies walk right through the standard 18x16 aluminum window screen, though I do use it for larger species.

 
Are you speaking of a standard 30 x 30 wire cloth mesh? Something like this - http://www.bwire.com

If so - what is the wire diameter that you use? I was thinking of something a little bit finer - perhaps a 10x10 wire cloth mesh.

Did you use stainless steel 304?

 
Tex said:
Just go to McMaster-Carr.com and type "screen mesh" in the find box. This will bring up a wide variety of materials and grades, even precut discs. The "High-Volume Lightweight-Particle-Filtering Stainless Steel Wire Cloth", aka bolting grade in 304 stainless seems to be the best bang for the buck.

Keep in mind though that most if not all of the 20x20 metal screen will have bigger openings than your 20x20 fiberglass because the metal wires used will be thinner than the coated fiberglass.

I'm have some of the 30x30 with .027" openings that I described in the first post and so far works great for the lateralis babies. I place some lateralis and Periplaneta americana oothecai in condiment cups covered with the mesh and placed them back in their respective containers to test. I'm still waiting for the americana to hatch and I will be doing the same with a gravid Gyna and Surinam as well as some Therea oothecai.
Click to expand...
jackiec123 said:
Are you speaking of a standard 30 x 30 wire cloth mesh? Something like this - http://www.bwire.com

If so - what is the wire diameter that you use? I was thinking of something a little bit finer - perhaps a 10x10 wire cloth mesh.

Did you use stainless steel 304?
Click to expand...
Go to McMaster-Carr.com as stated above. The 30 mesh I am referring to is there.

30 × 30, Opening Size: 0.0268", Open Area: 65%, Wire Diameter: 0.0065", Item: 9230T28.

There is 100 and 120 mesh in the “Corrosion-Resistant Type 304 Stainless Steel Wire Cloth” category. Prices on this site are also about half of the site you referenced.

Just a note, 120 mesh is a size commonly used to contain fruit fly cultures.

 
Bumping up this reference topic for the McMaster-Carr.com sourcing of stainless steel fine wire mesh!!  Keep the tiny CBB babies in your enclosure and the phorid flies out!!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Interesting link. It's about the same price/square inch for the cheapest 0.2" hole mesh as I pay for stainless steel frying pan splatter guards. 
As often, knowing the right term helps a lot! So stainless Steel Wire CLOTH it is where I have to google for... Thanks! 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top