Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: David LaFerney on October 07, 2009, 11:10:45 am

Title: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on October 07, 2009, 11:10:45 am
I recently built some SBBs / oil traps to help control and monitor SHB and mites.  They work great except for one thing - a few small bees get through the #6 hardware cloth and drown along with the nasties.  I'm affraid that #8 would be small enough to save some of the hive beetles - although I know that many of them would go through.  I think #7 would be just the thing if I can get it. 

Anyway, does anyone know of a source for #7 cloth - preferably without ordering an entire roll, but I would even consider that.

In case anyone's interested:

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottomboard.JPG)

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottom-board-3.JPG)

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottom-board-2.JPG)

As you can see I'm using an easily available disposable turkey pan that just happens to work about right with my 8 frame boxes.  This design does not allow any ventilation - I'm going to add closable vents, but with small screen to keep SHBs from going in through the vents.  A sticky board will go right in the top slot.  The thing is pretty deep, but that's not bad because a shallow pan full of oil would be pretty messy I think.  Amazing how much junk lands in the oil.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Bee-Bop on October 07, 2009, 12:18:58 pm
Nice looking Trap !

I got 10 ft. of #7 from BetterBee for $17.50, only thing shipping and handling was an additional $12.87 !!!

I could find nothing locally, a couple of hardware chain stores said they could get it in 100 ft. rolls for $300 plus dollars.

Several on the forum's said " I bought  5 or so ft. locally cheap " but when they were questioned as to the the actual name and address of the store , by PM or just on the forum, - NO REPLY

Good Luck

Bee-Bop
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: TwT on October 07, 2009, 12:25:49 pm
when I was using SBB's and building my own, I couldn't find nothing but 1/4" hardware cloth or screen, I use to buy mine from betterbee also.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: jhs494 on October 08, 2009, 09:49:46 pm
I must admit that I am not sure of the size of #7 hardware cloth, but I ordered # 8 from McMaster Carr online. They have many sizes to choose from and they usually get the order out the same day. They list it showing the size of the opening of the square.

I hope this helps.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Sparky on October 08, 2009, 10:39:41 pm

Here is info from Betterbee web page. I bought the #7 also when building the SBB's and it worked great. Hope the #8 wire is not to fine for what you hope to accomplish. Even so it can be used for other parts as well.


#5 Mesh: Use for pollen trap screens. When the bees squeeze through this size screen, a certain percentage of the pollen that they are carrying in their sacks is dislodged and falls through the screen covering the pollen collection drawer.

#6 Mesh: Use for making varroa screens.

#7 Mesh: Use for the screen that covers the pollen collection drawer. (Note: #8 mesh is too fine and will stop some of the pollen grains from going through the screen and #6 mesh will let the bees through.)

#8 Mesh: Use for moving screens and varroa screens - anywhere you don't want the bees to go.

Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: VolunteerK9 on November 06, 2009, 10:38:36 am
Kind of an older post, but I sent my retired dad on a mission to find this. He is the type that has the uncanny ability to find the proverbial needle in the haystack and he reported that he went to a little mom and pop harware store outside of Chatsworth, GA.  They were currently out of it it but had a roll on order to be in within a few days.  Kind of a long roadtrip for you from Cookeville, but I will let you know the particulars when I get it. A few bucks a foot for 3ft wide.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 06, 2009, 06:38:34 pm
Kind of an older post, but I sent my retired dad on a mission to find this. He is the type that has the uncanny ability to find the proverbial needle in the haystack and he reported that he went to a little mom and pop harware store outside of Chatsworth, GA.  They were currently out of it it but had a roll on order to be in within a few days.  Kind of a long roadtrip for you from Cookeville, but I will let you know the particulars when I get it. a few bucks a foot for 3ft wide.

There's a pretty good old fashioned hardware store near me, but they don't have #7 (they do have #6 and #8) and I looked online with them at their wholesale website for true value hardware, and either they don't stock it or it's tucked away in an obscure part of the site away from the other hardware cloth.  I appreciate your effort, if your Dad has the number for that store maybe I can find out who the wholesaler is and get a roll shipped directly to me.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: beemused on November 15, 2009, 12:59:23 pm
I found that "Do it Yourself" Hardware stores will order whatever size you need in full rolls and when shipped as a stock order there is no shipping fee. I ordered some for SBBs and it was received in less than a week. I believe they have a website where you can find a store close to you. "True Value Hdwe" sore locally would not do this for me.

Bruce
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 15, 2009, 06:12:35 pm
My local true value store actually will do that - which is how I got some Oxalic acid - however their wholesale web site doesn't list #7.  I'll look into the do-it-yourself hardware store.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: asprince on November 15, 2009, 08:57:35 pm
I got mine from the local "mom and pop" hardware store. They ordered it, took about a week.

Walmart is about to put all the little guys out of business.

Steve
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 15, 2009, 10:13:31 pm
I just ordered some from better bee - they got it back in stock.  For now. 
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: USC Beeman in TN on November 23, 2009, 10:08:31 pm
I don't think I have seen a SHB large enough that could NOT fall through #8.  And I have plenty of SHBs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 29, 2009, 12:51:29 pm
I don't think I have seen a SHB large enough that could NOT fall through #8.  And I have plenty of SHBs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you posted that reply it made me wonder if I was 100% sure that I had seen SHB that wouldn't fit through #8, but then this morning I found this guy on a sticky board:

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/big-SHB-on-no8-screen.JPG)

So, unless that is some other beetle that just looks exactly like a SHB, then as you can see (that is #8 hardware cloth that he is on) some of them are too big to go through #8.  I wish it wasn't so.

He was alive, but moving slow because of the cool weather so I'm thinking (hoping) that the bees may root most of them out over the winter.  I'm going to put the oil trays back in to make sure they don't get back up once they fall down.

BTW, better bee contacted me and said that their website was incorrect, and they don't have any #7, so I'm still looking again.  I think when (if) I find some I will absolutely spring for a whole roll.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Bee-Bop on November 29, 2009, 03:09:55 pm
Looking at that picture;
WOW
That being #8 he would not go thru #7 or #6 either, he's covering almost  2  1/8 in spaces,
you would need 1/4 in wire for something that size !

Good Luck
Bee-Bop
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 29, 2009, 06:39:00 pm
Nah, he'll go right through #6 as you can see here:

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/big-SHB-on-no6-screen.JPG)

It took several tries to get him to balance there while I took the picture.  I'm pretty sure they can get through #7 too.  They don't have to just accidentally fall through because the bees chase them around and I believe they will climb through it on purpose.  Just looking at #6 you wouldn't think that bees can get through it but they do.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Robo on November 29, 2009, 09:28:33 pm
According to Jerry Freeman, the inventor of the Freeman Beetle trap,  SHB can go through #8 without any issue.  You can listen to him address this question on the podcast.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/beekeeping-podcasts/ (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/beekeeping-podcasts/)
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on November 30, 2009, 06:49:32 pm
I won't say that he's wrong, and I haven't listened to that podcast, but just looking at that picture if I can at all I'm gonna find some #7.  If it just isn't to be had then I'll probably try it with #8 and see how it works.  I still have a few months before it really matters.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Meadlover on December 20, 2009, 10:03:18 pm
Bugger, I may have found this thread a few days too late.
I'm currently making some SBB for the war I have waged against the SHB and have just bought some Stainless Steel mesh but fear the aperture may be too big.
It is 6 mesh and the gap is 3.3mm (0.1299").
Any ideas if the holes will allow the bees through or not? Don't want to drown the bees too  :?
What is the smallest size that is considered small enough for a bee to squeeze through?
Thanks

ML
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Bee-Bop on December 20, 2009, 10:28:22 pm
# 6 is used for pollen traps !
Bees can squeeze thru !

Bee-Bop
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Meadlover on December 20, 2009, 11:48:49 pm
DAMMIT! the design I used from here is no good then:
http://www.greenbeehives.com/ (http://www.greenbeehives.com/)
Quote
The mesh needs to be large enough so the beetles fall through easily (#6 .035 aluminum or galvanized steel, where #6 means 6x6 wires per inch and .035 is the diameter of the wire) and too small for the bees to get through.

 :-x
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on December 21, 2009, 12:25:19 am
Don't give up on that just yet.  I built mine last summer using #6 and a few bees do get through it, but not all that many.  Except once when I had a lot of robbing, which I put a stop to by reducing the entrances.  I think that controling the SHBs is more important than the few bees which you will normally lose.

All that being said, If I can find any #7 I'm going to change the ones that I have and use it to build some new ones as well.  Even losing a few bees is too many if it can be avoided.  If I can't find any #7 I'm going to use #8 on the new ones and run them side by side with the ones I already have for a real comparison.  I still think that some of the bigger beetles won't go through #8 though.

If anyone out there has a role of #7 hardware cloth I'd love to buy some if you can spare it.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Robo on December 21, 2009, 07:23:46 am
You just missed the Brushy Mountain free shipping :roll:  I took advantage and got another 100ft roll.  Hopefully that will last until next December
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: David LaFerney on December 21, 2009, 11:31:21 am
You just missed the Brushy Mountain free shipping :roll:  I took advantage and got another 100ft roll.  Hopefully that will last until next December

Do they have #7?  I'm only seeing #8 and #5.  My local store stocks #8 so that's my backup position if I can't find what I want.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Robo on December 21, 2009, 12:23:47 pm
My bad,  got #8.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Meadlover on February 15, 2010, 06:05:38 pm
Don't give up on that just yet.  I built mine last summer using #6 and a few bees do get through it, but not all that many. 

An update on my #6 stainless steel mesh -  it's working a treat with not one bee through it yet!
Thanks for the encouraging words David, seems that in theory #6 doesn't work, but in practice it works great, for the 2 of us anyway  8-)

A note to add here is that the supplier I got my #6 mesh from has 3 different #6 meshes, the difference being in the wire thickness, therefore the aperture size. The 3 different aperture sizes are 3.3mm 3.0mm and 2.7mm and the one I am using is the largest of them at 3.3mm aperture.

ML
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Intheswamp on September 01, 2011, 12:58:48 pm
WARNING...this is a reply to an older thread...Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but I'm curious if anyone ever came up with a good source for #7 mesh wire?

Thanks,
Ed
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: 100 TD on June 22, 2012, 12:12:30 am
I too have made a SHB trap with #6 stainless mesh, no problems with bees going through. 3.3mm aperture, just need to find a cheap supplier.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Lazy W on January 11, 2013, 11:56:01 pm
I also would like to know if anyone has a source for #7 mesh.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: RHBee on January 18, 2013, 11:45:39 pm
DAMMIT! the design I used from here is no good then:
http://www.greenbeehives.com/ (http://www.greenbeehives.com/)
Quote
The mesh needs to be large enough so the beetles fall through easily (#6 .035 aluminum or galvanized steel, where #6 means 6x6 wires per inch and .035 is the diameter of the wire) and too small for the bees to get through.

 :-x

That's what I use too. Find a bee every now and then, lots of SHB. #6 galvanized mesh works well.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Lazy W on January 19, 2013, 11:44:54 am
I ordered #7 from Simpson's. It should be here Tuesday.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: rebecca121760 on August 25, 2016, 08:40:34 am
So for a hive beetle trap under the bottom board, should I try to get #6 or #7 hardware cloth? I recently bought a trap and it has number 6 in it. I plan to retrofit some of my other screened bottom boards and am wondering if which I should get. Hoping you guys might have an answer after all of this time. :)
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: rebecca121760 on August 31, 2016, 10:46:35 am
Did you ever find #7 hardware cloth? I am looking for #6 or #7 for our screened bottom boards. We bought a bottom board from greenbeehive and it has #6. It works awesome and we want to retrofit some others with that sized cloth. I think #7 would work good too. We have not lost any bees to the  #6 al all.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: rebecca121760 on August 31, 2016, 11:17:38 am
Oh, and Betterbee doesn't have any and doesn't know when they will be able to get it again.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: Michael Bush on August 31, 2016, 01:02:50 pm
># 6 is used for pollen traps !
That would be #5

>Bees can squeeze thru !
Barely, yes.  But not easily.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshardwarecloth.htm
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: FunnyBugBees on May 17, 2017, 05:05:15 pm
You guys seem to be fairly confused. The reason you are all confused is that like all wire mesh, each size comes in about 12 different "aperture opening sizes". One person buys #6 and it works, another buys #6 and all the bees get through it. same for #7 or #8.

You need to shop for your hardware cloth by "aperture size" not by mesh #

We sell exclusively #6 mesh with an average aperture of 3.2mm (this is called 6mesh 041) in the industry. Because it has 6 openings per inch (#6) and uses 0.041" (041) wire for the weave, resulting in an opening or aperture of 3.2004mm. For hive beetle traps you MUST use a wire mesh with an average aperture of 3.2mm

If you need this mesh, we are a supplier.
Title: Re: Source for #7 hardware cloth
Post by: beebad on July 27, 2017, 06:47:06 pm
OH YEAH!!!!! I see my next project to make a few of these. I had most of my apiary in the warm way base configuration but just dont have the room.
I recently built some SBBs / oil traps to help control and monitor SHB and mites.  They work great except for one thing - a few small bees get through the #6 hardware cloth and drown along with the nasties.  I'm affraid that #8 would be small enough to save some of the hive beetles - although I know that many of them would go through.  I think #7 would be just the thing if I can get it. 

Anyway, does anyone know of a source for #7 cloth - preferably without ordering an entire roll, but I would even consider that.

In case anyone's interested:

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottomboard.JPG)

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottom-board-3.JPG)

(http://doorgarden.com/images/critters/bee-pictures/equipment/ipm-screened-bottom-board-2.JPG)

As you can see I'm using an easily available disposable turkey pan that just happens to work about right with my 8 frame boxes.  This design does not allow any ventilation - I'm going to add closable vents, but with small screen to keep SHBs from going in through the vents.  A sticky board will go right in the top slot.  The thing is pretty deep, but that's not bad because a shallow pan full of oil would be pretty messy I think.  Amazing how much junk lands in the oil.