Where do you get hardware cloth in Aust

[Grieth]

Hi,

I am in Melbourne and wondering where I can get hardware cloth (#8, as the US guys recommend) or some equivalent, such as sheeting with holes drilled.  I want something stiffer than fly screen for a screened bottom board or a slid in/out screen to use with a bee vac if I make one.

Anyone got any ideas?

[Lone]

Hello Grieth,
I really can't help you, but I think hardware cloth must be some kind of flyscreen.  There are different qualities of flyscreen here of course.  You will just need to find out what the bee one is made out of.  I looked it up, and number 8 is 1/8 inch.  The length converter says this is 3.175mm.  I can't see any mention of mesh or screened bottom boards in any of the beekeeping suppliers catalogues here I know of.  Maybe that is because we don't have varroa here.  I'm sure I've heard talk of screened bottom boards here, though, so someone knows something!  What is your reason for wanting to use it?
You could do as you suggested and use a 1/8 drill to drill 1000s of little holes in the material of your choice    Or maybe if you are really stuck, you could order the small amount of the hardware cloth you'll need from american beekeeping suppliers.

Lone

[Anybrew]

You could maybe try that CrimSafe stuff with screen door manufacturers use on security screens and doors.
It might work.

Cheers
Steve

[Mardak]

Give John Edmonds of Geelong Beekeepers an email, the website has all the details. This is a guy who travels nationally and internationally. he will have the answers or refer you onto some one who can help.

[Grieth]

Thanks Mardak, I will give him a call.

[Meadlover]

Hey Greith,

I got my mesh from SEFAR in Brisbane.
I went for the stainless steel wire mesh as it will last pretty much forever, but they also had galvanised mesh too which was cheaper.
Looks like they have an office in Tullamarine:
Sefar Pty Ltd Screen Printing
26 Ovata Drive
3043 Tullamarine, Victoria
Phone: +61 3 8318 5555

From memory the stainless steel mesh worked out at around $10 per hive for a full length and width screened bottom board.
I think the galvanised mesh was half price or even less - I just have a thing for stainless steel

ML

[Lone]

Why do you use SBBs, ML?  Is it to prepare for the invasion of the Mitey Varroa army?

Lone

[Meadlover]

Hey Lone,

I use a SBB as my SHB trap. As you mention though 1 of the reasons I have gone for this type of trap is in preparation for Varroa Mite.
I figure if I'm going to go to all the effort of making SHB traps I might as well make them forward compatible, then I'll also be ready for the onslaught of varroa - kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

ML

[Grieth]

Thanks meadlover, great info. 
What are the specs on the mesh you used, and would you use that one again?
Any photos of your SBB?

[Meadlover]

I will find the invoice and put the specs in this thread for you.

I have been very happy with it's performance so far HOWEVER..... when I was checking the hives 2 weekends ago there was quite a few dead bees, but only in 1 of my 3 trays which means 1 of 2 things:
1. They got into the trap from a gap in the back of the hive where I access and pull out the tray, or
2. They have regressed back to smaller bees and got through the mesh.

I will check them out again in another week or 2 and keep you updated - if it was because they got through the mesh then I need to look at the next size down mesh, otherwise I just need to make sure the tray seals off so they can't get in.

I will also try and take some photos this week.

ML

[Grieth]

Thanks, it would be great to see your photos, and get the good oil on mesh size.  I am thinking that it just needs to be big enough for small hive beetle to get through for it to be effective in Aust.

I would also like to give these screens a try Top screens idea, but want something a bit more robust than flyscreen, even if it is aluminum fly screen.

[Johnny253]

Locker Group sell woven wire mesh in galv and stainless. I've found them very helpful in the past.

[Mardak]

Stainless steel is supposed be less toxic to bees versus galvanised products.

[Meadlover]

OK, the stuff I got was:
Supplier: SEFAR Pty Ltd
Code: W006-20-122
Description: SST304 1220MM 3.3mm AP 0.91mm Wire
Cost: $81.00 per linear meter

So basically it is stainless steel mesh that is made with 0.91mm thick wire, and has a 3.3mm sized hole.

You can look at their Stainless Steel Mesh options here: SEFAR - Metal Mesh and look at the "Market Grade Woven Wire" pdf file.

I bought 1.1m which did 6 hives so worked out about $15 per 10 frame hive

I haven't been back to the hives to check again but they've been on the hives for over a year and I've been very happy with them so far.
I bought some spare mesh which is going into a bee vac, and I will also be able to use it as a mesh top on a hive if I want to move them on a really hot day. Also I kept all my offcuts and some were big enough to use to close entrances when I move the hives.

ML

[Grieth]

Thanks for that,  I will give them a call when I get home to Melb.

[ShaneJ]

I just got off the phone to SEFAR and they tell me they don't deal to the public 

I haven't been able to find any suppliers in Brisbane at all. Anyone have any ideas?

[ShaneJ]

ML you wouldn't happen to have any mesh spare I could purchase from you?

[ShaneJ]

I have found some 3.1mm 0.9mm 1550mm wide

$125+ per meter!!

[Shanevrr]

brushy mountain

[ShaneJ]

Thats an option, but I don't think I would like the shipping cost.

[Shanevrr]

Yea its hard to recommend when most folks here live in US, didnt see your profile

[ShaneJ]

No worries mate, its all good.

I just rang Sefar again and talked them around. Just ordered 2M.

[Meadlover]

I have found some 3.1mm 0.9mm 1550mm wide

$125+ per meter!!

I called them today and yep - no more selling to the public
Where did you source this 3.1mm stuff from? 3.1mm sounds like a better size mesh to me.

[ShaneJ]

I have 2M coming from SEFAR.

The 3.1mm was from a company called Locker Group. Their number is 37103000. I didn't write down the part number but you can use my enquiry ref# which is ww03111104

The difference between 3.3mm and 3.1mm isn't enough to warrant the difference is price is it?

[ShaneJ]

Double post.

[Meadlover]

The 3.1mm was from a company called Locker Group. Their number is 37103000. I didn't write down the part number but you can use my enquiry ref# which is ww03111104

Thanks, I might give them a call, or call back Sefar and hassle them again 

The difference between 3.3mm and 3.1mm isn't enough to warrant the difference is price is it?

I seemed to have no bees get through the mesh for a full year, then a heap seemd to get through over a month or so period, now still a few but not heaps.

Did you price the 3.0mm mesh from Sefar?

What price did they do yours for? (Did you get the same stuff I did?)

ML

[ShaneJ]

No I didn't price the 3mm stuff from SEFAR.

They did the 3.3mm for $81+GST Code: W006-20-124 which is 2mm wider than what you got from them.

If you call them again just say you want to do a cash sale. Their min order is $100.

[Robo]

Shane,

Don't know what's available in Australia,  but just want to let you know there is nothing special about the size hardware cloth that is used.  The only requirement is that the bees can't pass thru it.   Iddee has taught me that stiffer hardware cloth like #8 has much less issues than say metal window screening as it holds it's shape better and will not collapse and that is all I use now.   With that said,  window screening does work and I have used it many times,  and if it was going to cost me $100 to buy hardware cloth,  I would highly consider a cheaper window screen if available.  Especially since the trap out is next door and you could keep a close eye on it and address any cone issues in a timely manner.  There comes a point where it is cheaper to just buy bees than invest heavily in a trap out.

rob....

[iddee]

Robo is correct there, Shane. Any screen will work, as long as the bees can't return and it doesn't collapse and block their exit. A solid funnel will not work. The bees can see the entrance with the funnel, and will orientate to it, but can not see the entrance in a wire cone.

[ShaneJ]

Thanks guys.

I wasn't sure if the mesh did have much of an effect or not and because of the time frame I have to work with and the fact that this will be my first trap out, I just wanted to do it perfectly. I will see if I can find some other metal mesh though.

Shane

[Robo]

I just wanted to do it perfectly.

I'm still trying to achieve that perfect trap out as well 

[ShaneJ]

Don't worry, I'll show you hows its done..

 

[Grieth]

I gave up on getting hardware cloth at a decent price.

I have used aluminum fly screen to trap some bees out of my brick vents.  Turned out it was a swarm or scouts, and they happily took up resident in my ply 5 frame nuc with a lure when I set it next to the flyscreen comb.

[dermot]

Don't know if it's a bit late to add to this discussion - but I spent a bit of time experimenting with as many samples of gutter guard and perforated mesh as I could find by putting a handful of bees in a jar to make sure they couldn't get through and SHB in a jar to make sure they would get through.

  The perfect answer was expanded aluminium with a diamond shaped hole.

This is available from Expanded Metal Products  in 400mm or 600 mm widths for less than $10 a metre

I think they've had enough enquiries from beekeepers now that if you ring they'll know what product you need.

BTW, here in Canberra we've had SHB since January 2010 and i was expecting that this summer would see their numbers to have grown to problem levels. I'm glad to say that so far this season I've (gladly) been wrong. Amongst beekeeepers here the story seems to be consistent- a minority of hives free of SHB, the rest with 2 or 3 and rarely up to a dozen. I'm in touch with a majority of ACT beeks through the local association and haven't heard of anyone losing a hive to SHB.

http://www.expandedmetal.com.au/patterns.htm