OT: Fitting Fibreglass Screen Splines on Pupa Boxes

[Greg G]

I have the task of building pupa boxes for over wintering insect cocoons and chrysalides. The boxes measure ~18"x~18"x36" tall. The side panels will be of fibreglass screen. Built one and used battens and staples to hold the screen - don't care for it. I would like to use standard vinyl screen spline for others. Don't want to spend a hunk of changes on this either, so it has to be done with tools on hand. This includes a spline tool and a 1/8" router bit.

Never having cut splines for a screen, and not having an example to study, I'm assuming the groove for the spline is a standard 1/8" wide (for .120" spline) groove with straight sides, about 3/16" deep.

Or does the screen spline groove have a special shape? Google didn't turn up much in the 'dimensions' department...

Thanks,

Greg G.

[John Thomas]

Greg G. wrote in news: [e-mail]:

-- watch for wrap on that one. I googled on screen spline dimensions - about the 4th link down.

Here's the relevant quote: (they are making wooden frames)

1. Clamp frame securely to a work surface, and use the router to cut a groove for the frame spline around the perimeter of the frame. Adjust router to go a quarter-of-an-inch deep, and use a bit that corresponds with the size of the spline being used to anchor the screen in the frame.

This matches my recollection of making some aluminum screens for windows

-- the channel for the spline was just a rectangle in cross section - no specific shape. The ribs in the spline hold it in place.

[George]

That's the one. Spline grips on the sides. You may want a touch wider groove to try and pack two thicknesses of fiberglass screen and the spline. I used a 1/4 bit and the 3/16 for the ones on the food stand, if memory serves.

Butterflies are a great project. Friend of mine bought caterpillars every spring for her first grade. Kids fed them, watched them through the entire metamorphosis, then took them on a picnic and released them.

[Greg G]

Guess I'll have to see what spline diameters are available locally before finishing this - and try a test fit or two. I don't want to have to buy new router bits just for this project - the _real_ router bit store is very far away, and we don't want to wait on UPS.

BTW, here are some past lep projects that were documented. (Clicking the insect picture brings up a new page.) Complete life cycles - from eggs to adults, and back to eggs. Pages are out of date, perhaps we'll have time this winter to update.

All,

Greg G.

[nospambob]

[Lawrence Wasserman]

I've just cut a 1/8" groove with the table saw for this in the past and it works fine.