What are you using to secure hardware cloth?

[Laurajean]

I told my carpenter I wanted to use screws and washers and he showed me these things he uses for roofing. They're kind of along the same idea, but they are a slightly threaded nail with a built in plastic washer, but it's all one piece and very easy to use. I asked where I could find them in case I need to repair, etc, and he said in roofing department of Home Depot. The one piece design makes it much quicker to use than actual separate washers.

 

[elmo]

I used Teks screws.

 

[Mark & Nique]

U-nails!

 

[rrgrassi]

Quote:
Those types are great for attaching tar paper, but the plastic comes of easily from under the head of the nail, and it breakes down quickly from exposure to the sun.

The big headed roofing nails are goof for the corners in the hardware cloth, and are the fender washers and screws.

 

[woodguy]

Quote:
What are Teks screws?
...nevermind...I found them. Actually they are for sheet metal. Not much good screwing into wood.

 

[MoSo]

Screws and washers where there is wood - hog rings where two panels join. There are a couple sizes of hog rings and it took some hunting (and some tool modification) to find the right ones.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
What are Teks screws?
...nevermind...I found them. Actually they are for sheet metal. Not much good screwing into wood.

No, they make them for wood, too. The ones for metal have a different tip.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
MoSo, where'd you find hog rings? Could they be used to join two ends of four-foot farm fencing together. How many would you use to join the two ends? Does it take a special too to crimp them?
Actually what I want to do is join the two ends of a five-foot piece of heavy field fence together to make tomato cages. Do you think that the hog rings would hold up well for that purpose?

 

[MoSo]

Quote:
MoSo, where'd you find hog rings? Could they be used to join two ends of four-foot farm fencing together. How many would you use to join the two ends? Does it take a special too to crimp them?
Actually what I want to do is join the two ends of a five-foot piece of heavy field fence together to make tomato cages. Do you think that the hog rings would hold up well for that purpose?

I got them from the local farm co-op, but they are pretty common - basically a c-shaped short length of wire (several different gauges) that you use fencing pliers to bend into a closed "o" shape. The tool to do it is a pot-metal piece of import junk that can stand some filing to make it work better and close well.

http://doitbest.com/4294966798-Hog+Rings.dib

Depending on the thickness of the wire you have and the opening size (whether or not you can get the pliers in), I might be tempted to get rabbit clips and the clip pliers instead. Easier to work with, tighter close, fewer sharp edges.

http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/caclplac.html

Edited to add: or, now that I think about it, plastic zip ties would be cheap and easy, especially for just one season.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
MoSo, where'd you find hog rings? Could they be used to join two ends of four-foot farm fencing together. How many would you use to join the two ends? Does it take a special too to crimp them?
Actually what I want to do is join the two ends of a five-foot piece of heavy field fence together to make tomato cages. Do you think that the hog rings would hold up well for that purpose?

I got them from the local farm co-op, but they are pretty common - basically a c-shaped short length of wire (several different gauges) that you use fencing pliers to bend into a closed "o" shape. The tool to do it is a pot-metal piece of import junk that can stand some filing to make it work better and close well.

http://doitbest.com/4294966798-Hog+Rings.dib

Depending on the thickness of the wire you have and the opening size (whether or not you can get the pliers in), I might be tempted to get rabbit clips and the clip pliers instead. Easier to work with, tighter close, fewer sharp edges.

http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/caclplac.html

Edited to add: or, now that I think about it, plastic zip ties would be cheap and easy, especially for just one season.

Thanks, I think you're right. I like the rabbit clips and pliers more too, especially with the tighter close and fewer sharp edges.
BTW I plan to keep/store these for years, so the less-long-lived plastic zip ties would not work for me.