Welding mesh Is there an easy way?

[philip in china]

I am going to enclose the underneath of my welding bench by putting some mesh and creating a cage. It should be an easy job as there is a steel cabinet at one end and a brick wall at the other. The top is 20mm plate and the floor is concrete. So I have to make a couple of screens- effectively like machine guards.

My question is this. I shall be making the framework for each side out of 50mm (2") angle. I want to fasten mesh inside this framework. Is there a simple way or do I just get the buzz box out and start welding?

Any advice would be welcomed as I have never welded mesh before.

[PeterDE4]

My neighbor has a landscaping business with several trailers. The trailer tailgates are wire mesh welded to an angle iron frame. The mesh has to be replaced periodically when it gets torn up by the equipment. I've found that a small MIG welder does an excellent job of fastening mesh to a steel frame. Depending on the strenght you need, you may only have to weld every 3rd or 4th joint to the frame.

[SGropp]

I've found it's best to direct the arc to the frame behind the hole in the mesh letting the transferred heat of the puddle melt the mesh and fuse them together. Using Mig is a bit easier for this task.

[Rich Hale]

Two things make this easy the first is an auto darkening helmet that will lighten up so you can move and see where to strike the arc for the next weld, the second is a wire feed welder,, it allows youi to keep your hand at the same distance from the work and just advance along. Now It is my wild guess youi do nothave either of these items as youmention a buzz box. If that is a stick welder one thing that may help is to direct a bright light on the work so you can see better where you weld is going to be. In either cse after youi do a bit it will get easier..Youi may even want to just run a continuos bead along the angle and flick it onto the mesh as you pass by it. Good luck.

[Dave M]

I did a job that they did not want it welded so that they could make field repairs to replace the mesh if damaged. I just backed up the mesh with 1.5" flat stock and then just drilled through the angle stock and the flat stock and then bolted them together with the mesh sandwiched in between. Oh the parts I made were window brush screens for a mini excavator. Other wise I would have mig welded it and I agree with SGropp, start the weld on the angle iron and bring the heat and puddle up onto the mesh.

[CurlyGeorge]

I stick welded mesh to a 1/4 inch round rod that was rolled into a circle. It was the hanging grill for a tri-pod, in my gallery pix. Turn your heat down, and like Rich said. Use an auto darkening hood, if you can.

[David Jacobson]

If it's too thin to weld, you can cut a slot with a chop saw on one side of a peice of tube steel then slide the mesh into it. I have done some fireplace screens this way.

[NeatGuy]

I weld mesh into frames at work for architectual purposes. I use a "hair pin", a piece of 12ga sheet metal folded into a "U" shape. The edge of the mesh is inserted into the hairpin and pressed closed onto the mesh in a press break. You could also hammer the hairpin closed. The mitered corners of the hairpin are welded off, ground, and the whole assembly is welded into the frame.

[CurlyGeorge]

NeatGuy, I like that idea. That would work well.