Thread: Making a flyscreen

You need the framing, corner joints and the screening material, as well as a roller for putting the screen in. You'll also need enough of the rubber stripping that holds the screen in the frame. Should all be available at masters or Bunnings.

Once you cut the frame at 45 degrees to join, you slot the plastic joint pieces into the frame (hard to describe but once you see the pieces it should make sense) and join the frame up. Once the frame is done you simply cut the screen slightly oversize, then use the roller to push the rubber stripping in over it and into the slots along the frame. Again without a visual this may not make sense.

I agree it is hard to describe with out visuals but what was said above is the process.

I am sure that Bunnings used to have instruction sheets available for the assembly of flyscreens

I have made a few screens and replaced the mesh in many frames. (Paid jobs).

The rubber material is called spline. It comes in a couple of different sizes - helps if you have the correct size. Too small and it will not hold the mesh in. Too big and you will struggle to get it in but if you stretch spline you might get it in.
A spline roller is a big help, although you can use a flat bladed screwdriver, just be careful as you might put a hole in the mesh. If you are purchasing a spline roller, one with a "parrot beak" to push the spline in is useful. I have just started to use one with a large pushing surface, about 100mm long, however the other end has a convex roller which was not a useful as a concave roller. Cyclone Spline Roller Comfort Grip 504082 I/N 4110386 | Bunnings Warehouse
Mesh - for a small area fibreglass will be easier to install than aluminium.

It goes with out saying that when cutting the sides try and get the opposite sides as close as possible to be the same length assuming the frame is to be rectangular. The corners will be either plastic or aluminium, they are a tight fit so once in you may not be able to remove if you think you have made an error.

Measure twice or more and cut once. After the first one any other screens will be a breeze (and let it in but not the insects). You can buy a little mitre box to cut the sides at 45^o, will cost a few dollar can could be worth it, unless you have another mitre jig or saw.

Also give a thought to how you are going to attach it - hinged, flush button, offset buttons or with spring loaded pins.

Hope something of the above is useful.

I've got the roller and replacement screen - they're pretty much necessities with cats.
I've repaired screens before, just haven't done any framework.

Originally Posted by smidsy

I've got the roller and replacement screen - they're pretty much necessities with cats.
I've repaired screens before, just haven't done any framework.

So you have already done half the job. Making the frame is easy once you have all the parts.
Cut the sides to length, (8 cuts), insert the corners - just make sure you put them in the right way and think how you are going to do it - eg both ends of the long sides, and join the sides up. Insert screen with spline, trim and install and you are done.

All the above assumes you want an aluminium frame, rather than timber.

I've made a few fly screens before. What a pain. I can't remember the numbers but I thought it was more cost effective (when you considered time) to get them made up commercially. But that's not what you're here to hear.

The above directions are good. Don't forget to put the little pins in to hold it in the window frame. And there's some little tabs that help you to pull the screen out. You need to put them in before the screen gets rolled in.

Trav

Yep this is an aliminium beastie (which is why this thread was in nothing to do with woodwork before a mod moved it) cos I am putting a portable aircon vent in the window but still want to be able to open the window.