On 18 Jan 2007 15:14:43 -0800, wrote:

I have to find large circular metal washers of some very light-weight,
fireproof material. The problem is this: there is a mouse infestation
in an elderly relative's home. I (and an assortment of handymen,
contractors, etc.) have tried for years to find the source of entry for
these rodents, and I've gone through extraordinary measures to make
sure the slightest possible entry place is either caulked, boarded up,
duct-taped, etc.

But at some time in the past, this elderly relative had a wall oven
removed and hired a carpenter to install a floor-to-soffit "pantry"
cabinet in place of the oven and cabinets that used to occupy that
columnar space. It's my belief, as well as the opinion of *all* the
contractors, etc., that whoever installed this pantry cabinet failed to
seal the hole in the drywall where the wiring supplied the former wall
oven, and that the mice come up from the cellar through this hole.

The elderly relative has a traditional "stove" next to the pantry
cabinet and recently blew a wad on what she thought was a
state-of-the-art range hood. This hood has two halogen bulbs. Because
of the intense noise in the house whenever no one is in the kitchen,
and the mouse dung in and around the stove, I believe the mice are
actually making their way from the hole in the gypsum board into the
range hood, and then (I'm not joking) jumping down from the gap between
the bulb socket and the bulb.

I therefore need metal washers of specific dimensions to complete the
job of mice-proofing the place. I would unscrew the halogen bulbs, fit
these mythical washers into the space where the jumping mice now do
their acrobatics, and then screw the bulbs back in.

Well, if you're not thinking by now this is one for the alt.home.repair
joke files, I'd like to know how I can go about getting such specialty
metal washers.

You cut them out of a coke can with a pair of sissors and a heavy
exacto knife.