We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't
net the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10',
and she now wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you
can also take the netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries,
etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny
whippy bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just
lay the bird net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the
stuff they make mobile ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a
clue where to buy it. Green bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a
3' diameter, doubt it would. I was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but
I don't have any, and 100' or so of say 6 gauge copper would run some
do-re-mi.

Ideas?

How about bare Aluminum Ground Wire
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search ?

At $7/40' it's fairly cheap...

Sched. 40 1/2" PVC with fittings drilled/pinned so as to remove and store
for next season. Corners
are smooth and standard length is 10'

Tom....

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't
net the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10',
and she now wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you
can also take the netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries,
etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny
whippy bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just
lay the bird net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the
stuff they make mobile ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a
clue where to buy it. Green bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a
3' diameter, doubt it would. I was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but
I don't have any, and 100' or so of say 6 gauge copper would run some
do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

On 15/05/06 9:03 PM, Grant Erwin wrote:
We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we
don't net the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about
3x10', and she now wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be
something you can also take the netting off of so you can work on the
bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long
skinny whippy bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we
could just lay the bird net over the frame. I was thinking of something
like the stuff they make mobile ham antennas out of. Only problem is I
don't have a clue where to buy it. Green bamboo would be nice too, if it
will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I was thinking of heavy
electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of say 6 gauge
copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?


As well as playing with metal I build large kites of all types. We kite
builders use a lot of carbon fibre and fibreglass spars to create curved
structures. For your application 1/8" or 3/16" solid fibreglass rods
would be ideal. They are light weight, flexible, weather-proof and not
overly expensive. You could even use vinyl tubing to make 'T' fittings
so that you could connect the 'half-loops' to a rectangular base section
or to make connectors to join sections together (if you need tips on how
to do that just ask).

Here is a link to a supplier I use for all my spar/fitting/cloth needs...

http://tinyurl.com/f9jp2

...the above link will take you directly to the solid fibreglass section
of the catalog.

HTH

--
Larry Green
EKF Newsletter Editor
EKF Co-Webmaster
http://essexkites.studio1.net

How about a net covered 'frame' assembly made out of PVC pipe and
fittings. Probably wouldn't even need to glue anything You could just
lift the whole thing off to work in it... or maybe 2 5 foot sections
would make it easier to move around. In the off season, you could pull
it apart for easy storage.

Horizontal 10' sections might sag a bit much...

HD has some pretty good bird netting... in my store it's hidden outside
with the plants and garden stuff, and none of the employees know about
it. It's black in color, in plastic bags and as I recall comes in two
different package sizes. I forget what the bags looked like... sorry.

Good Luck!

Erik

In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she
now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take
the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny
whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the
bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make
mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it.
Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so
of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington
Two suggestions.... maybe three....
1/2" black pvc flexible water line - cut to length, use dowels in the
end to stake it into the ground...
or.
since the "bed" is only 3 x 10 - how 'bout buying a few "hula-hoops"
and using the plastic from them (although the black pvc would be
cheaper than the hoops)
or..
make a quick and dirty wooden framework, with the netting stapled to
it so the whole framework can be tilted up and out of the way while
working the bed.
HTH
Ken.

Find the local supplier to the wholesale nursery business. They use
"sticks" to hold up baby trees and such. We use 1/4" diameter steel, and
some that are about 3/8" diameter fiberglass. Also
some bamboo that's larger. All kinds lengths are available. Sounds like
the 3/8" fiberglass
8 footers might work for your application. They can also provide "shade
cloth" that might work
better than netting. Available in a variety of densities.



"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't
net the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10',
and she now wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you
can also take the netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries,
etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny
whippy bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just
lay the bird net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the
stuff they make mobile ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a
clue where to buy it. Green bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a
3' diameter, doubt it would. I was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but
I don't have any, and 100' or so of say 6 gauge copper would run some
do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

On Mon, 15 May 2006 18:03:52 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

1/4" dia steel rod weighs 0.167 lb/ft. A semicircle of 3' dia would
be about 1.58 lb or about a buck's worth at today's prices. A 10 ft
length would be about the same. So, 3 semicircles and 5 lengthwise
members ("ridge pole", two bases and two intermediates would cost
about 8 bux. It is real easy to bend 1/4" rod into a 3' circle, takes
only a minute to stick a frame like that together with MIG, and it
would last for several years even if unpainted. Weight would be
about 13 lb, easily managed but enough not to blow away.

On Mon, 15 May 2006 18:03:52 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington


Two choices most easily done. PVC pipe, or hit all the second hand
store for self supporting dome tents (here they are $5 each and net
about 4-6 poles that would span 3' with ease..would span 5' easily
enough. Just hammer in a piece of black pipe, or put a socket on a
tent stake arraingment, stick one end of the pvc or tent "pole: in the
socket, bend until it slips into socket on other side of row. Pull net
over. At end of season, pull up tent stakes, store in rafters with net
until next season. If you have bamboo around..its surprising how well
it will bend, particularlly when green or steamed.

Gunner

"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be
as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment
is to gull**** in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at
all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in
sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration,
knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure
but enriches it."

- Onni 1:33

On Tue, 16 May 2006 04:58:06 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 15 May 2006 18:03:52 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington


Two choices most easily done. PVC pipe, or hit all the second hand
store for self supporting dome tents (here they are $5 each and net
about 4-6 poles that would span 3' with ease..would span 5' easily
enough. Just hammer in a piece of black pipe, or put a socket on a
tent stake arraingment, stick one end of the pvc or tent "pole: in the
socket, bend until it slips into socket on other side of row. Pull net
over. At end of season, pull up tent stakes, store in rafters with net
until next season. If you have bamboo around..its surprising how well
it will bend, particularlly when green or steamed.

Gunner

"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be
as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment
is to gull**** in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at
all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in
sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration,
knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure
but enriches it."

- Onni 1:33
Greetings Gunner,
I read this thread because I will be making this year an outdoor area
for my cat that will be safe at night. All the choices for the cover
that I could think of vexed me because the house will be in the woods
and all sorts of stuff will rain down on any netting. So for sure the
netting, which will actually be heavy chicken wire, will need to come
down once in a while to get the debris off that can't be blasted off
with a hose. Making sections out of thrift store fiberglass rods will
be perfect. I'll paint the rods black for UV protection if need be.
Thanks,
Eric

On Tue, 16 May 2006 09:59:57 -0700, Eric R Snow
wrote:

On Tue, 16 May 2006 04:58:06 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 15 May 2006 18:03:52 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington


Two choices most easily done. PVC pipe, or hit all the second hand
store for self supporting dome tents (here they are $5 each and net
about 4-6 poles that would span 3' with ease..would span 5' easily
enough. Just hammer in a piece of black pipe, or put a socket on a
tent stake arraingment, stick one end of the pvc or tent "pole: in the
socket, bend until it slips into socket on other side of row. Pull net
over. At end of season, pull up tent stakes, store in rafters with net
until next season. If you have bamboo around..its surprising how well
it will bend, particularlly when green or steamed.

Gunner

"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be
as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment
is to gull**** in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at
all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in
sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration,
knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure
but enriches it."

- Onni 1:33
Greetings Gunner,
I read this thread because I will be making this year an outdoor area
for my cat that will be safe at night. All the choices for the cover
that I could think of vexed me because the house will be in the woods
and all sorts of stuff will rain down on any netting. So for sure the
netting, which will actually be heavy chicken wire, will need to come
down once in a while to get the debris off that can't be blasted off
with a hose. Making sections out of thrift store fiberglass rods will
be perfect. I'll paint the rods black for UV protection if need be.
Thanks,
Eric

G Ill check around..I know Ive already got some I can send you. I
keep a small tent in my truck at all times along with my other
gear..and every couple years they disintergrate in the heat and I toss
em and buy another from the thrift stores. I saw a bag of em the other
day.

However..for a cat (horderv), Id suggest making up some panels of "pet
wire" from Home Depot and putting them together with quick
disconnects....tubes and pins. Simply tig or mig the ends of the wire
panels to some 1x 3/16 flat or even square stock for rigidity.
Perhaps some 1" sharpened stubs on the bottom every so often to
prevent it from being pushed around by a dog or coyote or other
carivore. Ive seen dogs and other critters go through chicken wire
like a laserbeam.

Pet wire is light duty welded/woven wire fencing
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-131/figure3.html or similar

A 50' roll is quite inexpensive, and you can make 4 or more sides and
the top very inexpensivly. It wont stop a weasel, but it will protect
your cats from dogs, coyotes, raptors etc far better than chickewire
over flexible poles will. It would be a bitch to come out in the
morning and find a flattened cage and bits of cat hair.

Plus the panels are easily taken apart and stored standing up along
side the shop or next to the air compressor in the winter G

Gunner

"If thy pride is sorely vexed when others disparage your offering, be
as lamb's wool is to cold rain and the Gore-tex of Odin's raiment
is to gull**** in the gale, for thy angst shall vex them not at
all. Yea, they shall scorn thee all the more. Rejoice in
sharing what you have to share without expectation of adoration,
knowing that sharing your treasure does not diminish your treasure
but enriches it."

- Onni 1:33

Black poly pipe about 1" or better diameter and put regular bird netting
over it, with PVC pipe about 1.25 - 1.5 " along the ground on both sides
with the bird netting wrapped around it. When you want to remove the netting
just pick up one pvc and lay it across on the other side which will pull the
netting back. If your beds are very long, you may have to do the net in two
segments.

IT won't keep out the coons though

I'd use 1/2" EMT conduit, use some blocks cut from 4"x4" posts for the
corners. Just drill some 7/8" holes at right angles. Use the black
plastic mesh. Plenty strong to keep the birds out, easy to just drape
over the top and remove as necessary.

Grant Erwin wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we
don't net the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about
3x10', and she now wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be
something you can also take the netting off of so you can work on the
bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long
skinny whippy bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we
could just lay the bird net over the frame. I was thinking of something
like the stuff they make mobile ham antennas out of. Only problem is I
don't have a clue where to buy it. Green bamboo would be nice too, if it
will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I was thinking of heavy
electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of say 6 gauge
copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

Green bamboo will bend to that diameter with a little heat no problem-
warm them over the grill.
Otherwise smack the nodes with a hammer and split the bamboo into
strips.
The next method would be small diameter rebar or even the reinforcement
panels bent into an arc and tied at the bottom and covered with
netting. After strawberry season you could use them to cage tomatos.

Metalworker, bamboo grower, mastergardener, strawberry and blueberry
grower, beekeeper, tinker of lamps and pots.

Hey Grant,

Two suggestions:

The flexible fibreglass rod is available at any good camping
outfitters to replace those used in lightweight camping tents.
And netting is available at any "Pond Supply" store (think Koi fish),
used to do exactly what you want. They may even have a suspension
suggestion to do what you want. Consider doing it high enough that
Karen can work UNDER it, so she doesn't have to move it except a place
for entry.

And another thought is to get an "Owl" scarecrow, mount it so it
moves around a bit. Most birds do not like owls.

Take care. Good luck.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
On Mon, 15 May 2006 18:03:52 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than we do if we don't net
the beds. This year Karen built a raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now
wants to put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can also take the
netting off of so you can work on the bed, pick berries, etc.

I was thinking of a sort of quonset hut arrangement with some long skinny whippy
bendy things bent into half-hoops over the bed, and we could just lay the bird
net over the frame. I was thinking of something like the stuff they make mobile
ham antennas out of. Only problem is I don't have a clue where to buy it. Green
bamboo would be nice too, if it will bend in a 3' diameter, doubt it would. I
was thinking of heavy electrical wire, but I don't have any, and 100' or so of
say 6 gauge copper would run some do-re-mi.

Ideas?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

We grow strawberries, and the birds get a lot more than
we do if we don't net the beds. This year Karen built a
raised strawberry bed about 3x10', and she now wants to
put bird netting over it. It has to be something you can
also take the netting off of so you can work on the bed,
pick berries, etc.

If none of the other suggestions work, consider switching
to "day neutral" strawberries. Most birds will leave the
berries alone once their young have left the nest...
--Glenn Lyford

Grant Erwin wrote:
... things bent into half-hoops over the bed, ...

Or how 'bout just put sticks in the ground, with old tennis balls on the
ends, to keep the sticks from poking through the net holes. Bob