Welding chicken wire to rebar (yeah, really.....)

[Ruark]

Don't ask me a bunch of questions, but I need to weld some plain chicken wire (1" mesh) to some 3/8" rebar.

First I'll cut the rebar into 3 1/2-foot pieces, then weld those into a square. Then lay the square over some plain chicken wire, cut around it, and weld the chicken wire onto the rebar. Probably cut the wire about 2" wider, and fold it over.

I have .035 NR-211, 6013, 6011, 7018, and 7014 available. It does NOT have to look good.

How would you do it? I'm thinking of using 1/8" 6013, just putting a little glob where the chicken wire crosses over the rebar.

[12V71]

Don't ask me a bunch of questions, but I need to weld some plain chicken wire (1" mesh) to some 3/8" rebar.

First I'll cut the rebar into 3 1/2-foot pieces, then weld those into a square. Then lay the square over some plain chicken wire, cut around it, and weld the chicken wire onto the rebar. Probably cut the wire about 2" wider, and fold it over.

I have .035 NR-211, 6013, 6011, 7018, and 7014 available. It does NOT have to look good.

How would you do it? I'm thinking of using 1/8" 6013, just putting a little glob where the chicken wire crosses over the rebar.

Get a bunch of zip ties and save your sanity.

[smithdoor]

The 6013 or E71T-GS will do the job.

Dave

Don't ask me a bunch of questions, but I need to weld some plain chicken wire (1" mesh) to some 3/8" rebar.

First I'll cut the rebar into 3 1/2-foot pieces, then weld those into a square. Then lay the square over some plain chicken wire, cut around it, and weld the chicken wire onto the rebar. Probably cut the wire about 2" wider, and fold it over.

I have .035 NR-211, 6013, 6011, 7018, and 7014 available. It does NOT have to look good.

How would you do it? I'm thinking of using 1/8" 6013, just putting a little glob where the chicken wire crosses over the rebar.

[albrightree]

5/64" 6013 would be my first choice of welding rod. You might want to tack weld a washer on top of the wire to hold it down. The mere exposure of the wire to the arc can cause the wire to burn up. Solid wire mig would be the best process, but you didn't mention it.

good luck

[smithdoor]

I have push the puddle into wire .
Takes a little practice not to melted the wire.
I do like 6013 too it is a good choice.
But you have more control with wire like 0.030" ( E71T-11 or E71T-GS. )

Dave

5/64" 6013 would be my first choice of welding rod. You might want to tack weld a washer on top of the wire to hold it down. The mere exposure of the wire to the arc can cause the wire to burn up. Solid wire mig would be the best process, but you didn't mention it.

good luck

[Oldiron2]

Don't ask me a bunch of questions, but I need to weld some plain chicken wire (1" mesh) to some 3/8" rebar.

First I'll cut the rebar into 3 1/2-foot pieces, then weld those into a square. Then lay the square over some plain chicken wire, cut around it, and weld the chicken wire onto the rebar. Probably cut the wire about 2" wider, and fold it over.

I have .035 NR-211, 6013, 6011, 7018, and 7014 available. It does NOT have to look good.

How would you do it? I'm thinking of using 1/8" 6013, just putting a little glob where the chicken wire crosses over the rebar.

A dozen years ago I needed to weld expanded metal to bed-frame (hardened) angle-iron. Besides the high-carbon steel of the angle, the grid was heavily galvanized, and a few hundred welds were required. I found using ER70S-6 wire w/ Co2 worked best. I considered TIG, but getting rid of all the zinc was difficult and that might have resulted in it popping onto the tungsten. I recall using a propane torch to preheat the material once it was either clamped or tacked enough to hold the work areas in position; not sure I did this with all the welds though.
I have never used any NR-211 (although I do have some rolls of .035) so can't say it would behave better, the same or worse. I could also do it with 6013, but it would be more work and take longer, I'm sure.

[smithdoor]

The Lincoln wire NR211is E71T-11 witch is good wire. I would use 0.030".
You can also use E71T-GS/NR212 it too is a good wire.

chicken wire is a pain in butt to weld or braze as melted fast.. It take a little practice not to burn though the wire.

Dave

A dozen years ago I needed to weld expanded metal to bed-frame (hardened) angle-iron. Besides the high-carbon steel of the angle, the grid was heavily galvanized, and a few hundred welds were required. I found using ER70S-6 wire w/ Co2 worked best. I considered TIG, but getting rid of all the zinc was difficult and that might have resulted in it popping onto the tungsten. I recall using a propane torch to preheat the material once it was either clamped or tacked enough to hold the work areas in position; not sure I did this with all the welds though.
I have never used any NR-211 (although I do have some rolls of .035) so can't say it would behave better, the same or worse. I could also do it with 6013, but it would be more work and take longer, I'm sure.

[jpump5]

Sounds like it would be pretty frustrating.
Could you pinch the chicken wire between
two pieces of rebar and weld the rebar together?
Leave some chicken wire sticking out and weld in the
spaces in the wire. You could use multiple short scrap
pieces/drops.

[StandarDyne]

Get a bunch of zip ties and save your sanity.

+1

The chicken wire is just gonna fatigue out and/or rust out at the HAZ in short order anyway. I'd give it a month, less if it rains.

With zip ties, baling wire or even kite string, it could last for years.

[duramax-rob]

+1

The chicken wire is just gonna fatigue out and/or rust out at the HAZ in short order anyway. I'd give it a month, less if it rains.

With zip ties, baling wire or even kite string, it could last for years.

maybe use a galvanized spray after welding

[StandarDyne]

maybe use a galvanized spray after welding

That'll help with the rust but it won't help with fatigue caused by the hardening of the wire due to the quenching effect of the 3/8" rebar pulling all the heat back out of the weld and quenching the wire, leaving it hard and prone to fatigue...

[SweetMK]

maybe use a galvanized spray after welding

The galvanized spray will hold the wire just as good as a weld,, because the spray does not destroy the chicken wire.

Use a hot glue gun, or JB Weld,,,

[whtbaron]

+1

The chicken wire is just gonna fatigue out and/or rust out at the HAZ in short order anyway. I'd give it a month, less if it rains.

With zip ties, baling wire or even kite string, it could last for years.

Yea.... x2 for light wire.... zip ties are nice but they deteriorate in the sun and get brittle. Find a coated wire that won't rust.

[Ruark]

Thanks for all the replies. This won't be outside or exposed to anything; it'll just sit in the doorway of a greenhouse, to keep critters from getting in when the door's open. No load on the wire or anything. If it lasts a year, I'm good.


I'm planning to experiment a little this afternoon with some scrap, and see what works best. Good idea about the zip-ties... I do have a bag of 2 or 3 hundred little 5 inch black zipties. I'd rather weld it, though, because welding's a lot more fun....

[whtbaron]

If you're going ahead with the 6013, I'd maybe try reverse polarity if you have DC. Some rebars can be tricky to work with at the best of times. If the weld is too brittle, I would switch to 7014, but I still think those wire ties like we used to use laying rebar would be fastest if you have the tool to twist them. Maybe try welding 2 pieces of the rebar first, to get a handle on what it's like to work with before you add chicken wire into the equation.

[SweetMK]

Yea.... x2 for light wire.... zip ties are nice but they deteriorate in the sun and get brittle. Find a coated wire that won't rust.

The last electrical place that I worked at did a test of the zip ties,,

The "white" or translucent ones that let light go through failed quickly in sunlight,,
The "black" or opaque colored ones that did not let light pass through lasted outside about as long as inside.

We always thought that the light was able to break the molecular bonds,,
if the light could not get inside the material, the bonds did not break.

[whtbaron]

Quality plays a big role too.... I've had black plastic ones that weren't any good either... I think the better ones are more nylon.

[Meltedmetal]

If I really thought I had to do anything related to welding I would braze it, but it would take some serious coercion to get me to do it. I would frame in wood and use staples like this:https://www.lowes.ca/product/staples...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
or sandwich it between 2 pieces of wood.
For zip ties you would want UV resistant like this:https://ziptie.com/product/8-inch-uv...sted-100-pack/

My $0.02. Worth less than you paid for it.

[whtbaron]

I'd still use wire ties like these if you want it to last a season.... https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[smithdoor]

I think use stainless steel welding wire if it a home project.
I have 10 roll of 0.023" 308 stainless steel wire that use like bailing wire. But does not rust. I also use for electric fencing too.

Dave

I'd still use wire ties like these if you want it to last a season.... https://www.grainger.ca/en/product/p...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Ruark]

Just tried it with some scrap chicken wire and rebar. Used all kinds of rods and fluxcore, various settings, etc. Holy crapola!!! No matter what I did, the wire melted instantly, like warm butter. Guess I'll grab the zip-ties.... Well, I tried, anyway...

[wb4rt]

Wrap the wire and use hog rings to hold it. Much better and neater than welding, zip ties, kite string, etc

[albrightree]

The finer the chicken wire(1" opening or less) , the lighter gauge wire they seem to use. I have tried to weld almost everything possible together, and that is one of the least successful endeavors(chicken wire to rebar). Save the welding for the frame work.

I have a spool of stainless steel aircraft safety wire that a friend gave to me 15 years ago. I've only used about 10ft of it tying things up where ty-wraps wouldn't work because of heat, or wouldn't fit because they were too thick. 023/030 mig wire would work too, but that would be expensive to buy if you didn't have some already. I think galvanized tie wire for suspended ceiling is much cheaper, and comes in several gauge sizes, available at my local Tractor Supply. I use plastic coated twist ties that I buy in a spool with a built in cutter for tying up tomato, eggplant, pepper plants, and cucumber and bean trellis's made from chicken wire or plastic coated fence. You might find them useful in the greenhouse too.



What kind of critters ? I just woke up to a 300 lb. black bear chewing on my garbage can. I'm not sure which is worse : a black bear, or a skunk ?

Good Luck

[old miner called Pop]

Thanks for all the replies. This won't be outside or exposed to anything; it'll just sit in the doorway of a greenhouse, to keep critters from getting in when the door's open. No load on the wire or anything. If it lasts a year, I'm good.


I'm planning to experiment a little this afternoon with some scrap, and see what works best. Good idea about the zip-ties... I do have a bag of 2 or 3 hundred little 5 inch black zipties. I'd rather weld it, though, because welding's a lot more fun....

I agree with you welding is fun...but what your talkin about here seems more like self torture than fun...I would do the zip tie thing or just sandwhich the chicken wire between 2 frames made out of flatstock or round bar...that way you can have fun welding. Have fun doin it

Popeye

[albrightree]

Wrap the wire and use hog rings to hold it. Much better and neater than welding, zip ties, kite string, etc

Hog rings are the professional grade tool for the job ! They require the right tool to do them well, and I can never find mine when I need them. Not really that expensive either.