Does anyone know somewhere to get low priced tomato cages. Used is fine.

Jo

On 2005-01-08, Jo wrote:
Does anyone know somewhere to get low priced tomato cages. Used is fine.

Jo




What is your definition of a tomato cage? Most garden centers don't
sell a real one. Mine is a 5 foot rigid wire cylinder 2 ft in diameter
and 5 feet tall. Galvanized welded wire works, but you have to cut
larger holes. Concrete reinforcing wire is best but takes some muscle
to make. Making your own with either material should cost 3-5$ per
cage.

I have considered making some concrete wire ones forsale, but I think I
would have to charge $10 each to make it worthwhile. They are bulky to
transport if premade and I don't know if I would have the time.

Would there be any interest by anyone?

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

wrote:
...Concrete reinforcing wire is best but takes some muscle to make.

I agree with this suggestion. I made my cages 3 feet in diameter.
The reinforcing mesh is rusty when purchased. You might think the
cages will rust through but they don't. Mine have been in service for
years.

Daniel B. Martin

In article , wrote:
. Concrete reinforcing wire is best but takes some muscle
to make.

This is an excellent excuse to buy a pair of bolt cutters. Those, and
some good lineman's pliers make the work much easier.

On 2005-01-08, DonS wrote:
In article , wrote:
. Concrete reinforcing wire is best but takes some muscle
to make.

This is an excellent excuse to buy a pair of bolt cutters. Those, and
some good lineman's pliers make the work much easier.

I have the bolt cutter and a variety of pliers. Even with pliers,
bending 26 wires (and crimping them) puts a hurt on the wrist and
forearm. I may have to make a bending tool for the next batch so I onl
have to worry about bending and not holding the pliers closed on the
wire too.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

wrote:
... Even with pliers, bending 26 wires (and crimping them)
puts a hurt on the wrist and forearm.

How do you come up with the number 26?

Daniel B. Martin

Hi Wes,
I am stuck on high risk pregnancy bed rest, so making something that
complex or lifting of anything heavy would be a no no. (Getting older is
not fun lol)
My DH is not much of gardening type, but perhaps he could figure it out.
Thank you for the info...

Jo



wrote in message
. ..
On 2005-01-08, Jo wrote:
Does anyone know somewhere to get low priced tomato cages. Used is
fine.

Jo




What is your definition of a tomato cage? Most garden centers don't
sell a real one. Mine is a 5 foot rigid wire cylinder 2 ft in diameter
and 5 feet tall. Galvanized welded wire works, but you have to cut
larger holes. Concrete reinforcing wire is best but takes some muscle
to make. Making your own with either material should cost 3-5$ per
cage.

I have considered making some concrete wire ones forsale, but I think I
would have to charge $10 each to make it worthwhile. They are bulky to
transport if premade and I don't know if I would have the time.

Would there be any interest by anyone?

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On 2005-01-08, Daniel B. Martin wrote:
wrote:
... Even with pliers, bending 26 wires (and crimping them)
puts a hurt on the wrist and forearm.

How do you come up with the number 26?

Daniel B. Martin

Should be 22 I forgot it is only 5 feet tall with wires every 6 inches.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

wrote:
Should be 22 I forgot it is only 5 feet tall with wires every 6 inches.


I use the same concrete reinforcing mesh.
Maybe I make them differently.
I have to bend only 11 wires per cage.
Maybe you are doing twice as much work as necessary.

Daniel B. Martin

On 2005-01-10, Daniel B. Martin wrote:
wrote:
Should be 22 I forgot it is only 5 feet tall with wires every 6 inches.


I use the same concrete reinforcing mesh.
Maybe I make them differently.
I have to bend only 11 wires per cage.
Maybe you are doing twice as much work as necessary.

Daniel B. Martin

Yes I could get away with wiring horizontals from one end to vertical
on the other, but those welds tend to give out faster so I cut in the
middle of a section and connect each horizontal wire to its countepart
on the other end.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

wrote:
On 2005-01-10, Daniel B. Martin wrote:

wrote:
Should be 22 I forgot it is only 5 feet tall with wires every 6 inches.

I use the same concrete reinforcing mesh.
Maybe I make them differently.
I have to bend only 11 wires per cage.
Maybe you are doing twice as much work as necessary.

Daniel B. Martin


Yes I could get away with wiring horizontals from one end to vertical
on the other, but those welds tend to give out faster so I cut in the
middle of a section and connect each horizontal wire to its countepart
on the other end.



I'm not sure what concrete reinforcing mesh is, but I use the 2X4"
galvanized wire fencing formed into rings of about 3 foot diameter, 4
foot high and I just use 3 electrical tie wraps to hold the ring
together. I love those tie wraps, they're my #1 "building supply"!
I used to spend hours and have sore hands and fingers bending the wire
around itself to form the cages, but not anymore.
Eileen

E Gregory wrote:
I'm not sure what concrete reinforcing mesh is, but I use the 2X4"
galvanized wire fencing formed into rings of about 3 foot diameter, 4
foot high and I just use 3 electrical tie wraps to hold the ring
together. I love those tie wraps, they're my #1 "building supply"!
I used to spend hours and have sore hands and fingers bending the wire
around itself to form the cages, but not anymore.
Eileen


My objection to fencing with 2"x4" mesh is that it is difficult to reach
into the cage to harvest those lucious summer tomatoes.

Tie wraps work nicely. Another kind of "tie" is short lengths of scrap
12-gauge copper wire. These can be found in abundance at new home
construction sites. The copper bends easily and may be reused year
after year.


Daniel B. Martin

Daniel B. Martin wrote:
E Gregory wrote:
I'm not sure what concrete reinforcing mesh is, but I use the 2X4"

galvanized wire fencing formed into rings of about 3 foot diameter, 4
foot high and I just use 3 electrical tie wraps to hold the ring
together. I love those tie wraps, they're my #1 "building supply"!
I used to spend hours and have sore hands and fingers bending the wire
around itself to form the cages, but not anymore.
Eileen


My objection to fencing with 2"x4" mesh is that it is difficult to reach
into the cage to harvest those lucious summer tomatoes.

Tie wraps work nicely. Another kind of "tie" is short lengths of scrap
12-gauge copper wire. These can be found in abundance at new home
construction sites. The copper bends easily and may be reused year
after year.


Daniel B. Martin

Yeah, I usually cut a couple of "holes" that I can use to reach inside.
I'll have to see what concrete reinforcing mesh looks like next time
I'm in a home improvement place.
Eileen

On 2005-01-11, E Gregory wrote:
wrote:
On 2005-01-10, Daniel B. Martin wrote:

wrote:
Should be 22 I forgot it is only 5 feet tall with wires every 6 inches.

I use the same concrete reinforcing mesh.
Maybe I make them differently.
I have to bend only 11 wires per cage.
Maybe you are doing twice as much work as necessary.

Daniel B. Martin


Yes I could get away with wiring horizontals from one end to vertical
on the other, but those welds tend to give out faster so I cut in the
middle of a section and connect each horizontal wire to its countepart
on the other end.



I'm not sure what concrete reinforcing mesh is, but I use the 2X4"
galvanized wire fencing formed into rings of about 3 foot diameter, 4
foot high and I just use 3 electrical tie wraps to hold the ring
together. I love those tie wraps, they're my #1 "building supply"!
I used to spend hours and have sore hands and fingers bending the wire
around itself to form the cages, but not anymore.
Eileen


Concrete reiforcing wire is the rusty stuff you see around concrete
work. It is imbedded in the concrete and makes it more resistant to
cracking. It is 6x6 inch squares so you don't have to cut larger access
holes as you do in 2x4 welded wire, but it is a thicker guage wire than
the 2x4 so even more strength is required to cut and bend. Bolt cutters
really help.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On 2005-01-11, E Gregory wrote:
Daniel B. Martin wrote:
E Gregory wrote:
I'm not sure what concrete reinforcing mesh is, but I use the 2X4"

galvanized wire fencing formed into rings of about 3 foot diameter, 4
foot high and I just use 3 electrical tie wraps to hold the ring
together. I love those tie wraps, they're my #1 "building supply"!
I used to spend hours and have sore hands and fingers bending the wire
around itself to form the cages, but not anymore.
Eileen


My objection to fencing with 2"x4" mesh is that it is difficult to reach
into the cage to harvest those lucious summer tomatoes.

Tie wraps work nicely. Another kind of "tie" is short lengths of scrap
12-gauge copper wire. These can be found in abundance at new home
construction sites. The copper bends easily and may be reused year
after year.


Daniel B. Martin

Yeah, I usually cut a couple of "holes" that I can use to reach inside.
I'll have to see what concrete reinforcing mesh looks like next time
I'm in a home improvement place.
Eileen

In the store the rust will be light and will brush off and seem to make
a mess. But once it is in the rain a time or two the rust turns dark
brown and hardens so there is no mess.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.