Thanks juggalo - I put that flimsy thing together from a few measured-and-cut wooden edging pieces from HD, stapled to a plastic garden fencing piece. The holes had to be cut bigger to 4", but it works well. Next time I think I'm going to try to find something like a volley-ball net and stretch that across instead.
Dayzt, May I suggest for your next screen, that you employ some of SVT's string screen ideas.
I did, and will now construct all my screens that way. As I discovered that my plastic bottom screen edges that I cut to open up grid space, would grab and tear at leaves as I tucked & pulled and is/was way less forgiving than string.
I used PVC to construct mine, but wood would work equally well.
The "how to" was put together with the addition of a 2nd screen in mind, many strains will not require a 2nd screen, but the construction concept remains the same.
Here is how I constructed:
"Can do with hand drill but this made it easier for me.....Invest in a cheap but good counter top drill press (under $75.00). You will find future use for it, I guarantee it. If using a hand drill, drill over a block of wood or some such.
I use 1/2" schedule 40, PVC pipe & slip to slip 90 degree angle fittings with a down leg (3 legs in all), could be called a 90 degree Tee.
Measure & cut your PVC, then lay out your scrog frame, dry fit, and mark your grid spacing (I am using a 5" opening). Make sure you mirror the spacing on opposite leg side.
Disassemble and use a length of string taped to both ends of the pre-marked length of PVC to be drilled, and laid across your marks to center align your holes to be drilled. Mark, then drill holes larger than string through both sides of pipe.
Re-assemble the frame (I leave mine dry fitted as I attach the bottom frame using tie wraps to the tent poles to secure) This also lets me tear it all down to future modify & store. I think, if pulled taut enough, the string itself would hold all together.
The bottom frame has it's 90 degree third leg pointing up to receive a set of yet to be determined spacer legs, from the top screen. The top screen obviously has it's 90 degree third leg pointed down.
Use a smaller drill bit (than the one you used to drill the holes) with string taped to it to use as needle to thread the PVC frame.
Start your weave for the 1st grid on the outside of the frame on one end, and pull through to opposing side, then on to the next set of holes on the frame and back again, repeat until complete, then tie off the starting point and pull taut each leg of the grid & tie off.
Based on my existing screen, I would use a 12 lb or thicker string to do a Tennis Racquet weave to create a grid in one direction. I don't think I would use a heavy cord, I want some limited flexibility, SVT uses string and was able to move, position & train 6' plants under a 42" high screen. So check out what is available.
Then weave the opposing grid over and under the the 1st grid (like a tennis racquet), I chose not to wrap around the opposing grid as it appears in SVT's pics (I may be incorrect about this) as this allowed a very quick assembly and was easier to tighten for me.
I now prefer string over my modded snow screen to use as bottom scrog screen as it allows me to open squares up to aid when tucking and pulling and does not have sharp edges (where I cut out sections to create a 4" grid pattern). These sharp sections would grab and tear at leaves and colas as I tucked & pulled and contributed to unnecessary damage during training process.
Another added benefit is the ability to cut away the upper & lower scrog grid at some point during harvest/cleanup. I would imagine this would make things infinitely easier at that point.
SVT is really on to something here.
I determined the height of my upper screen by averaging existing cola growth and building to that....turns out 8" was a good average height for me at this point, and as I have 7 weeks of growth left. I can always swap out legs one by one, and raise the upper screen without damaging the plant if cola growth demands it.
I discovered an extra benefit with the top screen once installed, and it was the ability to tuck and pull some of the more aggressive colas to re-position them and gain some additional canopy control."
I hope this is clear and proves some worth to you. Once initially done, I would estimate less than 15 to 20 minutes to re-assemble & re-weave for new scrog.
best, dishinit
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