DIY Network

Metal Mesh Boxes Make these hip boxes and stow your stuff in style. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-401

Make a bunch of these handy mesh boxes.

Every creative person needs to be organized – so why not stow your stuff in a metal box you make with Michele Beschen? In this fun how-to, the B. Original host shows how to make metal mesh boxes out of hardware cloth, an inexpensive crafting treasure found in the fencing area of home improvement stores.

These sassy storage catch-alls can be personalized however you like with paints, beads, contrasting wires or other embellishments. Michele Beschen recommends making several of them at a time: The materials are cheap, the techniques are easy and they look great grouped on a table or dresser.

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Metal Mesh Boxes

Materials:

hardware cloth
heavy gloves
ruler or carpenter’s square
cardboard or other sturdy template material
sharp utility or craft knife
tin snips
needle-nose pliers
felt-tipped marker
aluminum wire – 20-gauge to 22-gauge
paint, contrasting wire, leather cording, beads or other embellishments

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

• Determine the dimensions for the box and make a template out of cardboard or other sturdy material. Michele Beschen started with a 14" x 14" piece of cardboard, then removed a 3" x 3" square from each corner. Her final box measured 11" x 11" with sides 3" tall.

• Unroll a length of hardware cloth and cut a piece slightly larger than the template.

  Safety Alert: Always wear gloves when cutting or handling hardware cloth: The cut wires are extremely sharp.

• Position the cardboard template on the hardware cloth, lining it up as close as possible to the lines in the cloth (figure A).

• Mark the outline of the template with a marker, then cut out the shape with tin snips (figure B). Cut as close to the lines as possible to avoid having jagged wire edges in the piece.

• To fold up the sides, place a ruler or straight edge along the edge to fold. Fold the sides upwards, pressing against the straight edge to get a clean crease (figure C).

• To complete the construction, stitch the side corners with aluminum wire (figure D). Trim the wire end and use needle-nose pliers to curl any overhanging wire to the outside of the basket to keep it from snagging anything you put inside.
  

  Figure D

  Figure E

  
  

• Another option is to create your own wire links by forming small, S-shaped loops and coils. Insert one end of link into each side of the basket then fold the ends together to close (figure E).

• Personalize the project by painting the box or embellishing with beads, rope, contrasting wire or leather cording.