🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Woven Iron/Steel

[MojaveSteve]

I see this stuff everywhere all the time in can dumps and for the life of me I can not figure out what it could be. Flat, braid woven steel (or iron?) wire, much like an electrical ground strap (but I'm certain it isn't for that purpose.) It's often seen in loose circular coils roughly 20" to 24" in diameter with open ends (there are no closed circles of it).
Because I don't know what it is, I don't know if it might be a regional item, but if it helps, I'm in the Southwestern United States.

 

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[Clay Diggins]

Brick Strip Mesh

Made of wire - not expanded metal.

 

[Decatur digger]

Might be old battery cabels IV seen them too

 

[Clay Diggins]

Engine ground straps, like the Painless Performance one you show in your post, are tinned braided copper - not steel.

The OP picture reminds me of steel corner mesh for lathing wall corners.

 

[creskol]

When I was young and doing restoration work, I would encounter what was called "strip mesh" used in plaster walls to minimize cracking. I think that your item might be a piece of strip mesh.

 

[hollARDog]

Looks a little light for a dc ground strap🤘

 

[creskol]

Never confuse cockiness with confidence. heh

Speaking of "cockiness," do you know what the difference is between a rooster and a prostitute?

 

[pepperj]

And... so you know before i leave off this silly crapola...

I base my opinions of items posted for a solve on a lifetime of hands on experiences / knowledge.
I don't just imagine it is something... i pull what i can from it and post those thoughts in hopes it may trigger someone or something in a better direction.
IF i think it is something other than what others state... it is still nothing more than my opinion which i may or may not stand on.

Regardless of how it all appears to you... Its called "interaction".

If you don't like the way i approach or interact with someone's posted item for identification... then by all means step up and solve it.
ESPECIALLY if you know what i have said is incorrect... then post WHY.
Don't just wait around in the shadows and wait to attack me or anyone else when you don't agree or have found what you think is that "aha moment" about something I SAID<

I cannot help but notice you have not done this to anyone else who also says / does the exact same things as me... and that makes it personal... and makes me wonder.

AH yes never could it be from your actions, must be targeted for no reason at all. poor you, being a victim is hard. Listen I just made a suggestion after years of seeing a pattern of behavior of your actions with me and others, you can take it or leave it. No need to get this bent out of shape about it.

The oldest solution to this pissing match is to put the cursor on each other's profile and hit the farking "IGNORE OPTION"
It works wonders till one actually forgets why they hit it in the first place.
So both can put another notch on the score card as it being solved.

 

[Tpmetal]

The oldest solution to this pissing match is to put the cursor on each other's profile and hit the farking "IGNORE OPTION"
It works wonders till one actually forgets why they hit it in the first place.
So both can put another notch on the score card as it being solved.

Fair play, I probably should have kept my mouth shut.

 

[dozer dan]

Engine ground straps, like the Painless Performance one you show in your post, are tinned braided copper - not steel.

The OP picture reminds me of steel corner mesh for lathing wall corners.

I run into that stuff every time I remodel a room in my house and the corner mesh always has large loops on the edges of the mesh. The mesh is also larger so the mud can penetrate it.
Braided steel, not tinned copper

 

[MojaveSteve]

Not quite understanding the size.
Are the coils all the same thickness and width (looks like 1")?
Or is the with of the item 20"-24" wide?
Not a grounding strap as it's steel, and not chain link/chicken wire fencing as was suggested.

Wonder if it's from mining operations used to screening material?

Because it's a loose braided design it's width will vary, typically about 3/4" wide, sometimes as little as a 1/2", sometimes as much as 1". It is woven flat (not tubular as some have suspected).

When I mention coils, I mean that it tends to curve, not lay out straight. Typically you might find anywhere from 3' to 7' of it. And those lengths will naturally curve around in circles that are roughly 20" to 24" in diameter.

 

[MojaveSteve]

i shouldn’t have to ask AGAIN but, is

MojaveSteve intentionally leaving out pictures of the other end in an attempt to stump us? More pictures? All these responses and nothing from the op. I’m done here.​

Sorry for the late response. Busy life.

No, I'm not intentionally leaving out the other end to stump anyone. My sample photo shows about four inches of the stuff. Typically I find it in lengths anywhere from 3 feet to 7 feet. It doesn't lay out straight, instead it naturally curves, usually about 20 to 24 inches in diameter.

I always find it in can dumps and always rusty, sometimes corroded completely through into smaller lengths.

It isn't grounding strap because its far too inferior in quality for that purpose, there are never any 'end point fasteners' on it or lugs or terminals and there's always quantities of it that would far exceed what is typically needed for grounding.

You are correct, I should provide more pictures of it, especially hi or I find it on the ground and in can dumps. I'll shoot those the next time I'm out.

 

[MojaveSteve]

It has been run over... stepped on... crushed... whatever.... NOW flat . ? ? ?

look at it... looks flat... perhaps it is... but.... heh

It's flat. Not tubular in construction.

 

[DanMcG]

Any idea of the era of the can dumps you're hunting in?

 

[MojaveSteve]

I see this stuff everywhere all the time in can dumps and for the life of me I can not figure out what it could be. Flat, braid woven steel (or iron?) wire, much like an electrical ground strap (but I'm certain it isn't for that purpose.) It's often seen in loose circular coils roughly 20" to 24" in diameter with open ends (there are no closed circles of it).
Because I don't know what it is, I don't know if it might be a regional item, but if it helps, I'm in the Southwestern United States.

I came across some more today and photographed it as-found.

 

[MojaveSteve]

Are there any local history museums in the area that might be able to shed some light on that mesh?

That ain't a bad idea. I wonder if I can get ahold of Mark Hall-Patton, he might know.

 

[Tony in SC]

I know that it was sued on the negative side on car batteries. It is also used as ground straps on industrial machinery.

 

[dozer dan]

Engine to frame ground strap or a wire mesh puller used for pulling pipe and wire. It works like a Chinese finger puzzle. The harder you pull the tighter it gets.

I gotta ask, are you intentionally not including a picture of the other end to stump people?

 

[Tony in SC]

I change my reply. I think it is the stress cover for Seal Tite conduit.

 

[creskol]

It has been run over... stepped on... crushed... whatever.... NOW FLAT. ? ? ?

LOOK at it looks flat... perhaps it is... but.... heh

He doesn't say it is 2 ply, which it would be if it was a smashed tubular thing. Maybe the op can clarify that.