My idea is to have a steel frame that is slightly larger than the window solidly mounted to the outside, then have a wire mesh made out of .042" steel wire attached to the frame. This should offer more protection because attackers can't throw rocks at your window and break it. In addition to security, it will add a modern look to the house, and should increase the value of the house (people won't automatically think it's a bad neignborhood because you've got a giant clunky fence over your window). I was thinking of having holes drilled into the frame and have the wire threaded through and welded on each end or something. Would this be strong enough to keep out a blunt force attack (eg. axe) or would it need to be of something stronger?-- sjruckle, Jun 02 2004 //clearly would not provide any security.// not even if they were reaaallly close together ?-- neilp, Jun 02 2004 Tray nano tubes, if you can get any.-- kbecker, Jun 02 2004 With wires that thin, it wouldn't provide much protection at all.
If they were close together, you might get some ballistic protection against rocks and such, but then you'd be blocking much of the view and light, so what's the point of having a window?
If they were far enough apart to let in enough light, the mesh wouldn't be very strong. At .042, a strong slash from a heavy knife would have no trouble cutting it, and it certainly wouldn't stop anyone determined to get in.-- Freefall, Jun 03 2004 Use thicker wire. .064" wire is very strong, and at 200 threads per inch there are plenty of them to resist a knife slash. Hell, when I have to cut the stuff it takes a considerable amount of strength to cut a single wire with wire cutters. 200 threads per inch is the same as your normal screen. .040" wire isn't small either, it is about the same as ... 14 gauge wire, maybe 12.-- sjruckle, Jun 05 2004 random, halfbakery