Want to repair dishwasher silverware tray - need plastic material

[BE]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes in
the lattice work should be around .25".

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Bee

 

[Homer J Simpson]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes
in
the lattice work should be around .25".

How big are the holes? Dollar stores sell a synthetic rubber sheet as an
anti slip liner which is in the form of a mesh.

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[Ken Weitzel]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes in
the lattice work should be around .25".

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Hi...

How about a chunk cut out of a regular old style drying rack? I'm
thinking of the ones that you put on the counter top to let freshly
rinsed hand washed dishes drip and dry in.

Another might be a piece cut out of a kids bicycle carrier?

And finally, if you have more time on your hands that dollars, how
about a piece of plain plastic. Cut it to shape, marked off a nice
grid on it, and start drilling out 1/4 inch holes.

Take care.

Ken

 

[Allodoxaphobia]

How about a chunk cut out of a regular old style drying rack? I'm
thinking of the ones that you put on the counter top to let freshly
rinsed hand washed dishes drip and dry in.

Another might be a piece cut out of a kids bicycle carrier?

And finally, if you have more time on your hands that dollars, how
about a piece of plain plastic. Cut it to shape, marked off a nice
grid on it, and start drilling out 1/4 inch holes.

I suppose suggesting using a drill sort of keeps it OT in this ng.
But, I think cutting a piece to fit out of the lid of a margarine/sour
cream tub with a pair of scissors and using a 1/4" leather punch with a
wooden mallet would Do The Job.

Jonesy

 

[hr(bob) [email protected]]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes in
the lattice work should be around .25".

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Bee

My local big-box hardware store has sheets of plastic with round
holes that you use to cover your roofing gutters, to cause leaves to
go right over while allowing rainwater to go thru the holes. Around
$2.00 for a sheet about 8' by 24'. That should be plenty to cover the
bottom of the silverware tray, and it can be cut with sharp sissors or
a utility knife.

H. R. (Bob) Hofmann

 

[mindnight girl]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes in
the lattice work should be around .25".

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Bee

well i dont use my dish washer as a dish washer a use it as a snack
holder in my 18 year old house

 

[mkaras]

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Maybe consider a stainless steel woven mesh similar to this:

http://www.wovenwire.com/wire_cloth/10-mesh-025-stainless.htm

SS wire mesh should standup well in a dish washer environment. I agree
that a 0.25 inch grid would be way better than the 0.1 inch shown at
the above link.

If you look at the McMaster website: http://mcmaster.com search for
their product # 9322T51 for picture and idea about a wire mesh with
four holes per inch.

- mkaras

 

[mkaras]

I need some sort of polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic
sheeting that I can cut

You should use care on the selection of the type of plastic selected.
Many plastics are not going to standup in the high temperatures inside
a dish washer. Also some types of plastics may be non-foodgrade and
could end up leaching nasty chemicals and residues onto your dishes
and eating utensils.

- mkaras

 

[BE]

Hey everybody, thanks for the suggestions. One of them made me think about
using the plastic tops of various round containers (like from a coffee can)
and cutting holes into it with an X-acto knife. Won't be pretty, but it will
work.

Thanks again!
Bee

 

[Ken Weitzel]

Hey everybody, thanks for the suggestions. One of them made me think about
using the plastic tops of various round containers (like from a coffee can)
and cutting holes into it with an X-acto knife. Won't be pretty, but it will
work.

Hi...

One more thought comes to mind...

If you do go that route, then you might consider taking samples of the
plastic you're going to use and running them through a wash and dry
before you invest your labor cutting them first.

Wash a piece (coffee can lid, for example) on the bottom rack (hottest
area) in the hottest wash cycle you'll ever use, and with heated drying
turned on. Make sure that the heat and water pressure don't destroy it
before you invest your time into cutting or drilling it.

Take care.

Ken

 

[Bill Jeffrey]

We have a Kenmore dishwasher and the silverware tray has holes in the
bottom. The replacement part costs nearly $30. I need some sort of
polyethylene mesh (lattice work) style plastic sheeting that I can cut
pieces out of to put into the compartment bottoms. The size of the holes in
the lattice work should be around .25".

Finding such material is not easy. I've called several hardware stores and
no one sells anything like this. I would probably need to get it from an
industrial supplier, but they probably won't want to deal with such a small
quantity order.

Any suggestions?

Bee

Most of the answers to date sound pretty elaborate. Too elaborate. The
answer is needlepoint canvas. Get it at any knitting or yarn shop. They
have an off-white fiber-based canvas (no good for you), but they also
have exactly what you describe - tough white plastic mesh. Available in
small pieces and a variety of mesh sizes. Somewhat flexible, easy to
cut, etc.

Bill

 

[kontiki]

Most of the answers to date sound pretty elaborate. Too elaborate. The
answer is needlepoint canvas. Get it at any knitting or yarn shop. They
have an off-white fiber-based canvas (no good for you), but they also
have exactly what you describe - tough white plastic mesh. Available in
small pieces and a variety of mesh sizes. Somewhat flexible, easy to
cut, etc.

Bill

This is a usual rip-off
replacement item... the requirement for a "mesh" is a fallacy, for
years I've used various materials (mostly from food grade "tupperware"
type stufff) without any mesh.. just open the door of the machine when
it's rinsing--> water flying everywhere, rarely, if ever do I find any
"gunk" on the bottom of the tray.