Hello,

Please excuse me if I've done this incorrectly or have made any mistakes as this is my very first "Instructable". This is how I made a Lint Filter Trap utilizing Porch Screen material instead of the various types of "socks" sold at the big box stores. This device is able to be customized depending upon the size of your mess sink that your grey water disposes into. If your grey water disposes directly into a pipe or other format, this device will be of no use to you.

Materials needed:

4" PVC Pipe, 12" to 16" inches long depending on application

4" Rubber End Cap (with included Stainless Steel Adjustable clamp)

Additional 4" SS Adjustable clamp

Roll of Aluminum Porch Screen (Nylon may work as well, but I haven't tried it yet).

Tools:

Hack Saw, Saw Saw and/or Dremel tool with cutoff wheel (I used all three).

Scissors for the Screen Sizing

Long ruler or straight edge and marker.

Step 1: Planning Your Frame.

For the main frame of my lint trap, I've decided to use 4" PVC, cut to the height of my mess sink. I used a variety of tools to cut out the bulk of the pipe, including a Saw Saw, Dremel Cutoff wheel and Open Ended Hack Saw (always wear eye protection and gloves when working with cutting machines/tools). Ultimately, you'll want to have 4-5 evenly spaced "pillars" roughly 3/8 of an inch wide, leaving roughly 1 inch at the top of full pipe and 1.5 inches at the bottom.

Rolls of Aluminum Porch Screen typically can be found in a roll 36" x 84" (<$10). For my personal lint trap, this equates to about 24 12"x10" pieces for filtering. Your application, depending on the size trap you make, will vary the size of the mesh pieces that you'll need. I use a long ruler, but any straight edge will help with marking the size. General house scissors work perfectly fine for cutting the screening material.

Step 2: Wrap Your Trap

WARNING: Aluminum Porch Screening is very sharp when cut. I do not wear gloves, but I also know the risks. For your first time, I would recommend the use of gloves until you become familiar with the screening.

Once you've cut up the PVC Pipe to the size that will work for your application, you'll need to cut the mesh to the desired size as well. If you're using a 4" PVC Pipe like me, then you'll need 12" inches around the pipe and then however tall your trap is should be the height of the mesh.

When I wrap the mesh, I find it easier to wrap a piece of hockey/athletic tape around the bottom of the trap to keep everything nice and neat. This will also help when affixing the rubber end cap at the end.

While holding your trap, you'll need to slip on each of the 4" adjustable straps around the mesh.

Step 3: Adjustable Straps

Once you've placed your adjustable straps about the mesh and trap, you'll want to tighten them. The top one can be tightened fairly well.

You'll want to be very careful with the middle strap, as if you tighten it too much, you'll break your supports. If you tighten it to the same size as your top strap, then you should be good to go.

Next, you'll slip on your rubber end cap on the bottom and place your lint trap under your grey water out

Step 4: Finished Trap

The rubber stop should come with an adjustable strap, so you'll only need to purchase an additional one for the trap.

Overall, this trap will save you TONS of money versus other "socks". I figure that the trap lasts roughly one month of normal/moderate use. Once the trap is completely covered with lint, the water will simply flow out of the top and then it's time for a new screen.

With my personal use, I haven't needed to affix this to the sink in any way, though you may find it better for your own application to do so. My recommendation would be a Velcro strap with one side epoxied to the tub wall.