Started playing around with the information from the last thread. Made a plywood mold for my MB 550s and started cutting screens. Took a few tries, but I think I have a decent cover. I have folded the corners under just a bit also, after taking the pictures.

Wondering if I should hit it with a bit of paint, that aluminum is pretty shiny.

Not much for covers myself but those look top notch!

Back in the 60's early 70's I used wax paper, very muck like that screen you made.
Would cut out about the same pattern, and at the set use gloves with a scent of red fox urine on them , to crumple up the wax paper until almost completely soft.
Then place it same as you.
Saw it in an old trapping book, not sure anymore which one.
Worked like a charm, always had a big stack in my backpack.

Nice looking covers.
I use the handle end of my sheers to crease the edges of the screen while I have it pressed
It holds the screen against the pan a little tighter

I made some similar, but had trouble with the covers moving when I bedded the trap. I cut off the excess from under the jaws and stapled an extra piece of screen under the formed cover. (got that idea from HERN on here). It slides over the pan like an envelope. They take a little work but I like them.



Skip to @ 3:00 in this video if you want a better look.

I push the screen down right at the "seam" when I have them in the mold, and then hold the center down while I pull the outside of the mold off, that seems to pull up on the edges of the screen and make the bend nice and crisp. The screen does lay pretty flat against the pan, maybe 1/32 off the pan, but that's about all. I will try your trick though, always willing to try new stuff out.

Marathon, thanks for the videos. That pocket looks like a great idea. I am messing with these based on the Zagger pipe dream bedding method. Just loose haylage/grass cover, so I am not worried too much about the cover moving. But i can see where if you were packing dirt around they could easily shift. Maybe I will try some with the pocket just for fun.

I was in the shed today and pulled out my screen stuff and thought I'd share pictures of my presses

This one is made out of 5/8" ply

This one is made of 3/4" pine.
The different thickness is the measurement from the pan to the bottom of the jaw.
And I also hinged mine,
I like to tinker

Thank you for the pictures. I will try to remember to snap some pictures of my setup tomorow after I am done putting new brakes on the truck.