SCREEN MOUSE ROLLER TOOL by PHIFER MfrPartNo 3027440

I don’t know what took me so long to buy me this tool. It’s amazing. My dog loves to bust through our screen door and I’ve spent so much time trying to shove back to screen border with a stick. I was able to fix our screens in no time! Easy to hold, comfortable in your hand, fits both my sliding door and my front door screens.

Have rescreened before not using a mouse roller. This tool makes the job much easier.

> Looks like a great idea. > However, I also bought a regular spline roller, and I needed the more directly-applied downward force when replacing old screens in my patio. > The mouse may work well when installing new thin plastic (e.g., "betterview", etc.) screens in new frames (ideally with the help of an assistant). But the mouse doesn't work well replacing old screens with new screens in old frames, because of the irregularities in resistance -- especially when you are installing aluminum or "pet resistant" screens. > (Especially when it's a one-man-job), the best strategy is to "tack in" opposite parallel corners first (pushing just an inch or so of spline and screen into the frame), and then the 4 remaining opposite parallel corners, then the 4 centers, then finishing the sides. You can't easily do that with the mouse. > By the way, screen installation instructions ALWAYS say to leave "several extra inches on each side" to trim off later. But what if you have a 34" opening --- does that mean you have to purchase 48" wide screening?? Nah, I found that, with practice it is possible to install screen with only 1/2" extra on each side. In fact, several inches of "extra" screening along the sides can be more difficult to deal with. About 1--2" extra on each side is usually ideal, for example, 42" to 44" inches of screen for a 40" "hole". > To be more precise, you don't need tension on the screen per se, or (rephrased) you need only enough tension to remove any slack, to hold the screen flat. To some extent, the tension you need depends on the type of screen, i.e., aluminum screen doesn't have much give, and it is harder to get the tension just right. Thin plastic (nylon-coated fiberglass-reinforced) screen is the most forgiving. As you push the screen into the frame, that will provide enough tension to keep the screen taught --- as long as there was no slack to begin with. > A set of 'Muslin Clamps' (search Amzn) (sorta large clothspins) are very helpful to hold the screening in place, especially if your screen is only a little wider than the frame you need to install it in. Light clamping (or taping) the screen in place also helps assure that the screen will be parallel to the sides of the frame. Once you have a side secured, replacing the clamps on the opposite side with masking tape (if possible) will result in the perfect amount of tension. I find 2" wide masking tape to be perfect for this job. If you apply too much tension installing the spline, the screen/tape will slip a little, so that the installed screen isn't over-tensioned. > All that said, it is usually best not to cut off excess screen until the screen is fully installed.

I had the tool that is a stick with the roller on the end and I had a very hard time pushing down hard enough to get the spline in. This is super easy to use. You just push it like a toy car and it feeds the spline in and you barely have to push down for it to work. Changed 6 screens so far and it takes minutes per screen. Wonderful tool.

This is a very useful and inexpensive tool for occasional screen repair. I found it much easier and stable to use than the traditional double ended tool. This design allows you to "track" the screen spline into it's groove while the second wheel sets it in fully. It also feeds the spline from the front as you roll it so you don't have to position it manually. Others have mentioned that the tool feels "flimsy". Although it's not a heavy duty tool, it doesn't require a lot of downward force to do the job.

The idea behind this tool is excellent, but its current rendition falls far short of what it could be. It is very flimsy when applying the pressure needed to press the spline into the screen frame. This tool would be perfect if made more substantially, using a more robust material.

Got a new (older) home not too long ago and realized that our multiple screen sliding doors had holes or tears from small to significant. Only one of the 4 was okay, and it was older and needing replacement. Having repaired screens a fair times before over the years, I had a metal roller to use, but couldn't find it right away (I use it about every 4-5 years..) Saw this as an option, got it, and very pleased. Does the job well. It's far from heavy duty, so wouldn't want this if I were replacing screens regularly, but it really does work for occasional jobs, is really easy to use, and takes way some of the minor frustrations of the job. I'd love it if it included a razor/knife for cutting the screen to size once finished, as that would make it more of an all-in-one tool. But for what it promised it does nicely.

I'm a reluctant do-it-yourselfer. There are always soooo many things that need doing around a house and one cannot simply call up a guy every time something requires fixing. Not little things anyway. Like dogs pulling screens out of doors. So, I read up on it, bought the screen and spline (yah, I know what that is now...) and this handy tool and it actually worked! The screen mouse worked GREAT. SUPER! FANTASTIC. Really!!! The first door I had to do twice because I cut the screen too small. It was a relatively small learning curve though. I used duct tape to hold the screen in place just to get started, popped in the spline, and had at it. I went back over the spline again afterward just to make sure it was in all the way. I also got the scree tighter the 2nd time around. A couple reviews stated the screen mouse didn't hold up. I did 2 (double) front doors (one twice), a back door, and 2 (french) deck doors. I plan to do upstairs windows next (because I bought an entire roll of screen). The screen mouse still works - no problem. BTW, I also bought the traditional double roller tool, tried it first, and didn't like using it at all - i couldn't get the spline to stay in the groove. The screen mouse may not be a "Better mousetrap", but it's definitely a better roller tool!

I hired someone to replace the screen on my patio door. I bought a set of the regular screen wheels and this mouse. It was his first screen door replacement. He started with the regular wheel and then tried to finish with this mouse. It was a struggle for him, because he had already started and installed some of the spline. He decided he did not want to remove the new spline he had just put in, and to continue with the traditional wheel which he had no difficulties with. This mouse works, but I think you need to start the spline with it by threading it in the mouse and not start it with the regular wheel and continue with the mouse. He couldn't seem to thread it through the mouse once the new spline had been started on the door. If you decide to use the mouse, thread it before any of it is put on the door. It should work fine, The mouse also seems to be able to work with the thicker pet screen.

made really cheap but it works well ...