Bigger real bird houses

[Jeff Nicol]

Good morning wood spinners!

Here are 3 bird houses that I just finished for a client of mine, he wanted one birdhouse and sent me the dimensions he would like. But since one never knows what color, combo, or grain will be what the buyer likes I made 3 of them. They all have red oak tops with walnut stems and the tops have been textured and stained with "Fruitwood" stain to darken the caps closer to a real acorn. The lightest body is red maple with some spalting that followed the grain some figure and a few worm holes for character. On one end is a Red Oak body and the other is Black Cherry with some knots and such. I started these 3 weeks ago from wet logs then rough turned them leaving plenty of wood in the base for the chuck to hold the tenon. This also gave me a foot to stand them up while I used my newly tried drying technique. What I did was take some "Kitty Litter" and put it inside the hollowed out portions and left them sit for a few days. After a few days the kitty litter is removed and place in the sun to dry out again and then put back in for a few more days. After that I left them sit around the shop until I was ready to return them and get them finished. After I was finished turning them the average moisture was about 10% so I think the method worked well for this application. I also just use floor dry from the automotive parts store or where ever it is sold. It can be reused many times, I have even put it in my old smoker (Without wood for smoke) just the electric element to dry it out and warm it up. To hot and it can dry the wood to fast so that is still being perfected. I do not seal anything except the end grain on the top rim and a little at the base where the extra wood is left for the tenon. The are all finished with 3 coats of Spar Varnish and should stand up to the weather pretty well. They are about 8" tall and 6" in diameter. There are 2 more pics in next post.

Time will tell and thanks for looking,

Jeff

[Jeff Nicol]

Here are the tops and how they are removable for cleaning out the inside after nesting has occurred!

Jeff

[John Keeton]

Jeff, those are really neat!! And, an interesting construction technique for the top. Is that JB Weld holding the spanner rods in place?

The textured tops on these, with the added stain, really enhances the acorn look - nice job!

[Aaron Wingert]

Jeff those are great. Those would probably be really good sellers at craft shows!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jeff - those are pretty cool! Your customer is going to be thrilled - and he/she gets to pick the flavor they want! Nice work!

[Paul Douglass]

That is beyond cool. I love it. I see my pine tree with a bunch of those hanging in it. Sure will look better than the gourds...

Nice work. Definitely on the "TO DO Soon" list.

[Mike Spanbauer]

That's awesome Jeff! I love how you solved the removable top problem too! As John mentioned, I'd wager those would sell real well at craft shows - even at a high price point. There isn't anything like that available anywhere - which gets the eye of the well-to-do consumer.

Great work!
mike

[Patrick Doody]

awesome Job Jeff!!! those really look great.

on the few that I've made, I've attached the top in the following manner:

screw in 2 small eye hooks on the inside rim of the bottom half 180 degrees apart. then i connect the 2 eye hooks with a length of bailing wire. then i take another length of bailing wire and loop it around the other bailing wire. I drill a small hole through the top of the house, just big enough to feed the bailing wire through. i loop the tag end of the wire around an S-hook. not sure if that makes any sense but it's been solid on the house i made for my back yard for about a year now, and i think it will last a long time. if anyone wants a picture next time i take the house down i can take one and post it.

Jeff what size hole did you drill for the opening? I drilled a 1" hole in mine but didn't have any nesting birds this year, I think i'm going to enlarge it a bit, not sure how big i should go.

[Michael James]

"Borrow" Jeff's houses and build one, or two... I have lots of dove, sparrows a few robins and my problem is they all hang out in the very large ch. elms in the backyard and poop all over everything...they scarcely need encouragement!:eek:
But I have a neighbor that would love one of those.
Excellent work, and as usual, very creative. Could we get some dimensions?
Thanks,
Michael

[Ken Hill]

Patrick, do a google search on birds, a 1 inch hole is to big for alot of birds! I went through this when i set up my area to photograph birds. First year 80 % of my houses did not get used...changed the hole sizes and they were all full this year

http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Building_Bird_Houses.html

I love the birdhouses, and I am working on something similiar but with a twist. I need natural looking "houses" so that I can photograph the birds in a natural setting. Ive been gathering hollow logs and working on them, I just need to turn the tops and install the flooring to the right specs.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC3524/776898319_hVqvb-L-2.jpg

[Bernie Weishapl]

Those are pretty cool Jeff. Construction looks really stout. Nicely done.

[Don Alexander]

a 1 inch hole is to big for alot of birds


hmmm checked the link and thanks for putting that in your post btw

didn't see any hole sizes under 1" did i miss something?

[Ray Bell]

Very nice Jeff. Paul have you got this registered in your mind? Maybe we can get together this winter and make a few of these.

[Paul Douglass]

Ray, you know my mind, I down loaded the pictures. Coarse I will forget where I saved them.

[Ken Hill]

hmmm checked the link and thanks for putting that in your post btw

didn't see any hole sizes under 1" did i miss something?


Sorry I misworded what I meant. 1 inch will be to small for alot of birds! I had all mine at 7/8 and 1 inch....many of my birds needed 1.5 inches. I just didnt want anyone to make the same mistake I did:o

[David E Keller]

Very cool. I really like the textured tops.

Interesting use of kitty litter as a drying agent.

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice Jeff. I like how you attached the top! One of them is sure to please the guy. I have a couple pieces of cedar I didn't know what to do with till now.:)

[Jeff Fagen]

Jeff,it's always fun to see what you've been doing in your laboratory.:)

[Don Alexander]

gonna be interesting when the local squirrels try to stash those acorns for winter :D:D:D:D

thanks for the clarification on the entry hole diameters as well :)

[Robert McGowen]

Well done, Jeff. Totally practical, yet super nice.

[Jeff Nicol]

Good morning all!

Well the customer came yesterday and his bride chose the cherry one, he was hinting at the maple one but the boss had the last say! The other 2 are already spoken for and I think they will do well in the gallery and other shops.

John, The spanner is some stiff 1/8" wire that I had on hand and a 1/4x20tpi nut that I TIG welded in the center. I was thinking for those who don't have a welder the could be soldered in with a propane torch. I also have another idea use a "T" bolt for making jigs and things and mount that in a piece of wood or sheetmetal with the threaded part up and the spanner glued and screwed to the sides. I will have to make one up to show what I mean.

Patrick, The hole I drilled is 1 1/4" with a 2" long perch, I was going to turn the perches but ran out of time so settled on the dowel.

They were a lot of fun to make and with my big Oneway stronghold chuck I was able to expand it inside the bases to finish each bottom with ease.

MJ, I thought I put the size in the first post but here it is the body is 6" in diameter and about 7.5" tall, the cap was 2" thick and I cut out the inside to allow the cap to set down about 5/8-3/4" on the body. The stem is about 2" tall and 1 1/8" at the big end down to 3/4" at the top of the cap. THe cap has a recess cut in it to keep the stem centered.

Thanks for all the kind words and I am always trying to come up with something, maybe I will figure out a kit with all the hardware in it and have those available.

I am going to sit out in the crisp morning air and see if a big buck will come by and taunt me, it is getting right for them to start running around the woods!

Wish me luck,

Jeff

[Michael Mills]

This site has a lot of plans for various species. The plans are for flatwork but I assume the internal diameter, height, and opening size will apply.
http://www.50birds.com/dbirdspecies.htm

[Mark Hix]

Those are great Jeff. I amagine alot of other turners will be following in your footsteps on this one.