Bird House plans

[Tom DiBiasio]

Guys,

I have searched all over the internet for a good set of plans for a purple martin bird "condo"... Does anyone know of a good plan and even better share some expierence with making one. I was able to find a few very vague plans but nothing with any sort of detail. Not opposed to purchasing a plan.

Also looking for a book suggestion on this topic as well, Amazon has a bunch, just wondering if anyone can provide a recomendation. I am thinking about making these for a few family members for christmas this year and want to get a solid plan and make a proto type before committing to misses ;)

Thanks for your help

[Lee Schierer]

Here's one that I made.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/newbird3.jpg
I think I have a dimensioned drawing that shows most of the parts and features. On each layer there are four apratments on two sides and two apartments on the other two sides. Each apartment is 6 x 6 x 6 with thru ventilation and there is a central air shaft up the middle to keep the houses cool. It comes apart in three layers for cleaning, but it is a huge house (Just barely fits in the back of a Ford Explorer)

[Pat Germain]

Looks just like the one Harrison Ford ran into (and later fixed) in "Witness"!

[Matt Ocel]

Lee -

How heavy and how is it mounted?

[Lee Schierer]

Lee -

How heavy and how is it mounted?

There were two corbels that attached to the bottom board with lag screws and to the 4 x 4 post that was set up to pivot at ground level. It took two healthy guys to raise it from horizontal to vertical and get the second bolt in the post. The base board with the two ribs you can see is 13/16 thick western red cedar. The walls and floors are all 5/16 thick western red cedar that was resawn from thicker stock so the wood weight is minimal. The roof was cedar shakes on a 1/4" plywood base. The roof was held to the base with four threaded rods through the center air shaft that also helped keep the 2nd and 3rd floor aligned. Two people were needed to carry it as it was too big for one person to handle. I made this about 10 years ago for a guy on a commission basis to replace an old beat up one.

[Matt Ocel]

Lee

Thanks for the info.