How to make a homemade wooden bird feeder?
I was wondering if anyone can tell me or better yet direct me to a website that gives directions on building a homemade wood bird feeder, preferably with dimensions of the wood, ect. ty.
You will need 6 pieces of wood all the same width – like 1×6, a couple of dozen 2″ nails, and a length of steel wire about 3 feet.
Two will be mounted in a V shape to hold the seed and set the length for the rest – make them 6″ for the first one you build.
Two will make the top and the bottom and must be at least 1.5″ longer than the first 2, make them 8″ for your first.
Two for the ends must be some what longer than the width of the boards to allow the V to be open at the bottom and the lid to rest on top. You can cut them to 6.0″ for 5.5″ wide 1×6 or use the boards for the V to set the length. If doing this, lay the length of board for the sides down flat and stand the two V boards on end in (ta! ta!) a V shape so one corner of the cut end of each V board is at the corner of the uncut board. Adjust the two V boards so they form a V with about 1/2-3/4″ gap between them and mark the uncut board around the V boards, then set them down. Using an already cut board or a square, draw a line across the board 1/2″ away the corner of the outline you drew this will be your cutting line – you are setting the gap for the seeds to fall through. With small seeds, you might want it smaller. Look at what you have measured and drawn to make sure you are cutting a piece somewhat longer than the V pieces are wide. Cut the board and then use it to mark a second board the same length and cut that.
If you wish, you can sand the ends where you cut to make them smoother.
To assemble, you first nail the ends to the V boards. Put a nail partway in the corner of a side board about 1/2″ in from each edge on the big flat side. Put a second nail at the corner opposite along the cut edge. Stand a V board on end, and place the end board so the edge of the V board is at the corner under the nail and roughly at the angle you were holding when you marked and hammer the nail into the corners. Take the other V board and position it under the other nail and hammer that one. The 3 boards should now stand on their own. Get down or otherwise look and adjust the V boards so they angle together with about a 1/2″ gap between the V. Sight across the end and put a nail through the end so it will go into each V board.
Turn the unit over and align the other end on the V and put 2 nails in the corners and 2 nails in the middle to match the first end.
Now turn the unit so the narrow gap of the V is up and set the bottom board in place – checking to see if you actually have a gap below the V boards for seed to get out – if not figure why – longer sides? misnailed? – and fix it.
Align the bottom so the same amount extends over the end boards (about 1/4″ if cut as I said above) and put 4 nails into the bottom and through the ends.
Turn it over and you can now, if you wish, put some seed into and check its action.
In order to hang the unit and keep the top in place, you will need to make two holes in the top and bottom boards on the center line about 1 inch inside the end boards. The easiest way to do this is to turn the unit upside down and align the top board on the bottom board and drill small holes (1/8″ is okay) through both in the right position.
Tip the unit sideways and position the top where it belongs and run each end of the wire through a hole in the top and then through the hole in the bottom (you can also do it from bottom to top) and twist the ends of the wire to join them. If you now lift with the wire above the lid and adjust it, you will be able to hang the feeder and by sliding the lid up the wire, get access to fill the feeder while keep squirrels and rain out.
You can paint this one. You can add another nail between each pair you put in.
Once you have made one, you can adjust the next for the size of seed and how it falls out the bottom and change the length for holding more or less seed. You can glue the units while assembling them if you wish and decorate afterward.
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