How to Build a Bird feeder At Home Easily
If you are a do-it-yourself enthusiast, you loves birds and you are looking for a new project to undertake, here is a great idea- why don’t you build a bird feeder?
Now, bird feeders differ in size, shape, and style. And there are many building plans out there. Some are easy, and some are complicated.
What I have in mind is easy enough, and after approximately two to three hours of work, you will feel deep satisfaction as you examine the work of your hands.
Things You Will Need:
- Two 1 x8 pieces of rough-cut cedar
- Pieces of ½-inch dowel
- Pieces of 1/8-inch Plexiglas
- Two small brass hinges with screws
- 4d finish nails
- Miter saw or circular saw
- Table saw
- Cordless drill or power drill with bits
- Clawhammer
Procedure:
Step One: Cutting the Base Pieces
You begin by cutting the pieces for the edges of your bird feeders base. Use your miter saw to cut one of the 1 x8 pieces of cedar to a length of 16 inches.
Cut a second piece to a length of 13 inches. In an upcoming step, the two pieces will be ripped to their proper width.
Next, cut two more 1 x 8 pieces: each to 16 inches. The two will be the feeder’s bottom. They will be ripped to 4 inches in an upcoming step.
Step Two: Cutting the Dowels for the Perches
Cut two pieces of dowel – they will become your bird feeder’s perches.
Use the miter saw to cut two sections of the ½-inch diameter dowel to a length of 16-1/2 inches.
Step Three: Ripping the Base Pieces
Use the table saw to rip the 16 and 13-inch boards you made in step one. After setting up the table saw fence to 2-1/4 inches from the right side of the table saw blade, raise the blade approximately an inch above the table.
Ensure you have set the blade at 0 degrees (square to the surface of the table top). Rip the 16-inch and 13-inch boards. The new widths are 2-1/4 inches. So they are 16 x 2-1/4 inches and 13 x 2-1/4 inches. Put the leftover strips aside.
Adjust the fence’s width to 4 inches, and rip off the two pieces: the bottom of the bird feeder.
Step Four: Drilling Holes for the Perches
Take the two boards of 13 x 2-1/4 inches and place them on a table. Make a mark on the each board at ¾ inches from the end, centering this mark along the board’s width (1-1/8 inches into the board from each edge).
Inserting a 1/2-inch diameter drill bit into a power drill, make a 1/3-inch deep hole into your four pencil marks (two marks on each of the two 13-inch boards).
Step Five: Assembling the Base
Take your 13-inch boards, and measure 1-1/2 inches from each end (on the side where you drilled the holes for the perches). Prop up the 13-inch boards on the edge – ensure the perch holes are facing each other.
Place the 16-inch boards in between the 13-inch ones – ensure the outside edges are on the pencil marks.
Insert the perch dowels into the perch holes. Don’t use nails – the holes are enough to hold the perches securely in place.
Assembling the base: drive two finish lines into each intersection (starting from the 13-inch boards and driving through into the 16-inch boards).
Take what you have assembled and place it flat on a table, and add the two boards that will be your bird feeder’s bottom. Leave a ½-inch gap between these two bottom boards.
Their edges should be flat on the table. Drive finish nails into the edges of the base of each bottom board.
Step Six: Cutting End Boards to Size
Use your miter saw to cut two pieces of 1 x 8 cedar with a length of 9 inches. Rip the two boards to a width of 7 inches. They are now 9 x 7 boards. They are the ends of your bird feeder.
Step Seven: Cutting the Angled Ends
Make a mark on one of the 7-inch edges (3-1/2 inches inwards from each end) of the 9 x 7 end boards. Mark each side at 2-1/4 inches along each side.
On the opposite end, mark 1-1/2 inches inward from each end. Unite the marks with pencil lines – these will be your cut lines. Use your miter saw to cut: what you get are your bird feeder’s angled sides.
Step Eight: Cutting the Plexiglas Grooves
Make a groove cut on each side of the end boards before attaching to the bases.
Set up the table saw in such a way that the fence 1.4 inches from your table saw blade’s right edge. The height of the blade should be ¼ inches above the table.
Use the table saw to make a ¼-inch deep groove in the side of an end board (a groove on both sides of the end board). Do so for both end boards.
Using cutoffs left after you cut earlier pieces, cut a 1-1/2 x 14-1/2 piece of cedar. You will place it over the gap in your bird feeder’s base. It will help push birdseed toward openings beneath the Plexiglas.
Cut two ¾ x ¾ x 6 inches pieces of cedar. Place the grooved end boards flat on a table, grooving facing up, and align one of the two strips with the 4-inch edge of an end piece.
Mark the angles denoted by the sides of the end boards onto the strip, and cut each end of the strip along the marks you have made. Use finished nails to attach the strip to the bottom edge of the end board’s grooved face.
Do the same with the strip on the other end board. The strip is a stop for the bottom of the Plexiglas and will give gravity-flow to birdseed.
Step Nine: Attaching the Sides to the Base
With the Plexiglas grooves facing each other, place each of the two end boards centered along the 13-inch ends of the base. Ensure the 3-inch bottom of each end board is flat onto the bird feeder assembly’s bottom.
Attach the end boards to the base using finish nails.
Place the 13 x 1-1/2 inch strip in between to two strips on the ends, ensuring it is above and covering the gap in the bird feeder’s bottom. Use finish nails to affix the board to the bottom boards.
Step Ten: Cutting the Roof Panels
Cut two 1 x 8 x 18 pieces of cedar. Raise your table saw’s blade to 1-1/2 inches and an angle of 31 degrees.
The fence should be such that the longest point of the rip is 6-1/2 inches wide. Rip one side of each of the two boards – this will give you your two roof panels.
Step Eleven: Attaching the First Roof Panel
Install Plexiglas before attaching the roof panels. One piece of Plexiglas into each of the sets of the matching sets of grooves you made on the bird feeder’s side. The Plexiglas should not protrude above the bird feeder’s ends – trim it if it does.
Place one of the roof panels over the ends – the beveled edge being square to the unit’s base and flush with the peak of the ends.
Each end of the roof overhangs the feeder’s edges by an inch. Use finish nails to affix the roof.
Step Twelve: Attaching the Hinged Roof Panel
Now attach the second roof panel with the hinges. Ensure the two beveled edges align and the ends of the roof panel match with the stationary panel.
Ensure the two hinges align over the beveled joint on top (approximately 4 inches in from each end). Use the hinges’ screws to attach the hinges to each of the two roof panels.
Test the roof by opening and closing the hinged panel. Does it open with ease and close fully?
Step Thirteen: Mounting the Bird Feeder
Your bird feeder is complete. Now, all you have to do is mount it. Drive an eye-hook on either side of the bird feeder, and use these eye-hooks to suspend the bird feeder in the air using a chain.
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Final Verdict
There you have it: a do-it-yourself bird feeder you can have fun making.
The cool thing about this bird feeder plan is that it is suspended in the air, and is, therefore, inaccessible to raccoons, squirrels and other troublesome critters.
Just follow the instructions I have given you, and your bird feeder will turn out excellent. Have fun!