$3 Cedar Fence Board Birdhouse

Ulma Doctor

Ulma Doctor

Infinitely Curious
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Feb 2, 2013
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Hello
Since my woodworking skills are poor, at best, i thought it high time i faced my fears of wood.
Not that i have any strange phobias of wood, i just don't usually dabble in sawdust.
I'm fully capable of constructing things in many different materials, but i usually avoid woodworking because i usually splinter or somehow fall short of what i would call mediocre.
If i'm to grow into my idea of a master craftsman, i'll have to put the trepidation aside and understand wood, at least have a better understanding of working it.
here's the latest concoction ,
the $3 Cedar Fence Board Birdhouse....

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it's easily constructed from a single 1 x 5.5 x 6' fence board, with a nice drop left over

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the rear piece is 15" long x 5.5" wide. (i used the fence board's dog eared section- i thought it looked better)
the roof piece is 9.25" long, mitered on one end to 12* to match roof pitch
the front piece is 7.25" long, mitered on the top edge to 12*, to meet the roof pitch-
center entrance hole 1-3/8", bored with holesaw
the sides were mitered at 12*, the long side measured 10.25", the short side measured 9.25" x 5.5" wide
the bottom was 4.25" x 5.5"

I used wood glue and 18 gauge 1/4" x 1-1/4" crown staples and the HF 18 ga Nailer/Stapler

total time: 1/2 hr to cut and assemble!

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Yes, built many of them with the cub scouts. We would put 2 screws in one of the sides so it could be tapped on to open and clean out last years nest. Tight enough so animals can't open. The hole size is important for some birds around here so other predators can't enter. Nice job though. Some saw kerfs below the hole gives talons a place to grip which is better than a dangerous perch.
Dave
 
Looks like a birdhouse to me, Mike. Dave makes a good point. Good to provide a way to open them so they can be cleaned.

A good trick when nailing with a brad gun is to hold the gun on the same line as the you are nailing to. Brads have a tendency to bend forward or backward relative to the nailer, so if the nailer is perpendicular to the edge of the board you are nailing to, it is more likely that a brad will curve and come out the side.

I started out building out of wooden fruit crates found behind the grocery store. I'd pull all the nails out and straighten them to re-use them. I had problems with wood splitting (it was cheap wood). My step dad showed me a trick for that. You flatten the point of the nail so it mashes its way into the wood instead of finding the weak grain to follow and split.
 
Franko said:
Looks like a birdhouse to me, Mike. Dave makes a good point. Good to provide a way to open them so they can be cleaned.

A good trick when nailing with a brad gun is to hold the gun on the same line as the you are nailing to. Brads have a tendency to bend forward or backward relative to the nailer, so if the nailer is perpendicular to the edge of the board you are nailing to, it is more likely that a brad will curve and come out the side.

I started out building out of wooden fruit crates found behind the grocery store. I'd pull all the nails out and straighten them to re-use them. I had problems with wood splitting (it was cheap wood). My step dad showed me a trick for that. You flatten the point of the nail so it mashes its way into the wood instead of finding the weak grain to follow and split.
Click to expand...

Hi Franko,
Thanks for the tips! especially about the nailer and brad nails!

my father had taught me about flattening the nail point, but i still find other ways of splintering wood!
i'm sure i'll chase my tail for a long time, but it's fun to learn
 
When you get in the dog house or in this case the bird house. How do you manage to fit into it?...Dave
 
That looks fully functional and should be well received by the intended occupants.
-brino
 
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