Bird Houses

[WmZiggy]

Well in North Dakota we are having a long drawn out Winter, Spring yet to arrive. My thoughts turned to Spring and the left over ceder I had from my backyard fence project last summer (33 new posts with assorted gates).

Here is a picture of bird houses just completed. I used 2x4 ceder cuttings to create the sides, hollowing them on one side. One of these I used the table saw to cove the hollow, on the others a carriage maker's plane, which was more fun than the table saw. Then you rip a 1/2" strip off the side of another 2x4 (about 6 inches long) and glue (outdoor yellow glue) the strip between the coved end pieces. Drill a 1-1/4 inch hole in one of the strips, mount your removable roof and put on a bottom and that is it. I also exercised my artist side by painting them up. At least I don't have to burn that nice ceder and it will help the critters too.

See below for pics I finally figured out how to post.

[JPG]

Well in North Dakota we are having a long drawn out Winter, Spring yet to arrive. My thoughts turned to Spring and the left over ceder I had from my backyard fence project last summer (33 new posts with assorted gates).

Here is a picture of bird houses just completed. I used 2x4 ceder cuttings to create the sides, hollowing them on one side. One of these I used the table saw to cove the hollow, on the others a carriage maker's plane, which was more fun than the table saw. Then you rip a 1/2" strip off the side of another 2x4 (about 6 inches long) and glue (outdoor yellow glue) the strip between the coved end pieces. Drill a 1-1/4 inch hole in one of the strips, mount your removable roof and put on a bottom and that is it. I also exercised my artist side by painting them up. At least I don't have to burn that nice ceder and it will help the critters too.

http://mail.aol.com/37614-111/aol-6/en-us/mail/get-attachment.aspx?uid=27763681&folder=Drafts&partId=3

http://mail.aol.com/37614-111/aol-6/en-us/mail/get-attachment.aspx?uid=27763681&folder=Drafts&partId=4

P.S. How come I can't find the paper clip to post the pictures directly into the thread? I just don't see it on the header.

What browser and or computer are you using?

Dem links do not get us dere.

[fiatben]

Hey Ziggy, go check out the sticky thread at the top of the community forum on how to post pics. It's not as complicated as it sounds. I use MS Office Picture Manager to crop/tweak/resize and them post 'em here.

Can't wait to see these. I'm wanting to make birdhouses myself.

[WmZiggy]

[ATTACH]20841[/ATTACH]

Well, I finally found a method to upload pics that appears to work

[WmZiggy]

[ATTACH]20842[/ATTACH]

Here is a better shot.

[WmZiggy]

[ATTACH]20843[/ATTACH]

This bird house is a decagon (10 sided). I cut the ceder into 1-1/2" strips about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the strips with an 18 degree bevel on each side. Ten strips closes the circle. The strips are 6 inches long. I cut the tube after glue-up on the top with a 10 degree bevel (on the band saw) so the roof sheds rain.

[eagleta2]

Nicely done birdhouses!

As the more seasoned users here have taught me, I like to look beyond the subject in the picture and notice some things in the background.

Your shop looks great! How about a virtual tour?

Thanks
Geo

[JPG]

Nicely done birdhouses!

As the more seasoned users here have taught me, I like to look beyond the subject in the picture and notice some things in the background.

Your shop looks great! How about a virtual tour?

Thanks
Geo

We could spend a day or more just looking at planes and chisels!:D

[WmZiggy]

I'll see what I can work up. I'm still mystified by the picture post, as I haven't figured out how to post more than 1 pic/message and I can't get the upload paper clip on my mainframe, but do on my laptop. I don't have a web page or URL. I guess I am showing my ignorance about some of the ways of the little electrons:eek:

Like you, I enjoy looking at other people's shops. As you can see a portion of my antique tool collection and I refer you to a thread I wrote some days ago:

Back in 1990 I was in Santa Fe, NM for a meeting and was able to break away from the conference on some free time. I visited the Sisters of Loretto Convent Chapel to see what they term "The Miraculous Stair Case". Perhaps you or others here have seen it. As they tell the story, all they had to get into the choir loft was a notched pole, not the most dignified way for ladies to ascend anything. It was built in the 1870s. They prayed for a carpenter to come and build them a staircase and that's when a carpenter appeared. He built the staircase and left without pay. Ever after the Sisters considered it a visitation of St. Joesph, the patron saint of woodworkers. You can see the staircase here: http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html

Now fast forward to my visit in 1990. When I walked into that chapel and saw that staircase, a helix seemingly suspended in air, I was transfixed. It was also a vision in inlaid wood of different colors. They finally put a hand rail on the outside because it was unnerving climbing the stairs. Other than that, nothing has been done to the staircase since the carpenter built it. It was among the finest work, outside of a few monasteries in Europe, I had ever seen.

One of the questions that came from examining these stairs was, how did St. Joseph - or whoever - build it? Furthermore, he built it at a time when plug-in tools did not exist. That set me on a path that for the last 20+ years has slowly filled my shop with antique, as well as new, high-end hand tools.

[bffulgham]

Back in 1990 I was in Santa Fe, NM for a meeting and was able to break away from the conference on some free time. I visited the Sisters of Loretto Convent Chapel to see what they term "The Miraculous Stair Case". Perhaps you or others here have seen it. As they tell the story, all they had to get into the choir loft was a notched pole, not the most dignified way for ladies to ascend anything. It was built in the 1870s. They prayed for a carpenter to come and build them a staircase and that's when a carpenter appeared. He built the staircase and left without pay. Ever after the Sisters considered it a visitation of St. Joesph, the patron saint of woodworkers. You can see the staircase here: http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html

Before I get sidetracked.... Very nice birdhouses!

I spent a lot of time in Santa Fe in the late 60s to the mid 70s. Dr. Susan and I did a road trip in July 2008 and spent a day in SF. She had never seen the Chapel, so, we went. There are a few shots that we took here (click on the thumbnail images and you will get larger images). Yes, it is quite "Miraculous".... not only the staircase but many other things inside as well.