Birdfeeder design?

[Leish]

Start learning your search engine.  Here's one with all the basics constructed on a chick feeder. http://www.littlehouseliving.com/mason-j...eeder.html

Simple peanut butter jar, but not much of a reservoir. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_0QfaYNA1c/TZ...feeder.jpg

Minimum woodworking required.  Glue the ring from the jar in your base so you won't lose it.  https://img0.etsystatic.com/043/0/919135...6_k0ou.jpg

Like this.  http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CzM_y_7mgFo/TF...G_4821.JPG

Wood traditional.  Either single or double-sided.  First few I made - long ago - were divided to feed small mixed one side (small feed slit) and oil seed on the other. (twice the gap) http://www.azwoodman.com/woodstore/birds...er2-lg.jpg

Don't forget the suet for the 'peckers and nuthatches.




And remember, all feeders become squirrel feeders without a guard.

Oh, this was really helpful! Thank you.

I realize that I failed to provide any details, but that was because I had no idea what I actually wanted, and that was part of the problem. Now, though, I do have at least some idea, so thank you.

[FS7]

Building something out of wood will result in it being a squirrel feeder. Hell, even with the baffles and anti-squirrel measures, they find a way.

I just did a lot of my backyard and one of the finishing touches was a few birdfeeders to watch while I enjoy a beer on the deck. Every day I drive to work and marvel at the suicidal squirrels, thinking they just aren't very bright. 

I bought a few squirrel-proof (ha!) feeders and hung them on trees with 9" iron plant brackets. I watched the squirrels, unable to defeat the mechanism, simply pile on the feeder and shake it around until they dislodged enough food to eat. I watched them cling on to the tree and lean *just* far enough to reach the feeder without activating the mechanism to eat. That one got replaced with a 15" bracket, and that seems to have worked.

They will still try. Squirrels are nothing if not persistent.

[p_toad]

And you don't have to buy the store-bought suet feeders.   I made several of them from 1/2" wire cloth i just sewed together with wire and even the pileated come visit.

If you make any kind of platform, unless it's simply open and water can run off (say at the corners), make sure you put drain holes or rain and snow will turn everything into a messy mush and the birds won't eat it.   you may want to think about exactly what species you want to feed.   I find that even the piggy mourning doves eat black oil sunflower until they're ready to pop...   and when flocks of blackbirds, starlings, and grackles come around all the other smaller birds are driven off...

[MichaelMouse]

And you don't have to buy the store-bought suet feeders.   I made several of them from 1/2" wire cloth i just sewed together with wire and even the pileated come visit.

The store-bought are easy for the bear to open and extract the suet.  My homemade, with hardware cloth, were pretty well banged up when s/he was done.

[p_toad]

i have one of these holding mine closed...   keeps the squirrels and raccoons out...haven't seen bears around.


rain will freeze down in the slot when it's cold-ish out, but a propane lighter thaws it in a few seconds..

[Cooler]

The company I work for makes components using in production bird feeders.  

I would point out that one of the key selling features lately is to make the feeder "squirrel proof" and you should consider trying to do that.

Most of them are designed so that the squirrel cannot climb up to the feeder.  Some are more diabolical than that.

https://www.google.com/search?q=squirrel...YQ_AUICCgD

[Edwin Hackleman]

Fabulous!
   -Howard

Edwin, I had no idea you were Female. That's you in the pic right?  

No, that's Shirley, my wife of 36 years. She has loved this setup for 10 years, and it's still standing. Martins come in to roost only occasionally. Most of the time, the sparrows are my tenants. They are not really a bad bird and do a good job fighting the starlings.

The feeders have worked very well through the years. Most of the structure is white oak and that includes both the houses and the horizontal beam. Painting is very important to preserve the hardwood. Here are a few more Pics prior to installation and painting:






Here's the beam that held the two feeders:


One more shot of the free standing structure without the lady standing next to it for a scale:

That's my dog's tail that somehow got into the way. BTW, the squirrel protector has never been defeated by Mr. Squirrel. He cannot climb a stove pipe that's 2' long. Finally, here's two guys working together for the final assembly of one feeder prior to installation. That's me on the lower right. My good friend, Don, was a great help.