Make a Bird Feeder for Under $2

Jaime LaPlant
by Jaime LaPlant
$2
45 Minutes
Easy
I have been trying to attract more birds. I built and put up some more birdhouses, added a bird bath, and wanted to add some more feeders. I found this quick and easy plan on Ana White's website. http://ana-white.com/2013/04/plans/kids-kit-project-2-cedar-birdfeeder
This plan uses just one 6 foot cedar fence picket and took me less than an hour to build. I bought my picket from Menards when it was on sale for $1.18. That's not a bad price for a bird feeder!
You can find more details about this build on my blog. http://jaimeofalltrades.blogspot.com/2014/05/make-bird-feeder-for-under-2.html
Needed Supplies:


6' cedar picket at 5 1/2" wide. The thickness may vary from board to board. (My plan is based off a 5/8" thickness.)


Drill


Saw


1 1/4" nails, suitable for exterior use.


Wood glue, suitable for exterior use.


Screw Eye or Post
Step 1: Using a 6' x 5 1/2" cedar picket, cut the following pieces:


1 at 7" (bottom)


2 at 7 3/4" cut one end to a gable point at 45 degrees. (sides)


2 at 10" (roof)


2 rails - the length will vary depending upon the thickness of your board. The way to calculate the length is found in step 6.
Step 2: Connect the bottom to the sides. I used wood glue for the initial connection. Then I pre-drilled nail holes and used galvanized 3D 1 1/4" nails that I had left over from another project. If you are going for looks, you may want to use stainless steel finishing nails.
Step 3: Measure the thickness of your board. Cut the thickness of your board off one of the roof board edges. My board was 5/8" thick, so I cut 5/8" off of one board so it measured 10" x 4 7/8".


Step 4: Connect the shorter roof to the sides.
Step 5: Connect the longer roof to the sides and the top of the other roof.
Step 6: Measure the length from the outer edge of the side to the outer edge of the other side. This should be the length of the bottom plus the width of the two boards. In my case, it was 7" + 5/8" + 5/8" = 8 1/4".


Step 7: Cut the cedar picket at the length that you just measured. Then cut two 1 1/2" widths out of this board. You will have 2 pieces at 8 1/4" x 1 1/2" (side rails). You can discard the leftover piece.


Step 8: Connect the side rails to the bottom and the sides.
Step 9: Attach a screw eye if you want to hang it. If you prefer, you could attach it to the top of a post.
Step 10: Add bird food and wait for the birds to come.
Jaime LaPlant
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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