Birdfeeder prototype

[Curt Fuller]

I have an old weathered "store bought" peanut feeder that I go through a couple pounds of peanuts every week feeding my scrub jays. So I decided to try and make one out of wood. This is the prototype. The dowels are spaced too far apart, they're 1", 3/4" would be better so the peanuts don't fall out so easy. And I got sloppy with the glue and it's just got a wire for a hanger so far. But I think I can make a keeper on the next try. The lid slides up the wire to dump the peanuts in. It's 6" diameter and about 5" tall, made out of siberian elm and hardwood dowels.

[Chris Barton]

Wow Curt, that's a great idea! It came out well!

[Steve Schlumpf]

I like your prototype but found that I really liked the siberian elm! That's some really pretty wood! Be sure to post your upgrade - looks like it should work very well! Nice work - as always Curt!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curt what a great idea. I really like the wood. Nice work on that one.

[Keith Burns]

Looks good to me Curt. You sure come up with some neat ideas !!

[Pete Jordan]

It is a great looking feeder. Those are some lucky jays!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Interesting idea Curt!

[Jim Stoppleworth]

Curt,
Neat idea!
Are your peanuts still in the shell for the Jays?
I get shelled and splits so I'm gonna try to figure out a way to adapt that for our spoiled jays and those d##$ed rodents that frequent the feeders.

Stoppy

[joe greiner]

Great idea and well executed, Curt. Looks close to squirrel-proof too, although a steeper top might work even better. As dumb as they are, they can sometimes outwit the best of us.

Lemme guess: The hump on the bottom mates with the hole in the top to facilitate match-drilling for the dowels? Or was that really necessary, and the hump allows for the bottom engagement of the wire?

In lieu of the wire, I'd suggest using a long eye bolt, perhaps DIY of say 1/8" brass or aluminum rod (probably difficult to thread SS), with double nuts on the bottom. Could also use all-thread with a coupler nut above to connect to a shorter eye bolt; SS probably best if available, but depends on your climate. On second thought, I've seen some small turnbuckles with long eye bolts for bracing/aligning screen doors and such - probably simpler; just pitch the LH eye bolt and the turnbuckle body.

Joe

[Steven Russell]

Hello Curt,

What a great idea to turn a bird feeder! I had thought about turning a few Hummingbird feeders, but our store bought feeders are still going strong. The Squirrels out my way are devious and really smart. We have tried many things to keep them out of the bird feeders without much success. Let us know if this works well at keeping the "bushy tailed rats" (what we call Squirrels in Texas) at bay, so the birds can get some chow. Take care and all the best to you and yours!