Host Kathi Cardinalli demonstrates how to build a decorative birdhouse.
Materials:
scrap boards or plywood
pencil
ruler
drill press with large bit or coping saw for making hole for birds
drill and screws
wood glue
wire cutters
wire for hanger
corrugated metal
metal shears
hammer
nails
paint
paintbrushes
small tacks
a collection of small embellishments to decorate the outside of the birdhouse (examples are milagros, metal shapes from tin cans or shapes cut from tooling foil)
Steps:
1. Cut two pieces of wood for the sides of the birdhouse.
2. Cut two more pieces of wood for the front and back, with three sides the same and a pointed arch in the middle of the fourth side.
3. Cut one piece for the bottom of the birdhouse.
4. Using a drill press, create a hole for the birds in one of the peaked pieces of wood (approximately in the middle).
5. Use a drill with a very small bit to create a hole in the top of each peaked piece of wood. This is where the wire hanger will go.
6. Use screws to create a four-sided box with the pieces of wood--the peaked pieces for the front and back, and the square or rectangular pieces for the sides. Apply wood glue along the lines that you are screwing together.
7. Attach the bottom piece of wood with screws. You can remove this later to clean the birdhouse, so do not use glue on this piece.
8. Paint the outside of the birdhouse, then let dry (figure A).
9. Insert the wire from front peak to the back peak and bring up to create a hanger (figure B).
10. Using metal shears, cut corrugated metal to create a roof with an overhang (figure C). It will rest on the two peaked pieces. Bend in the middle and attach with nails.
11. Attach metal embellishments with tacks to the outside of the house.
12. Hang on a stand or tree limb.
Resources The Great Birdhouse Book: Fun, Fabulous Designs You Can Build
by Mike Dillon (ISBN: 0806993340)
Sterling Publications, 1999
Order this
title.
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website:
www.sterlingpub.com Also in this Episode
)
)
)
)
