# $3 Cedar Fence Board Birdhouse



## Ulma Doctor (Sep 1, 2015)

Hello 
Since my woodworking skills are poor, at best, i thought it high time i faced my fears of wood.
Not that i have any strange phobias of wood, i just don't usually dabble in sawdust.
I'm fully capable of constructing things in many different materials, but i usually avoid woodworking because i usually splinter or somehow fall short of what i would call mediocre.
If i'm to grow into my idea of a master craftsman, i'll have to put the trepidation aside and understand wood, at least have a better understanding of working it.
here's the latest concoction , 
the $3 Cedar Fence Board Birdhouse....



it's easily constructed from a  single 1 x 5.5 x 6' fence board, with a nice drop left over




the rear piece is 15" long x 5.5" wide. (i used the fence board's dog eared section- i thought it looked better)
the roof piece is 9.25" long, mitered on one end to 12* to match roof pitch
the front piece is 7.25" long, mitered on the top edge to 12*, to meet the roof pitch- 
center entrance hole 1-3/8", bored with holesaw
the sides were mitered at 12*, the long side measured 10.25", the short side measured 9.25" x 5.5" wide
the bottom was 4.25" x 5.5"

I used wood glue and 18 gauge 1/4" x 1-1/4" crown staples and the HF 18 ga Nailer/Stapler

total time: 1/2 hr to cut and assemble!


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## dave2176 (Sep 1, 2015)

Yes, built many of them with the cub scouts. We would put 2 screws in one of the sides so it could be tapped on to open and clean out last years nest. Tight enough so animals can't open. The hole size is important for some birds around here so other predators can't enter. Nice job though. Some saw kerfs below the hole gives talons a place to grip which is better than a dangerous perch.
Dave


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## Franko (Sep 2, 2015)

Looks like a birdhouse to me, Mike. Dave makes a good point. Good to provide a way to open them so they can be cleaned.

A good trick when nailing with a brad gun is to hold the gun on the same line as the you are nailing to. Brads have a tendency to bend forward or backward relative to the nailer, so if the nailer is perpendicular to the edge of the board you are nailing to, it is more likely that a brad will curve and come out the side.

I started out building out of wooden fruit crates found behind the grocery store. I'd pull all the nails out and straighten them to re-use them. I had problems with wood splitting (it was cheap wood). My step dad showed me a trick for that. You flatten the point of the nail so it mashes its way into the wood instead of finding the weak grain to follow and split.


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 2, 2015)

I'm sure the birds will love it! They think you are a master house builder


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## Ulma Doctor (Sep 2, 2015)

thanks Guys!!!!


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## Ulma Doctor (Sep 2, 2015)

Franko said:


> Looks like a birdhouse to me, Mike. Dave makes a good point. Good to provide a way to open them so they can be cleaned.
> 
> A good trick when nailing with a brad gun is to hold the gun on the same line as the you are nailing to. Brads have a tendency to bend forward or backward relative to the nailer, so if the nailer is perpendicular to the edge of the board you are nailing to, it is more likely that a brad will curve and come out the side.
> 
> I started out building out of wooden fruit crates found behind the grocery store. I'd pull all the nails out and straighten them to re-use them. I had problems with wood splitting (it was cheap wood). My step dad showed me a trick for that. You flatten the point of the nail so it mashes its way into the wood instead of finding the weak grain to follow and split.



Hi Franko,
Thanks for the tips! especially about the nailer and brad nails!

my father had taught me about flattening the nail point, but i still find other ways of splintering wood!
i'm sure i'll chase my tail for a long time, but it's fun to learn


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## Ulma Doctor (Sep 2, 2015)

woodtickgreg said:


> I'm sure the birds will love it! They think you are a master house builder



If they only knew that i'm a complete hack, they'd short sell the birdhouse and move to Cleveland!


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## chips&more (Sep 2, 2015)

When you get in the dog house or in this case the bird house. How do you manage to fit into it?...Dave


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## brino (Sep 2, 2015)

That looks fully functional and should be well received by the intended occupants.
-brino


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 2, 2015)

Ulma Doctor said:


> If they only knew that i'm a complete hack, they'd short sell the birdhouse and move to Cleveland!


Funny, lol.


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## ch2co (Sep 2, 2015)

Well out where I'm from, the birds just make their own houses, and it works too, as long as I don't turn on the porch light! Baked finch or if I'm not lucky, I could burn down my own house!  This is one of the few birdhouses that I have (although this one is unintentional) seems to be totally squirrel proof. Dad gum critters just chew their way into most of the the ones that I built.  This is the fourth year that this nesting site has been used, and for two years now one set of birds move in right after the previous occupants fledge.

Chuck the grumpy old guy


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 2, 2015)

ch2co said:


> Well out where I'm from, the birds just make their own houses, and it works too, as long as I don't turn on the porch light! Baked finch or if I'm not lucky, I could burn down my own house!  This is one of the few birdhouses that I have (although this one is unintentional) seems to be totally squirrel proof. Dad gum critters just chew their way into most of the the ones that I built.  This is the fourth year that this nesting site has been used, and for two years now one set of birds move in right after the previous occupants fledge.
> 
> Chuck the grumpy old guy


That's cool, I have had Robins do the same thing. Fun to watch them.


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## razinman (Sep 9, 2015)

Hey Mike,

                     Nice looking birdhouse,  your choice of materials(cedar) was good. Yea still working on the SB took  it all apart , cleaned
 and painted about 30% of it.
                      The staples in the birdhouse will be fine, But I wouldn't use wood glue(for outside use) if rain or dampness gets into it
 the wood glue won't hold up. All the epoxies are water resistant. any way the Birdhouse looks good.
                    I'm in the process of selling my home here in NY, we had a bad summer HHH(Hot, Humid and Horrible)

    Best Regards.............Kerry


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## Ulma Doctor (Sep 9, 2015)

Hi Kerry, 
the birdhouse is a gift to my mother from my son and i,
it won't see the outside elements, but thank you for the useful information!
I hope things go smoothly in your relocation!
all the best


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## middle.road (Sep 29, 2015)

hmmmm, first the garden planter, now a birdhouse... Getting to be a sawdust junkie.


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## Ulma Doctor (Sep 30, 2015)

Yes Sir, Dan
i bought a shopsmith that needed repair a couple years ago, made the repairs a year or better ago and i have the itch to use it.

the boy and i are working on another woodworking project- i'll post the pics when i'm finished
always glad to here from you!


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