# A paying gig.



## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

Been gone a while, I know. What can I say - life happens.

Anyway, as the title says, I have an ongoing gig for {drum roll}

Owl Nesting Boxes.

An old friend of my wife is in a garden club and was looking for someone to make a few and LOML suggested me. Got two done and gone and an order for three more. Nothing to them really. Each box takes 1 1x10x8, 2 hinges, screws and a hook clasp. Gets me a little folding money to support my hobby.

They wanted them unpainted


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Well, Patrick, any gig that pays is a good gig....

The Mens Shed I attend also recently completed an order for 25? nesting boxes...


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## JudgeMike (Feb 27, 2012)

Sounds interesting! Any chance of a picture? Or dimensions? I hear a hooter behind the house on occasion.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Glad to see you back Patrick.


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## 64 ford (Apr 21, 2013)

Welcome back
Yea- like Mike said, please post some pictures and dimensions. I also have some around and I live at the very edge of town. Have hundreds of small birds and have about 30 ducks and some deer that come every day to eat corn.( deer at night) costs more to feed critters than heat my shop!
Dennis


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

The owl boxes sound like a great project and, like the others, I'd like more info. The owls in my neighborhood are getting ready for their spring house hunting and helping them find one would be a hoot. :yes4:


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Unpainted is the perfect spec.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Patrick, I am glad to see you're back with us. Owls are really cool birds and are deadly predators of small rodents. There are Great Horned owls in my neighborhood and we enjoy seeing and hearing them (hearing much more than seeing). Since Owls prefer to nest in high places, it can be difficult in many cases to determine if an "Owl House" is actually being utilized - but one of my daughters taught me how to tell. There will be "owl pellets" on the ground below the nest - these are regurgitated bones and other undigestible remains that come-up like cat hair-balls. Gross, but true. Isn't NATURE amazing? Owls have a mechanism in their feathering that enables them to fly with complete silence - this is not found on any other birds. If you read *Popular Mechanics*, there is an interesting article on this exact topic that takes-up page 20 of the March 2014 issue.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks all for the warm welcome back. 

I've updated the OP with pics and the plans they wanted me to go by. The three grooves below the 3" opening were from some research I did on my own. It gives the parents easier access (via their talons) without a perch that would be beneficial to predators. The grooves are 1/4" and roughly 4"-5" long (not critical) and spaced about 1-3/8" on center. 

BTW the bevel on the lid and the box front is actually 12.2 deg.


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

Oh, I need to add, these are for Barn Owls (I believe).


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

Oops, got that wrong this appears to be for a screech owl.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

About 15 years ago when I was working for the B.C. government's log sorting yard in Vernon, the local naturalists club asked us if we could supply them with sections of Douglas fir bark, approximately 2' x 3 to 4' in length. They were going to nail a couple of boards onto standing trees and nail the bark to those leaving a cavity behind for bats to nest in. According to them, the health of the bat population was an indicator of the health of the overall environment. We didn't charge them anything for doing it but we learned a bit about bats in the process.


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

OPG3 said:


> Patrick, I am glad to see you're back with us. Owls are really cool birds and are deadly predators of small rodents. There are Great Horned owls in my neighborhood and we enjoy seeing and hearing them (hearing much more than seeing). Since Owls prefer to nest in high places, it can be difficult in many cases to determine if an "Owl House" is actually being utilized - but one of my daughters taught me how to tell. There will be "owl pellets" on the ground below the nest - these are regurgitated bones and other undigestible remains that come-up like cat hair-balls. Gross, but true. Isn't NATURE amazing? Owls have a mechanism in their feathering that enables them to fly with complete silence - this is not found on any other birds. If you read *Popular Mechanics*, there is an interesting article on this exact topic that takes-up page 20 of the March 2014 issue.
> 
> Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


Otis
As always, thanks for sharing your animal knowledge. I didn't know that trivia of silent flight, though thinking about it I have noticed it. I love to hear the swooshing sound the big birds make flying close by.


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## 64 ford (Apr 21, 2013)

Patrick
Barn owls and screech owls are pretty cool birds too. What I'm hearing around here are the big old hooters so I don't think these will work. Come to think of it I'll have to Google and see if they even live in houses or nest in them. 
Dennis


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

I bet you had a hoot building them!

Welcome back.


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## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

Those are great looking and well crafted nesting boxes. Like that they're not painted, shows the beauty of the wood, very nice organic look that will blend with nature. Great job and congrats on the sale!


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