# Father's Day Cedar Log Bird House



## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

My daughter and son wanted to build a bird house for Father's Day with me. How could I say no to spending a day in the shop with my kids.

After looking at a book on bird houses my son decided on the log home version of a bird house. Lucky for us I had a dowel maker I had picked up for a project a while back and thought this would be perfect to make our own dowels. The first bird house was made by using a scrap piece of 2x4 Spruce. The second bird house was made using just one fence board made of cedar measuring 1"x 6" - 5' long.

Dowel cutter purchased from Lee Valley Tools Veritas® Dowel and Tenon Cutters - Lee Valley Tools


I cut (2) pieces first 10" long for the roof section. Set my table saw to make a rip cut of 5/8". Two passes on the table saw made the 5/8" x 5/8" piece required to make the dowels. In total I ripped (5) pieces 48" long.

The gable ends were made from a 2" wide piece about 4" long with a 45 degree mitre cut. The roof edges were ripped on a 45 degree angle and glued and pin nailed together. Attach the gable ends first and then once the ends are glued and nailed in place you can attach the roof and then pre-drill holes for the eye bolts. Attach the eye bolts and then nail the roof in place.

Once the rip cuts were completed we then used the dowel maker to make the cedar dowels. Once the dowel was made we used sand paper to smooth off the dowel. We did this by just using a piece of sand paper and leaving the dowel in the drill.

I used a 22 gauge pin nailer to attach the mini logs together and some Titebond glue for the roof and gable ends. (2) Eye bolts 3/16" are used to allow the bird house to be hung. 

Aside from requiring a dowel maker the cedar bird house came in at a whopping $3.00 to build. It took us about 3 hours to make and we had a great time. 

Perhaps one of the best Father's Day I have had yet. !!!!

Took a few shots to show the process of making the bird house. Dimensions for the dowels are also listed on one of the pictures. You can make the house whatever size you choose by the way this is only our version.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Best of all here is the note my daughter wrote me for Father'S Day. When I read this note out loud I was pretty taken back by it and very proud of my daughter and son.

It was tough not to get a little choked up reading this out loud but we had plenty of Kleenex to go around.:dance3:


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

What great father day for you,the kids did a great job on the bird house.
You are blessed


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## Rogerdodge (Apr 24, 2014)

Lovely Jubbly ; you wouldn't consider making them full size I suppose !

No help in the shop for me, but I got a hug and a cup of tea , so can't complain 


.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

*Life is good!!!!!!*


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

They look like they were having a great time . 
Your going to make wood workers out of them yet . 

Love the note


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## BCK (Feb 23, 2014)

thx for sharing...


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

That's great Dan.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I would say that the bird house build is worth a million dollars!

Love the Dowel maker to.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

On any day that's a nice project. On Father's Day it is a superb project. Nice job all around.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Sounds like a great day, Dan.

Our fathers Day is in Sept.....


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## John Bradshaw (Sep 12, 2010)

*Great Bird House*

I know how important the bonding is between you and your kids. The Bird house is just extra.

John


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## thomas1389 (Jan 4, 2012)

Nothing better than love from the kids!


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Awsome project - time with the kids. Use every free moment you can with them, a great dad like you are I know you will. Before you know it they will be asking you to build their REAL house. Just dont blink, that time will be on you before you know it.


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## jldmor (Mar 5, 2014)

Very nice. Gives me a thought for my grand kids.


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## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Dan that was a great project. Thank you for sharing your family. Made me feel good


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Obviously, you had a great day with the kids in the shop! Is this the first of many birdhouses? I discovered a couple that need to be put out in our yard. You are raising the next generation of woodworkers. One of them might be a moderator one day! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the note!!!!!


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Dan,

Thanks for sharing that! You did a very good thing - spending that time with your kids. It was good for the entire family and will be long remembered. Time you spend with your children on projects like this is worth more than 25 years of watching TV or playing video games. Working with one's hands - especially with a natural material such as wood opens-up a whole new word of education in areas where many people and especially children lack fun in learning. If your kids have additional interest, this opens-up avenues for learning about birds, trees, tools, safety, conservation, units of measure, etc. etc.
I am considerably older than you, Dan - but I can say that for a fact that kids learn best when the subject matter is presented in a fun way!
*You have done an outstanding job - the smiles on your children tell me they were having a blast!*

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

OPG3 said:


> Dan,
> 
> Thanks for sharing that! You did a very good thing - spending that time with your kids. It was good for the entire family and will be long remembered. Time you spend with your children on projects like this is worth more than 25 years of watching TV or playing video games. Working with one's hands - especially with a natural material such as wood opens-up a whole new word of education in Owhere many people and especially children lack fun in learning. If your kids have additional interest, this opens-up avenues for learning about birds, trees, tools, safety, conservation, units of measure, etc. etc.
> I am considerably older than you, Dan - but I can say that for a fact that kids learn best when the subject matter is presented in a fun way!
> ...


Otis.. 

I tip my hat to you good sir. Truer words were never spoken!!


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Dan, that was tops!! Project with the kiddo's. I too had some touching moments with my kids (who are adults now) this Fathers day. They had me choked up with their public show of love on Facebook this year. Kids, you gotta love'[email protected]


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