# Rebuilt bird feeder



## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Some 20 plus years ago I bought the bird feeder shown in the first photo at a major garden exhibition. It held up very well over the years but was finally showing its age. So I took the cover off to see about repairing it and decided to make a new one on the same design. An interesting project that should last a few more years as well.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

*Bird feeder rebuild with photos*

Sorry missed the photos in the first pass


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Jon, That is so cool,I really like those type of bird feeders.
Herb


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Nice. Bet the squirrels love it.


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## dman2 (Sep 4, 2019)

I like it. What is the bottom tray for? It seems food isn't meant to go into it, since it looks like a cedar floor???


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

dman2 said:


> I like it. What is the bottom tray for? It seems food isn't meant to go into it, since it looks like a cedar floor???


The bottom tray in the original did indeed hold the food. The screened floor allowed the rain to wash through. Have yet to add that to the new one.

Joat: we have surprisingly few squirrels up here (coyote food) so they are not really an issue.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

JOAT said:


> Nice. Bet the squirrels love it.


That was my first thought Theo, I could not keep them out of the one I built. They would launch from our planter and soar 8 feet to slam into the feeder. Some times they stayed on and others they fell off, just to get up and try again. Once in the feeder, they would sit and throw most of it to the ground, where the other squirrels would sit and feast on it.

David


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Nicely done, Jon...lots of detail that you dealt with very well...it will likely last longer than the original...


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

The rebuild was nicely done. I'm amazed a wooden feeder lasted that long. Here in Louisiana, the wooden ones seem to be good for a few years at best. Of course, between the squirrels and the raccoons, they take a beating.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@Gaffboat

Thanks Oliver. The big issue here is the freezing rain and/or constant damp. The coyotes take care of the rest&#55357;&#56833;


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Bushwhacker said:


> That was my first thought Theo, I could not keep them out of the one I built. They would launch from our planter and soar 8 feet to slam into the feeder. Some times they stayed on and others they fell off, just to get up and try again. Once in the feeder, they would sit and throw most of it to the ground, where the other squirrels would sit and feast on it.
> 
> David


Years ago I read a report on squirrels getting into bird feeders. Apparently the scientists involved were having a slow week. They found that to get to one bird/squirrel feeder the squirrel would have to jump off a tree limb, into the side of a garage, then leave the garage wall at a precise angle. Off 1 degree either way, and the squirrel would miss the feeder, and hit the ground. The squirrels got very good at getting to the feeder. 

When my old fridge died I laid it on my porch, on its back, supposed to have been picked up by someone that wanted it to grow worms in, they never showed up, so trashed it. Used to put food on it, for whatever got to it firs, birds or squirrels, usually squirrels. Got a lot of enjoyment watching a squirrel feed, because there would always be a second squirrel come along and push the first off, this would repeat until the food was gone. Sometimes I wish I had kept it.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Looks like you got your money's worth out of the first one. Good project!


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## Oscar36 (Feb 23, 2019)

I am so borrowing the design with a few of my own little changes. Thank you for sharing. Really cool bird feeder. 

Wife loves bird watching so this will be a wonderful gift for her.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very impressive.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@Oscar36

Look forward to your version. It is a classic design and I've yet to see another one like it.


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## MikeSibley (Aug 11, 2020)

My next door neighbor has a bird feeder here in South Mississippi and the squirrels are quite prolific . They put a trap out (humane type) and so far, they have caught and relocated over 40 squirrels and the saga continues! It is fun to watch the challenge. They wanted to make sure that the same squirrels weren't coming back so he spray painted a spot on the tail orange before releasing them, so far no orange tails are back, but I bet some other folks are wondering what's up with the orange tailed squirrels!


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

The squirrels were doing so much damage here that I bought a pellet gun and began to depopulate the numbers. And got rat traps for the chipmonks. No mercy!


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