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DIY Bird Feeder ... Easy as 1..2.. Tweet! 

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I’ve never been one for bird watching, but my mother-in-law’s backyard is home to some pretty beautiful birds. Now that she’s retired, bird watching in the morning with a cup of coffee is part of her routine. Her neighbor has a bird feeder and was attracting all the birds, so she requested for a bird feeder of her own!
 
There are many ways to build a bird feeder. Here’s a simple one that you can make with leftover scrap wood if you have some. 

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​Here we go.
 
Supplies + Tool
  • ¼” plywood
  • Wood Glue
  • Circular Saw or Table Saw
  • Miter Saw or Circular Saw
  • 16 Gauge Brad Nailer
  • Orbital Sander
  • Wood stain & sealer
  • Wood putty
  • ¾” wood screw
  • Drill 
 

Steps
  • Step 1 // Plan and measure - Plan out the size you want for the base of the bird feeder. This is the tray that will be holding the all the seeds. My base pieces were:
    • Base piece: 7½” L x 5” W
    • Side pieces:
      • 7½” L x 1½” H – 2 pieces
      • 5½” L x 1½” H – 2 pieces (the extra ½” is to account for the additional ¼” on each end from the width of the plywood)
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  • Step 2 // Cut your plywood to size

  • Step 3 // Sand down your pieces using the orbital sander and a medium grit (120) sandpaper
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  • Step 4 // Use wood glue and a nail gun to secure all the sides to the base piece 
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  • Step 5 // Determine the height you want for your feeder and cut to size. This will be the measurement for the 2 side pieces that will hold the roof up.
    • My side pieces were 6” H x 3½” W

  • Step 6 // Mark the midpoint of your 2 side pieces. This will be where you’ll start your angled cut for the roof.
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  • Step 7 // Determine what you want for the slope of your roof. We did a 15° angle for ours. Set the angle on the miter saw to make the cut OR use the circular saw. 
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  • Step 8 // Secure the 2 side pieces on the inside the base piece, in the middle. I used wood glue and 2 screws (3/8” L so that it goes through the base wall and catches the side piece. You can also use a nail gun for this.)

  • Step 9 // Determine the sizing for the roof. This will depend on how much overhang you want for the roof.
    • My roof pieces were 9¼” L x 3” W

  • Step 10 // For one of the long edges on each piece, make the same angle cut at the adjoining edge. For my pieces, I made the same 15° angle cut.
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  • Step 11 // Secure the roof to the side pieces using wood glue and a nail gun
  • Step 12 (Optional) // Use some wood filler to fill in some of the holes made from the nail gun. If you choose to do this step, make sure to sand it down once it’s dried so that you have a smooth surface to stain/paint.

  • Step 13 // Choose your stain & stain your pieces! 

  • Step 14 // Add a protective sealer to finish off the pieces. I used Polyurethane because that’s what I had. The proper one should be outdoor weather proof, but if you don’t get rain all the time, you should be fine!

  • Step 15 // Make 2 small holes using a drill to each side of the roof panel near the centre ridge. This is where your wire/string will go through.
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  • Step 16 // String the wire/string through the holes and hang in desired spot! 

Now sit back with your coffee and enjoy some bird watching. 

Follow along @homewithsil for more DIY fun and find this bird feeder step-by-step in my stories highlight. 

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