Bird table

[Lons]

We have a friend who lost her husband a couple of years ago and has struggled a bit. I’ve done a few favours for her and recently while round having a coffee with my wife, she came into the workshop and the conversation went like......”Bob, do you do commissions?” “NO, whatever it is no and thrice no”.” Oh it’s just a bird table for a friend”. “ is it a friend or family member?” “Family member”. “You little fibber, I can tell it’s for you”, at which point she gets flustered and says “I don’t ask because you never accept any money”.

So, Because her existing bird table is falling to bits (see photos) and was a present many years ago to her departed husband what can you do?

Because it’s a freebie, though she’ll be embarrassed I didn’t want to spend anything and used mainly a fence post and rail plus a few offcuts and used ply, as well as some scrap plastic mesh. I found a piece of Foamex plastic for a removeable tray to boot.

No fancy joinery as I didn’t fuss much just glue screws and pins. It’s up to her to treat or paint it.

 

[Mike G]

That's rather smarter than the old one, Bob! How did you fix the table onto the post?

 

[Lons]

That's rather smarter than the old one, Bob! How did you fix the table onto the post?

I glued and screwed a second bit of 18mm ply to the post and glued and screwed that to the underside of the table ply base screwed from below and above so probably overkill then also a long screw from inside the table down into the centre of the post. It's not quite finished as I've just remembered I need to fit some angled supports to that. DOH.

 

[AndyP]

i’ve never seen a bird table with so much mesh. Keeps the blackbirds, pigeons etc away I suppose.

 

[Woodbloke]

Very nice Bob! I'm always amazed when see the price of these things in garden centres that have been nailed/lashed together from what appears to be bits of salvaged bits of old pallets. The mesh will definitely keep the bigger birds from scoffing the little ones grub - Rob

 

[Blackswanwood]

I’m sure she will be delighted with it. I’m guessing that the mesh is to keep squirrels out?

 

[marineboy]

That’s very nice. It’s shame though that blackbirds are too big to get through. They are ground and table feeders so will miss out. My ground feeder station is surrounded by mesh just big enough for the blackbirds to get through but too small for pigeons. Unfortunately it also allows for starlings to get in and they hoover everything up within seconds. Everything is a compromise.

I like the sliding floor to allow easy cleaning

 

[Accipiter]

Very nice Bob .

My feelings the same as expressed re blackbirds missing out...

However... I feel there's a couple of things missing... hasp and staple plus padlock ... otherwise the squirrels will soon figure out that little catch