Birdfeeders: Build a Bye-Bye Blackbird Feeder

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[A] one 6" X 7-1/4" (back)
[B] one 1-1/2" X 6" (front sill)
[C] one 3-1/4" X 4-1/2" (front)
[D] two 5-1/2" X 7-1/4" (sides)
[E] one 4-1/2" X 5-1/2" (bottom)
[F] one 7-1/4" X 13-1/8" (roof)
[G] one 7-1/4" X 14" (roof)
[H] two 6" X 6" X 6-1/8" triangles (gables)
[I] one 3/8" X 6-1/2" (perch)
[J] one 4-1/2" X 5-1/2" (feed flow)
[K] one 4-1/2" X 4-3/4" (feed control)

Step 2. Nail the following parts together, in the order listed: A, D, D, B, C, E.

Step 3. Crosscut the ends of roof pieces F and G to a 60° bevel, and nail the two boards together as shown in Fig. 2.

Step 4. Nail one gable (H) flush to the rear of the roof.

Step 5. Place the remaining gable piece upright on—and flush with—the front of the feeder body. Then lower the roof onto this piece—making sure that the rear gable is aligned with the back of the body (A)-and, while pressing down on the roof to hold the triangle in place, nail through F and G into the front gable. (You may want to drill pilot holes through F and G before nailing H, to minimize movement of the gable while you're hammering.)

Step 6. Center and attach the butt hinge to the rear gable and A.

Step 7. Crosscut the ends of the feed flow component (J) to a 45° bevel, then insert the piece in the feeder and nail it in place.

Step 8. Nail the feed control (K) inside the feeder body to the back of, and flush with the top of, the front (C).

Step 9. Cut and drill two sets of the three bars (M, N, and O) as shown in Fig. 3.

Step 10. Drill two 7/32" holes—positioned as shown in Fig. 4—in both sides (D) of the feeder.

Step 11. Cut the brass feeder-gate sheet to measure 3" X 6" . . . then scribe a guideline centered lengthwise across the piece, and either spot solder or wire the brass rod to the sheet, in the position indicated by the line. If you're wiring the rod in place, drill a hole in the gate on either side of the bar at each end and in the middle of the brass sheet (as shown in Fig. 2) . . . and then—for each pair of perforations—insert a short loop of wire through the back of the gate and twist its ends together over the rod in front.

Step 12. Assemble the sets of bars (M, N, O) by attaching M to O with a 1/2" bolt and nut, and N to O with a 1" bolt and nut. (Bar O should be outside bars M and N, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.)

Step 13. Now, position a tee nut in each of the holes on the right side (D) of the feeder body, and attach one set of bars (M, N, O) in place . . . using 1" bolts. Insert an end of the gate rod through the hole in the end of bar N.

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