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Build a kid-friendly birdhouse
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Build a perfect home for eastern bluebirds with some help from your own nest
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By Steve Maxwell, photos by Roger Yip, illustration by Len Churchill
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Ready to Nest
Start assembly by placing the back and door on their edges on your workbench, with one side member resting on top. You won't be fastening the door at this stage, but you still need it as a spacer to hold up the side. Align the top and back edges of the back and side pieces (the ones cut 12º from square), then drive two screws to secure the joint. Flip the unit over and secure the second side in the same way, also using the door as a spacer. At this stage, you'll have a three-sided, trough-shaped assembly.
As I mentioned before, rough lumber of the same nominal size can vary in thickness quite a bit; that's why I had you wait until now to cut the roof to width. Measure the actual left-to-right width of your birdhouse so far, then add a total of 3/4" for the overhang you'll need (3/8" on each side). Saw the roof to the correct size. Place the roof on top of the body and fasten it with four screws driven down into the sides.
Until this moment, the width of your door has been the same as the back, but now's the time to change that. Cut the door piece 1/8" narrower to allow it to open and close easily without rubbing on the sides. The plans show how the door is hinged at the top, pivoting on two screws driven in through the sides. This allows easy access to the inside of the house for cleaning. Slide the recut door into place on the front of the house.
For best appearance and operation, position the door 3/16" back from the front edges of the sides and 1/8" down from the roof. Position the two hinge screws 1" down from the top of the house and drive them through the sides and into the edges of the door. Close the door so there's a consistent amount of overhang all the way down, then get ready to fasten the bottom piece in place.
The length of the bottom is shorter than the front-to-back opening it covers, and there's a good reason for this. The resulting slot creates a drainage gap at the back of the house to let any stray water escape. Position the bottom 3/16" up from the bottom edge of the sides, and set it back far enough from the front to act as a stop for the door. Once again, the door's thickness will vary, depending on the wood you use, but that's fine. Position the bottom piece wherever necessary so the door closes evenly all the way down the sides.
Bluebirds like a 1 1/2"-diameter access hole in their nesting boxes. Before you bore the access hole, use 2 1/2" and 3" hole saws to create round patterns of grooves (or kerfs) around the perimeter of the access hole (see the plans for details). This makes it easier for birds to grab the wood with their feet as they land and take off from the house. When these kerfs are done, bore a 1 1/2"-diameter hole all the way through the door to create the entrance.
Birds of a Feather
When it comes time to mount the birdhouse, open the door and drive a couple of 3"-long deck screws through the back and into a post or fence. Drive a single 2"-long screw through the side of the house to lock the door shut and keep the hatchlings safe inside. When it's time to spring clean your birdhouse, you can remove the screw and swivel the door open.
It costs just a few dollars and only takes about 20 minutes to make each bluebird house, but wildlife conservation isn't the only reason to make them. Few other kids' projects are as simple, long-lasting and useful as a birdhouse. And the only thing better than a new crop of bluebirds in your yard is the smiles from the kids who helped to make it happen.
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