ndorfinmachine
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Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:17 am
Location: South Georgia

My coffee container birdhouse.

A while back I was searching the internet for easy to make birdhouses. I came across one that used an empty coffee can and a few pieces of wood for the roof. I didn't really like the looks of that one so I came up with my own version, using a plastic coffee container. I simply took off the lid and cut a small opening in the center of it. I then found an old fallen cedar branch in the woods and shaved off strips of the bark. I got the hot glue gun and some wood glue and cut the bark to sizes I needed and glued them on the lid. I was going for a log cabin look. It turned out pretty cool I think. For the roof, I found an old scrap piece of thick sheet metal, didn't even have to cut it or anything, just bent it by hand to the shape of the roof. I haven't actually had a bird in it cause I think I made the hole too big. Oh well, I know a tree frog has been hanging out in it. I guess it's good for something. Her's a couple of links to some pics of it.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ndorfinmachine/birdhouse1.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ndorfinmachine/birdhouse2.jpg

mogardener
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Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:21 pm
Location: Missouri

Very inventive, looks great, and keeping a tree frog happy is pretty cool, too! :)

ndorfinmachine
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Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:17 am
Location: South Georgia

Thanks! I think I will see what kind of birdhouse I can conjure up with a stick of gum, some duct tape, a bread box, and some safety pins. :D

Update: Good thing I took some pics when I did. The squirrels have taken all the wood off the front and knocked the roof off.

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Sweet Petunia
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Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Arkansas

WOW!! Thats GREAT!! I think I will try that!! I just told Hubby a few months ago that I think that those plastic coffee cans are the biggest waste I have ever seen because in this town we don't have a place to recycle them. He told me to save them and plant stuff in them so thats what I have been doing (saving them).
I am always wanting a good bird house and the ones the sale are so expensive!! I'm not the craftiest person in the world but I betcha I can make this sucker!! Thanks so much for the idea!! I let ya know how it turns out!

ndorfinmachine
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Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:17 am
Location: South Georgia

Glad ya liked the idea. I'm always looking for ways to re-use plastic cotainers and stuff. Bird houses and feeders seems the be the ticket. I have been making bird feeders out of body wash and shampoo bottles. I can't keep food in them. The birds are having a field day on them. I've made quiet a few and given them to friends and family members. Everyone, at first glance, thinks that they were store bought, so I guess I'm doing something right. lol My latest project is a bird bath/watering dish. I used one of those large Arizona gree tea cans, a green plastic bowl, and a natural piece of wood (with bark still on it) for the roof. I made a little pin hole on the side of the can, close to the bottom, to let the water come out the more the birds drink. I added some stones to the bowl for decoration and I was done. I put it up in a small oak in the front yard the other day and have already had some Cardinals visit for a drink and a splash. I am really getting into this kind of stuff. Feel free to add some of your own recyclable inventions. I'll post some pics soon.

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Gary350
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Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

It sure does look nice. You might want to look up bird houses for specific types of birds then model your invention according to what birds like.

I have 23 bird houses, birds are fun.

Red birds like evergreen trees and sticker bushes they won't live in a bird house.

Okiegirl
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Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:20 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Thanks for the wonderful ideal. LOVE IT

ndorfinmachine
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Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 2:17 am
Location: South Georgia

Been a while but I finally got a pic of my bird bath/can/contraption thingy.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ndorfinmachine/birdbath.jpg

Also, out of boredom, here is a pic of my latest invention. It's actually a Nivea body wash bottle turned into a vase. A little decoration on the front and I filled it with nothing but what I could find here on my land- the dried tops of corn stalk (Tassles), some brown corn leaves, and a few twigs with acorns on them.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ndorfinmachine/fallvase.jpg

Almost forgot. I haven't a pic of it yet, but after several attempts, I finally succeeded in making a coke can bird feeder. Don't worry, no sharp edges or anything. I used the tops off two shave gel cans for the feeder holes ( the actual button thet you press to release the gel, not the caps). I used a small plant dish for the bottom and a larger plant dish for the roof. It really works! Okay. I'll stop now.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow! These are objets d'art -- I could picture them in an art gallery -- VERY NICE! You must have a FUN garden. :D



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