As my milling season begins **new door pictures**

[Kingcha]

When I bought my mill my intended use was mainly for personal use with the hope of Milling for others as well.   Last summer my 2nd year milling I decided I needed to learn a lot more before I actively look for work.   My goal was only part-time income anyways so no big deal.    I really love milling so i figured I would just make more projects for myself.   Last year I built a wood shed so I would have a place to store my dried lumber.


 
After finishing the siding in the early fall I was looking for more things to do.   

It is funny how things sort of just find there way.   At one point my wife was talking about making bird houses.   So Off I went.....a few post on facebook and I saw a little interest.   Well I had the campfire wood stand and it was now empty so why not give it a try.   


 
So far so good.  Not sure I can make enough to keep me happy but why not give it a try.   
I am building simple and cheap Bird houses and feeders that I call  OLD SCHOOL BIRD HOUSES & FEEDERS


  

 
Living in a tourist area should help me lots I am going with the whole "Our own trees, our own wood milled and dried ourselves"  Hand built houses & feeders.

Not sure if I will ever solicit milling for others or not, but I won't turn it down.  At this point I will just let what happens.   
I just got the mill ready for the season and hope to start cutting a few trees down soon as I have really missed using the mill all winter.

Matt B

[YellowHammer]

Nice, niches are where you find them.  Sounds like a good plan.

Around here, the carpenter bee traps are selling for $20 apiece, and seems like everybody is buying. I don't build them, but some of my customers do, and they say most people purchase more than one...not much difference between a bird house and a bee trap.  You might consider building them, too.
Good luck

[beenthere]

Kingcha
Do you have a pic of the wood shed for dried lumber when finished? Wondering about access, and what you use for doors.

[Chuck White]

Matt; Looks like you're developing a little niche market for your area!

Looks like nice products, and I like the lumber shed!   

[Kingcha]

You know I don't think I have a picture of the shed sided yet.   Guess I will have to take my camera tomorrow.   Beenthere I have not finished the doors yet, that is going to be what I saw first.  Thinking I will saw something about 5/8'-3/4 thick and about 6-1/2+ inches wide.   Not sure how I am doing the door yet but they will be about 102" tall if I remember correctly. That will give me full access from the front.

  I have a delivery coming tomorrow, one of those assemble it yourself metal carports.  It's going to replace my temporary tarp pole structure that I use for air drying before the wood goes into the kiln.   That is going to be nice to have..... can leave it up all winter if I want.

[Peter Drouin]

Keep thinking of things to do with the mill is fun, And can make $$$
Good job. 8) 8)

[Kingcha]

Oh and thanks, good comments always helps motivation 

Couple of pics of the Almost done Wood shed.


  

 

My Green Carport delivery arrived, sort of  :D


  

 
Well I got the frame up.   Do you see the problem.   :D :D

Should work go for me as most of what I saw is 10' or less.   At 12' x 18' it will allow me to stack 3 stacks which is more then enough since I load the
solar kiln as soon as have a stack.

[thechknhwk]

Looks good, is the shed for storing dried lumber?

[Kingcha]

Yes the shed is for storing dried lumber.   I should have lifted up the tarp before snapping the shot. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I like your new garage building. You'll get more air flow with the ways yours is built.   :D :D :D

[Kingcha]

I will post a pic after they pick up the white and bring me the green.   Saturday morning at Menards must be Hang-over day.     8)

You are right Poston, very good airflow right now.  :D :D

[thecfarm]

The birdhouses and feeders are a good idea. Have you thought about making some blue bird houses? They like a certain size hole. Could print something on them to educate the buyers.

[Chuck White]

The birdhouses and feeders are a good idea. Have you thought about making some blue bird houses? They like a certain size hole. Could print something on them to educate the buyers.

Yup, 1¼"

Doesn't seem to matter whether or not you put a perch on the houses.

[thecfarm]

About the perches,they may look good,but have heard others birds can perch on it and eat the eggs that is inside. I like to rough up the inside just below the hole too. I "think" it helps the little ones to claw thier way to the hole. I just use the claw part of the hammer to make some dents.

[beenthere]

I leave the perch off, but put an extra layer of wood over the hole to add more depth. Seems to keep the raccoons from reaching their paw inside to pull out the babies.

Also, I stopped mounting the house on a wood post and now put them up on a pipe... so the raccoons cannot get to the house.  Like sweet corn, they seem to know when the baby bluebirds are "ripe" for picking.

[Chuck White]

Good points Ray & BT. 

[Kingcha]

Thanks for the input

I don't label my boxes though it is something I might start doing.  The one I do make for Bluebirds has a 1-1/2 hole though I had first made them 1-9/16.  We only have the Eastern Blue Bird here and 1-1/2" is good for them and many of our local birds.   I have a few at 1-3/8 but I think after doing more reading I can just make them all 1-1/2".

http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/PDF/FAQ/NABS%20factsheet%20-%20Getting%20Started%20-%2024May12%20DRAFT.pdf

Because I sell them off a self serve stand I have been trying to keep the price down $10, which also means cutting some corners.   I have been keeping track of my time.  If I build 6 at a time I can get the time down to about 25 minute per.  I would like to get it down to at least 20 minutes each.   The feeder goes for $15 as it has more $ in the product.

I might make a few deluxe models and sell them at one of the many farmers markets we have up here.   I am told I will be able to double the price easily. 

[Chuck White]

One thing that I've found here is that if the hole is 1½" instead of 1¼", the European Starling can get into the house.

And, I hate Starlings.

[Kingcha]

Well Chuck real life trumps books most of the time.   I was just following the bird guides.  They say the starlings need a hole 1-5/8 or bigger and that Eastern Blue birds need 1-1/2" hole.   Hey as long as the houses keep selling i am happy.   :D :D

The good news is, tomorrow I cut some trees down.   Tuesday I finish the roof of the new structure and Wednesday . . . . . . .
Wednesday I fire up the mill  8) 8) 8)   and the weather out look is good till Friday. 

[Kingcha]

Finally got my door for the woodshed done.   Since the picture was taken I added an additional wood bracket to the right door.  It holds the door closed much tighter now.




My next project is tearing apart a travel trailer so I can use the frame to build a Tiny cabin

Matt

[tmarch]

Very nice shed.

[Magicman]

And nice doors.    I love enjoying the fruits of our labors.   8)

(I probably would have added a diagonal brace from the top to the bottom.)

[justallan1]

Well Chuck real life trumps books most of the time.   I was just following the bird guides.

say_what This looks like a statement right out of my own mouth. ;D
Kingcha, looks like your living the dream. It's good to see your posts and the projects you've done, keep 'em coming.

[Kingcha]

Thanks guys.

I originally had planned the diagonal braces Magicman.   Not sure why I changed it, but I did put a lot of screws into the braces though.  Hopefully its enough.   Maybe I will have a slow day and add them just to be sure.   


Matt