| Project by Stonekettle | posted 671 days ago | 1634 views | 3 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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Turned Birdhouse for the Lumberjocks Birds of a Feather contest.
As a turner, I love making birdhouses on the lathe, so when I saw the Birds of a Feather contest I knew I had to enter.
The body is made from Alaskan birch heartwood, turned end grain and hollowed on the lathe. Then I relief carved it to bring out the interesting highlights of the heartwood. The roof is spalted Alaskan birch sapwood, turned and decorated with a knurled texturing tool. The perch and hanging finial are walnut. The roof, perch, and finial are finished in bird safe walnut oil and bee’s wax to make them weather resistant, the body is finished in walnut oil only. It’s about 8” tall.
I make these primarily as hanging decorations. Birch won’t stand up to the elements for more than one season, unless you use something more robust than walnut oil and wax for a finish. Typically, if I’m making a birdhouse intended for outdoor use, I make it out of a naturally weather resistant wood such as red cedar and forgo the finish completely. Also one thing to note, birdhouses intended for actual use shouldn’t have a perch, the resident doesn’t need it and it serves only as a convenient place to stand for predators after the eggs and chicks.
-- Jim Wright, Stonekettle Station
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13 comments so far
rrdesigns
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414 posts in 1357 days
#1 posted 671 days ago
If I were a bird, I’d hang out in there. Nicely done. The relief carving adds beautifully to the look of the piece. Good job.
-- Beth, Oklahoma, Rambling Road Designs
DinoWalk
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#2 posted 671 days ago
I love it! It’s a great thing when you can fuse the essence of nature with man made inventions.
-- http://thedinosaurwalk.com/woodworkerswarehouse/
murch
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#3 posted 670 days ago
Very classy looking job Jim. I didn’t know that about the perch. Makes sense.
Thanks for posting.
-- A family man has photos in his wallet where his money used to be.
Bob Collins
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1128 posts in 1854 days
#4 posted 670 days ago
Nice one Jim. like the effect of the carving. Best of luck in the contest.
-- Bob C, Australia. I love sharing as long as it is not my tools
MasterSergeant
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#5 posted 670 days ago
I like! I like a lot!
-- Kelly, woodworker under construction
Jim Bertelson
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#6 posted 670 days ago
Pretty darn cute, great idea.
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
Roman Hrytsak
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#7 posted 670 days ago
Nice work! You just love working too much!!! Thanks for sharing. RH
-- Roman:... there are no mistakes, just opportunities for a design change!
Stonekettle
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#8 posted 670 days ago
Thanks for the kinds words all.
These are the kind of birdhouses I do for actual use: they’re made from red cedar with white cedar roofs. They should last for a number of years in the elements
-- Jim Wright, Stonekettle Station
spunwood
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#9 posted 670 days ago
That’s a beaut!
-- I came, I was conquered, I was born again. ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν
grizzman
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#10 posted 670 days ago
i love this one…i love alaska birch…and your turning is very beautiful…i lived in alaska for 15 years and it will always be home for me…ive got a nice table here that is made from flame birch…good luck with the contest…youve made a beauty…
-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']
learnin2do
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#11 posted 669 days ago
I love that!
-- christine
rance
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#12 posted 660 days ago
Nice house there. Interesting thing about the perch. It make sense, but I can’t get past having never heard that before.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
Dick, & Barb Cain
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#13 posted 659 days ago
Nice!
Also very cute, the birds should LOVE it.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
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