Another birdhouse

Curt Fuller

Member
Messages
348
Location
North Ogden, Utah
I made a similar birdhouse this spring and have ended up getting quite a few people wanting me to make one for them. One is even a paying customer. So this one is for her. It's from an old dried up and split walnut log. It has a big crack, 3/8" wide going up the back side. These are a little like turning a toothpic out of a tree trunk. You end up with a lot of shavings. But it's a pretty good way to use some logs that you've let sit around for too long. This one is 20" tall and 11" diameter. There's also a picture of how it started out (the top half). Finish is a couple doses of Thompson waterseal with a couple coats of Spar Urethane over that.
 

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Well done Curt! Is this turned as one piece or do you turn 2 separate pieces? Is the "body" of the birdhouse hollow?
 
Another winner, Curt. :thumb: I like the way you finished off the bottom. (Is it still a finial if it's pointing down?)

I've got a neighbor who wants one (after seeing my version of your first one) so I told her to find me a suitable log. ;)

Ken and Bill, I know I used a bit different method, but I have a brief description of how I made a similar birdhouse in this thread.
 
Thanks you guys.


Bill and Ken, this is just a modified lidded box more or less. It's turned as two pieces. For the bottom I use a smaller log. I put it between centers and turn one end down to a tenon to hold it in my chuck. Once it's in the chuck I shape the body of the birdhouse (on the tailstock end) and hollow it out leaving a hollow tenon to fit into the top (it's hollowed about 4 or 5 inches deep). Then I turn it around and use the chuck jaws in the inside of the tenon that is the top opening of the body in expansion mode while I finish sanding and turning the bottom finial. For the top (a bigger log) I turn one end down again to a tenon to hold it in the jaws. That will eventually be the top end of the roof. I then hold it in the jaws with the tailstock on the other end and make the bottom side of the roof concave and turn a recess or mortise for the bottom half to fit in. So the bottom is the box and the roof is the lid. Then I turn it around and use the jaws in expansion mode in the mortise I turned on the underside of the roof to hold that while I turn away the 3 or 4 bushels of shavings to form the roof.

I hope that makes sense, I can't explain things very well if you can't see my hands.
 
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...I can't explain things very well if you can't see my hands.
Wow Curt, I'm surprised. You don't look Italian. :p

Thanks for the explanation. I was wondering how you did yours. I was thinking about posting the steps I used for doing a one-piece version of your birdhouse, but I'll save it for another time. ;)
 
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