Little Libraries in Progress (3).

Lots of Details.

[Photo: Cedar roof neatly trimmed with... more cedar]

Three doors have been painted, assembled with plexiglass and wait for last minute adjustments.

E.g., one needs 1/8th-inch trimmed from the side and all nail holes need to be covered w wood filler, then painted.

So, today will be a day of finishing off a long and easy list of wee details.

Photos from along the way:

 Three door frames before assembly

Doors are almost ready for hinges and placement

 Three shelves, trim and the yellow signage for doors - partially painted

 The shelf supports are neatly nailed into place.

 Signage gets a last coat, before becoming a sign! E.g., "Look Inside"

Nice fit. Hinges, door pulls and latches - coming right up.

Looking good, so far.

I think three libraries will be ready for delivery within 7 - 10 days, if not earlier.

Please link to Little Libraries in Progress (2).

Photos GH

Log Cabins of Western Cedar 3.

Rustic Roofs.

The rustic western cedar that makes up some birdhouse models is worth a close look, and the roof panels on two cabins reveal lovely colours - especially when varnished. (One more coat to go on, this p.m.)

Trim is still required on four cabins, i.e., roof ridges, roof edge trim, perches, and windows. And how about a picket fence for good measure?

More photos to follow.

Please link to Log Cabins of Western Cedar 2.

Photos GH

Big Job, Little Houses (1).

Work Bench, Covered with Trim.

[Photo: Lovely red cedar houses need a bit of trim, I say.]

I am now 2 - 3 months into 'birdhouse season' and it's time to go back to the beginning, and pluck cedar birdhouses off my basement shelves that still need to be dressed up for the big parade. 

What seems like a small job looks bigger when every bit of trim is spread out on my old work bench:

Piece by piece, a finished birdhouse will come together.

For my next sale (Saturday, July 8, Art in the Barn, Dorchester) is less than a week away, so I'll keep busy 'til then.

More to follow.

Please link to First Batches of the Birdhouse Season (12)

Photos GH

Six (No, eight) Cedar Birdhouses 4

Ready for the Shelf

I think this set of birdhouses on a sturdy base - all with right proper fencing to keep cats away - will catch the eye.

These may also be the last birdhouses made this season, 2016, for my personal collection. Not bad, not bad at all.

Red cedar bodies with white pine roofs and trim. Smooth move

Please link to Six (No, eight) Cedar Birdhouses 3

Photos GH

Birdhouse Trim, Perches and Stands 3

Three Select Stands in Progress

Things are looking up for these painted white pine models

I have three white pine birdhouses almost finished as 'stand-alones', and they will hopefully enjoy a long life atop sturdy cedar-block stands on someone's deck or in a back yard. I will prepare one more block of cedar today (w sanding, attaching barnboard stabilizers, inserting a metal pole) and paint second coats on the small platforms and collars that secure the house to the pole.

Easy work in front of a fan! I like it.

 'Sturdy Stand' number three will soon join the others

 Second coats needed on three colour-co-ordinated platforms and collars

This piece of cedar needs a good sanding

More to follow.

Please link to Birdhouse Trim, Perches and Stands 2

Photos GH

Birdhouse Trim and Perches

Wooden Spoons!

Somebody was listening when I recently said, "Don't throw out yer wooden spoons."

From every angle, spoons (and the odd fork) make eye-poppin' perchs

BW collected nine more for me. Several birdhouses on the production line will be very happy!

Please link to The Production Line - Cedar Birdhouse Models 8

Photos GH

The Production Line - Cedar Birdhouse Models 8

Strike Up the Band, and Wooden Spoons - Voila!

Batch (of 3) on the left gathered dust until yesterday PM!

One has to return to a two-week-old photo (above) - way back to the beginning of this 'production line' series - to see a lovely set of three western cedar slat birdhouses (with white pine roofs) waiting for attention. Yesterday I blew off the dust and finished adding colourful trim.

I collect wooden spoons from a variety of sources and they always come in handy as perches. The fence slats were rescued from the curb-side the day before yesterday - during an evening walk. A throw-away wooden shelf will provide trim for another half-dozen birdhouses at least.

Together, the spoons and fences make these sturdy western cedar houses a little more interesting for my sharp-eyed feathered friends.

Don't throw away your wooden spoons. Mail them to Santa

Claus and he will get them to me on Christmas Day

Please link to The Production Line - Cedar Birdhouse Models 7

Photos GH

The Production Line - Cedar Birdhouse Models (6)

Paint is Dry, Trim is Piling Up

Ready-made bamboo fences (a rescued dish-dry rack)

Three of a kind - out of 15 cedar birdhouses* (that are assembled and sitting on available surfaces in the workshop) - are now ready for trim, and the trim is ready for them.

Kinda Christmas-y?

Shortly after I plug in the nail gun and attach trim, this set will receive the 'all clear' for delivery, i.e., from the busy shop to a tidy basement shelf.

More to follow,

Please link to The Production Line - Cedar Birdhouse Models (4)

Photos GH

Small Red Cedar Houses 5

I'm in the Red

I keep birdhouses with yellow roofs and perches in stock because they seem very cheerful to me. I don't know what the birds think!

I keep more with red roofs and perches, etc., in stock because they seem to sell faster than all others decked out with paint. So, I go with the flow.

And ginger cats seem to suit my taste!

Please link to Small Red Cedar Houses 4

Photos GH

Small Red Cedar Houses 1

Lovely Red Cedar for Starters

"Wren and chickadee houses on the left, red cedar houses on the right"

Recently I started building six wren and chickadee houses, and because I still had room on my paint table I added five small red cedar houses as well. Easy work when the wood is readily available and the saws are set up outside the shop door.

Measuring, cutting, stacking, sanding, producing trim, painting.... all parts of the process march in step.

"The houses will sit on a painted base. Added features above"

More to follow.

Please link to Wren and Chickadee Houses 1

Four Barnboard Birdhouses 3

Paint Station

"I'm busy at the paint table"

Two of the sturdy barnboard birdhouses have their first coat of paint. One will have red highlights, the other light green. And while I had the paint tins open for business I decided to spruce up two western cedar models (they will just get the paint, not the full-on trim package).

The trim package includes perches, window edging, roof edging, hydro poles, benches, wee birdhouses and red cats. I mean, who doesn't want a wee red cat? : )

"I will add second coats this afternoon if time allows" 

"The western red cedar model sports a fancy perch"

Link here to see Four Barnboard Birdhouses 2

Photos GH

16 Cedar Birdhouses 2

All Set for Perches

I think I've added enough trim to catch a bird's eye (and a buyer's) and hide the butt ends of the sides. Today I will work on eight perches, so half of this looong batch will be ready for an upcoming Saturday sale.

Link to 16 Cedar BHs 2

Photos GH

16 Cedar Birdhouses 2

Necessary Trim

Because the red cedar faces are only 5 inches wide on these birdhouses I attached the sides - almost one inch thick) onto the outer edges of the front and backside so that the interior space has a suitable volume for a family of, for example, seven chickadees. However, that means the butt ends of the sides are the first thing people will notice, and the butts don't look too pretty. So, I cover them with trim. More work, I know, but more attractive in the long run, in my humble opinion.

Now that the six painted models are dry they will receive the same treatment too.

More to follow.

Link to 16 Cedar Birdhouses 1

Photos GH