Colourful Bird Feeder

Winter is almost upon us, and local birdlife will be looking for food. Use scraps of wood, Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint and recycled plastic bottles to make these colourful bird feeders.

 

 

 

 

 

Last winter I made a bird feeder using recycled plastic bottles. The birds ending up fighting for prime position every morning to empty out the feeder, so I decided to make a few more bird feeders. Once again I recycled plastic bottles, and used pine offcuts to make the bird feeders, which are sprayed in 3 different Rust-Oleum 2X colours. You will find a range of bold and pastel colours from Rust-Oleum at your local Builders Warehouse.

 

 

To attract a variety of birdlife, fill each bird feeder with different seed mix. We have a lot of finches and doves visiting the garden, so I will fill the feeders with suitable seed and place these around the garden. 

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

To make a single bird feeder:

Plastic bottle, clean and dry

1 of 22 x 94 x 305mm pine - back panel

1 of 22 x 94 x 140mm pine - base

Plastic containers for seed cups

40mm screws [2] - 16mm screw [1] - screw eye [1]

Medium-gauge wire

Rust-Oleum 2X or Universal spray paint

 

 

TOOLS:

Drill / Driver plus assorted bits

120-grit sandpaper

Pliers

Tape measure and pencil

Buy everything you need for this project at Builders Warehouse. 

 

 

 

 

Which Drill / Driver?

There are more than a few drill / drivers on the market and your selection should be based on what you need. Another factor to consider is price. Drill / drivers can be priced from as little as R1200 for an entry-level model, up to around R5000 for top of the range. Bosch Green has two excellent mid-level models that are perfect for DIY enthusiasts. The PSR 18 LI-2 retails at around R1800 , while the PSB 10,8 LI-2 retails at about R1500 . Both models are great for DIY projects, but the PSB also features impact drilling - for when you need to drill in masonry.

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

 

 

 

 

1. Drill 5mm holes in the back for the wire that holds the bottle in place. This will vary depending on the type of bottle you use. You need to use a bottle that has a curvy shape or ridges that will hold the wire.

 

 

 

 

2. Attach the base to the back panel with a couple of 40mm screws.

 

 

 

 

3. Place the bottle on the board to cut the wire to fit and test fit.

 

 

 

 

BELOW: Wire-mounted bottle on board. You can see how the shape and ridges hold the wire in place.

 

 

 

 

 

4. For the seed cups I recycled some yoghurt containers.

 

 

 

 

BELOW: You can leave the seed containers as is, but they look far better once sprayed with Rust-Oleum 2X white.

 

 

 

 

5. Take the completed bird feeder outdoors to spray in your choice of Rust-Oleum 2X or Universal spray colour. You should only need to apply a single coat of paint. We used satin aqua, satin green apple, and satin magenta.

 

 

 

 

6. Secure the seed cup to the base with a 16mm screw. This will ensure the seed cup does not blow away or get knocked off. You could also use a hot glue gun, but with out climate the glue quickly breaks down.

 

 

7. Screw a hanger at the top of the board for easy hanging.

 

 

 

 

BELOW: Finished bird feeders.