On Parakeets Wings

About 3 years ago I made a whirligig for my daughter styled to resemble Gilligan, her parakeet (English Budgie.) I think it’s normal that whirligigs need some occasional maintenance, they live outside after all. The plywood wings on this one de-laminated after about a year, so after replacing them twice, i decided to just make new wings using solid pressure treated wood.

After planing the wood to about 1/8 inch thickness outside the house, I was able to use one of the pieces to trace the shape of the wing onto the new wood and I cut them out on the band saw. I cut new connecting blocks because I knew I used epoxy to glue the wings on last time and it was easier to make knew rather than rehab old ones.

I used my belt sander to get the thickness just right where the blocks attach to the wings. Then I glued them in using Titebond II. (Just hope I’m not asking for trouble.

A sanding of the whole whirligig and a gray primer coat got the body ready to be painted. I used a wood burning pencil to mark where the features are on the body. That made the painting much easier. I got Gilligan to pose next to his whirligig simulacrum. You can see I didn’t quite get his green right. Now the Gilligig is back in service. It’s the only way our pet gets to fly in the ‘Big Sky.’

-- Ni faru ion el ligno!