| Project by Stonekettle | posted 07-23-2011 05:41 AM | 4872 views | 4 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
13 comments so far
rrdesigns
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541 posts in 4641 days
#1 posted 07-23-2011 05:54 AM
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 07-23-2011 06:01 AM
I love it! It’s a great thing when you can fuse the essence of nature with man made inventions.
murch
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#3 posted 07-23-2011 08:16 AM
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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#4 posted 07-23-2011 09:33 AM
Nice one Jim. like the effect of the carving. Best of luck in the contest.
-- RIP Bob C, Australia. Your best teacher is your last mistake.
MasterSergeant
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#5 posted 07-23-2011 03:31 PM
I like! I like a lot!
-- Kelly, woodworker under construction
Jim Bertelson
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#6 posted 07-23-2011 04:46 PM
Pretty darn cute, great idea.
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
Roman - THE BOOTMAN
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#7 posted 07-23-2011 07:49 PM
Nice work! You just love working too much!!! Thanks for sharing. RH
-- Author of POWER CARVING BOOTS & SHOES - Schiffer Publishing. Available online or your favourite bookstore.
Stonekettle
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#8 posted 07-23-2011 07:52 PM
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 07-23-2011 07:53 PM
That’s a beaut!
-- I came, I was conquered, I was born again. ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν
grizzman
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#10 posted 07-23-2011 09:24 PM
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 07-24-2011 09:47 AM
I love that!
-- ~christine @ used2btrees
rance
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#12 posted 08-02-2011 07:02 PM
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 08-03-2011 09:59 PM
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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