Platform Bird Feeder Plans
Below are platform bird feeder plans from Bird Watching Bliss visitor, Ken Ablett of Chesapeake, Virginia. He says, "I have been using a platform feeder of
my design for years. It is unlike any other I have ever seen. I would like to
share it with others who enjoy back yard birds." Thanks Ken!
Platform Bird Feeder Plans
A Ken Ablett design
MATERIALS
1 - 7' 4" x 4"
1 piece of stovepipe or PVC to fit over 4" x 4" as a squirrel guard.
3 - 8' 1"x 2"
4 - 3" 1/2" oak dowels
1 - 2' 2" x 2"
1 - 32" x 32" ½" plywood *
4 - shelf braces, long side 6" to brace platform
4 - shelf braces, long side 4" to brace high lander
24 - # 4 3/4" wood screws
24 - # 4 1/2" wood screws
8 - 3/4" brads
quantity of 1-1/4" nails
quantity of 1-1/2" finishing nails, thin
* Most any piece of leftover plywood can be substituted but I've found that a 2'
x 2' piece is too small to accommodate multiple bird species at the same time
and a 4' x 4' piece is awkwardly big.
MATERIALS PREP
From the 1" x 2" cut the pieces that will form the edges on the bottom of the
platform.
2 @ 32 "
2 @ 29 "
From the 1" x 2" cut pieces that will be the low landers.
16 @ 8" drill 1/2" hole 1" down from top (suggest first drill ¼" pilot hole)
cut notches 4-1/2 " to 5-3/4 " down from top and 3/4" deep.
What I do is to mark the 8' piece at 8" intervals, then draw the centerline
(3/4") to facilitate locating the drill holes and the segments to be notched.
I saw to the mid line at the top and bottom of the notches. After the pieces are
cut from the long piece, I use a chisel to pop out the notches. The notches
should fit snugly over the 1'1/4 inches of the platform and edge pieces.
Cut the 8 low lander dowels, each 8"
Place braces at the edges of the marked box, then mark where the screw holes
will go. With a nail, make indentation in the platform base to facilitate
starting the screws to attach the shelf braces. Attach the shelf braces leaving
just a little slack in the screw tightness to ensure that the four braces will
fit snugly over the 4" x 4"
Low Lander support pieces
On edge boards mark locations of where low lander uprights will be positioned
later. Make a mark 4" in from each corner. The outside low lander uprights will
be positioned there. Each low lander is 8" long so that will leave 8" between
the landers on each side.
Low Landers Preparation
Place 8" pieces of dowel in lander uprights. (Helps to sand leading edge a
little.)
High landers
For this step you already have shelf braces on the bottom side of the platform.
You can place the plywood base on a couple of TV trays with space between them
for the attached shelf braces.
Attach braces with 4" up on the base of the 2" x 2"
Place 20" pieces of dowel in the two high holes and 12 “ pieces in the two low
holes. Position dowels so that the slip-guard holes are vertical.
Insert slip-guard nails into dowels on each side of 2 x 2
Center and attach high lander to base using scribed lines for reference.
Attach platform to the 4" x 4" post. Tighten screws as needed.
Slide the squirrel guard pipe up against the bottom of the platform and place a
nail under the base of the pipe to hold it in position.
Low lander assembly
Place lander uprights in designated places
Attach through back of the upright notch to the base with using 1'1/2" thin
nails. One nail into the ½" plywood and one nail into the 1" x 2" edge pieces.
Cut the 2" x 2" piece for the high lander at the 2' length.
Drill 1/4" pilot holes, then ½' holes as follows
On one side 1-1/2" from top and 12-1/2" from bottom
On facing side 3" from top and 11" from bottom
This will give you high landers and mid landers on each side of the 2" x 2"
upright.
High lander dowels
2 @ 20" each
2 @ 12" each
drill very small hole for slip-guard nails at:
9-1/4" from each end of 20" dowels
5-1/4"from each end of 12" dowels
When assembled, the slip-guard brads will keep the lander dowels from shifting
position - and they will if not checked.
ASSEMBLY of Platform Bird Feeder
Place 4" x 4" post two feet into the ground a tamp dirt firmly around edges.
Suggest adding water to help settle the dirt. Let ground dry and proceed when
post is secure. Place squirrel guard pipe over the post prior to adding the
platform on top of the post.
On platform base (top side) mark mid points each side (16" in this case) and
connect with pencil line. From those center lines scribe lines 3/4" on each side of both lines. This will
form a box 1-1/2" square where the 2" x 2" upright will be positioned.
On platform base (bottom side) mark mid points each side and connect with pencil
line. From those center lines scribe lines 1-3/4" on each side of both lines. This
will form a box 3-1/2" square to fit on the 4" x 4" post.
Edge boardsOn platform base (bottom side) attach 32 sides and 29" ends,
nailing from top side of platform.
Post connect box
On bottom side:
The shelf braces will be attached to the bottom of the platform and the 6" sides
will fit down over the 4" x 4" when it is in the ground.
Ken says,
"On our feeder we get blue jays, cardinals, titmouse, nuthatch, chickadee,
red headed woodpecker, downy woodpecker, doves, black birds, red-winged
blackbirds, juncos, and an occasional sparrow. It is not unusual, in fact it is
common, to have three different kinds on the feeder at the same time."
Good luck building your feeder. We hope you attract
as many birds as Ken has. If you do use these platform bird feeder plans
to build your feeder, be sure to come
back and let us know about your results. Send pictures!
See Additional Platform Bird Feeder Plans
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