Tag: diy

Blue Tit Nest Box Offcuts Project

The Blue Tit Nest Box


“I need a new box for my Tits to go in”

she said. She meant the blue tits that live in her current nest box.


“Ok”.  “I need projects for my blog and YouTube channel”.

I said.

So here we are.  Needing to make a nest box and not knowing what’s best for the type of birds were looking to house.

If you’re in a rush, skip to the end to see the “Make your own” section.

The homework

First stop was www.bto.org as they were providing a worksheet on the Blue Tit and making a nest box.  Perfect as while I could draw a nest box, work out dimensions best for the target bird etc but seeing as it’s all done, I’ll credit bto.org and use theirs ?

Lessons learned from first YouTube video

I’m my first video, I had recorded 2.5 hours of build time which I had to shoehorn into 10 minutes.  This wasn’t easy as I had lots on footage that really needed more time to show the viewer what was actually being done.

Much of the edit process requires speed changing of each video to make sure that the segment doesn’t draw out and get boring.
A cool thing I found is that with an Apple iPad or iPhone, you can use Bluetooth headphones to start and stop the recording.  This is brilliant for doing something or staging and then hitting record and stop.

I found it equally time-consuming if you record multiple videos (Bluetooth start and stop to reduce editing) or longer videos that you then need to trim down, sometimes even cut out the bit when you ran away to find a clamp for a second or two.  All that procrastination cost you in the edit room.

Filming Tips

Another good tip is make sure power is available to keep the recording running and much more importantly, check your data storage.

I was happily recording this video, pressing my Bluetooth button and filming the next part.  However, I couldn’t see the screen of the iPad and it had run out of storage! AHH! Make sure you monitor this.

The iPad is years old and has photos and videos on it from a 13 year old girl that likes to re-enact the randomness she sees on YouTube.  I’d like to see the parody of my videos ?

From then on, I’d record some and then upload it via USB to my laptop. This seemed to be ok as I just did this when having a break.

Making the box itself

I tried to show in the video that I had a worksheet from bto.org and some 12mm offcuts of hardwood ply.

Typically (according to instructions) the box should be made with 15mm as a minimum but this is an offcuts project.  To hand will do.

Common sense suggests that ply won’t last long in our UK climate but  I don’t mind if the birds don’t for a year.

Besides some good quality outdoor varnish should protect it from the worst of UK weather.

Marking out

The first actual making step is to mark out the dimensions of each piece on the wood.  So looking at the diagram and cutting list, I could see it was all 150mm, so I set about marking the two offcuts I had to 150mm.

These were then cut on the table saw and left me 6 X 150mm wide boards. Each of these boards had a job and currently they were all 300mm long.

I marked out the roof, bottom, top, back and the sides.  The sides are angles so I’d need to use a mitre to cut them on my table saw.

I like to draw all my marking lines through.  By this I mean join them from one mark to the other and create a visual line. This isn’t needed on a table saw but I use it an additional safety feature as if the line is t passing through the blade correctly, I can see at that line.  This provides the option of glancing from fence to cut line and means mistakes can be avoided.

Once all the parts were marked, I set to cutting them.  Each one needed the fence moving between each cut but the marks I made on each meant that lining up the line with the blade while butted up to the fence was easy and quick.

Once all were cut, I did a dry run assembly.  There aren’t any tricky joinery or fixings on this project but it does call for a “notch” to be made in the back part.

The notch is to receive the edge of the roof when closed.  This means that any water will run down the roof and off instead of pooling and rotting the wood / making nest wet. 

Making the notch

While I had the box assembly together, I marked were the roof would sit.  Then using those marks, I set my table saw depth .5mm high and ran the back over the saw a few times to the 12mm roof thickness.

After checking the assembly again, I set about pre-drilling some holes for the screws in the front, sides, back and bottom.  The bottom needs some drainage holes, so I drilled these too. The roof isn’t attached at this point.

I also made a 25mm hole close to the top of the front and at least 120mm from the box bottom.  This will help mum and dad keep the kids in.

The hole size is to keep larger Tits and other birds out.  A larger hole can be used but less likely to be used by blue tits as they get evicted.

It’s nearly done

Once I had attached all the parts, I then needed to work out how to attach the roof.

The instructions say using rubber is a good idea and I agree but I don’t stock much rubber ?

We do have some old leather that was a sofa covering.  I stripped the leather off before I disposed of the sofa some time ago.  I only needed a few strips.

On with the hinges!

I cut a piece of leather which was long enough to have 15mm on the back and 25mm on the roof, creating a hinge.  The hinge is fixed with expanding glue and also screwed down with short screws. I had to pre-drill holes in the leather as the screws made the leather twist in ugly ways. Left to dry, it seems to work fine.

The finish

To finish this project off, I wanted to give the wood some varnish.  It’s important only cover the outside of the box as the inside needs to remain natural as possible.  We don’t paint our cots (cribs) in lead paint, so we don’t put chemicals near baby birds ? simple.

Ok, so now it’s done.  It’ll be off to its new home sometime soon but maybe next year, it’ll see a young family.

Make your own

To make this project you will need the following:

  • Some wood of 15mm(or more) X 150mm X 1170mm.
  • The “Blue Tit Nest Box” from www.bto.org
  • Something to cut boards (tablesaw, chopsaw, handsaw, router, jigsaw, hand saw)
  • Something to cut notch for roof (tablesaw, chopsaw, chisel, router, a sharp knife? Etc)
  • Glue
  • Screws (lengths varied on my project but looking to not go through walls of wood).
  • Leather (of small hinges or rubber).
  • Some protective paint or stain for exterior.
  • Approximately 1.5 hours not including glue and varnish dry time.

Please let me know if you build this, if you have any suggestions on the blog here or the video.

What would you like to see made with offcuts?

Do you think the birds will like this new home?

Comments welcome here, on YouTube and on the Facebook page, so don’t be shy.

Stay safe all! ???

The Treasure Box

Collaboration – a real life example, a wooden box, some video editing, some amazing music and artwork.

Certainly worth a read during this lockdown.

Where to start?

Well, let me explain the goal here first, that may help?

The plan

The plan was a simple one.

  •  Try to gain traction for my Linked2U website.
  • Engage with and create engaging blog, video and Facebook presence.

But how?

I came up with a simple idea.  We are all (well those non-key workers etc) in lockdown, we can’t go out, see friends, have visitors etc.

So let’s do something – said my inner voice.

But what “something” I hear you ask.

Well I, like many others, have various materials laying about.  Be it wood offcuts, Amazon cardboard (other cardboard providers are available) and lots of time to kill.

I also have an interest in making things in general and a background in IT.  So the idea of meeting like minded people, making new friends and sharing our adventures in the “making with that to hand” seems like a good idea?

I’d never really done much YouTube either, so that was going to be a challenge.

Ok, so the plan is to ask folks (complete strangers) what they think I should learn, make and video / blog about?  Yep!  That’s about it.

What’s YouTube got to do with it?

Good question.

Those whom have read a bit of my blog will see that I recently (since lockdown started in UK) started watching a guy called Steve Ramsey (Google him, he is the wood working for mere mortals guy).

In one of his videos he calls the viewers to arms and show where they call “workshop” and what they’re up to.

This is where the lightbulb lit for me.  I have a website.  This blog.  Why not answer Steve and post here about his new YouTube follower?

Anyways, moving on a few days and I wanted to make something.

The box

I’m an old school kind of guy and find comfort in tried and tested.  To this end, I decided that whatever it was to be made would be as big as my offcuts would allow and would be simple.

Yeah, the box idea WAS simple but it got more complex.

I hadn’t planned a design, just grabbed what was to hand and enough of.

Then I set about working out how to video it.

I have a small camera that I got for my 3d printing and so rig that up.  Nice and high – hah! Well it was on the roof of the “workshop” and did give a great view of work being done.

The videoing

It isn’t easy.  I decided that if I had to, I’d record a voice over later, so I threw audio out straight away.  I’ll get to music later.

I got on with the task while the camera just kept recording.

I had plenty of video to work with but felt I’d need to limit to around 10 minute video for the end result.  I think that is wrong for this type of video but time will tell.

The accident

During the cutting of some thin strips of wood, I did manage to get myself a fat bloody lip and very very sore nose.

It still hurts now (2 days since happening).

The story goes, I had cut the wood I needed but saw the offcut heading toward the spinning blade.

Now I know that this was potentially a fast projectile possibly heading at me and with such a small amount of room in the “workshop”, I have to be super careful.

Well, there’s careful and there’s catching your push stick on the blade and it being ripped from your hand to play kiss kiss with your face before heading off for a rest.

I got the accident on film too but it’s not in the final YouTube release.

The editing

Oddly, I had a brief venture into the editing early on as the aforementioned accident, I felt, deserved a health warning type of video of its own (I may post it to YouTube channel).

So an hour after my accident, I was learning about transferring files via USB being slow via the camera etc and that my phone does a great job of text overlays and speed changes etc.

All in, I ended up with 2.5 hours of footage (granted there was a lot of “planning” filmed (I mean sitting about with coffee).

So the editing took a day.  Taking 2.5 hours to 10 minutes was a challenge.

If I’m honest, I could be better (and will probably) but I’m happy with the work done.

The music

So sound.

Let’s face it, we all know what a tablesaw sounds like.  Many hate it (like me… It forces a healthy respect for its power).

The decision, as I said, was not to voiceover.  Instead this is where that collaboration comes in.

A few years back, my eldest son became interested in music making.  The editing of, the laying of beats and more recently (now 17) he is producing music, songs, videos and amassing a great following (insert link to his YouTube).

So, I asked him nicely if I could use three of his tracks in the video.

Luckily he said yes and this provides a brilliant background accompany for the “action”.

I love the tunes and considering he was only a tike at the time, super proud daddy here!

The artwork

As for the title and credits artwork, collaboration again here.  My youngest is a photo editing super hero and whipped out those artworks in a matter of minutes.

I literally sent him a picture and some ideas and he was off to the races.

I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and not a day goes by without being thankful for them.

The result

Well

is the result and I welcome you to visit the Facebook page and comment on what you think I should make next or learn.

More photos

Not really mentioned here is the fact that this box is a treasure box for a reason.

The box was intended as a secret compartment box for my son’s 15rh birthday.

The story goes that he, being a teenager, would rather ask for nothing for his birthday than hold a long enough conversation to be able to determine what he may want.

So, to this end, the box was intended to house some cash and a few other bits in the main compartment.

The actual finished box had a hidden compartment / draw in the base.  To access it, you needed that small strip of wood you see me insert in the video while glueing up the box.

This strip has a nail in the end and when poked through a hole made in the bottom of the box, pushes a lever that then allows the draw to open.

I thought it would make a nice present and was interesting to make.

There are very few images though as the box needed to be shipped off to my son in time for his birthday.

Then problems then started.

The potentially lost treasure box

I needed to ship this box.  I filled it with some goodies.  I put a short story in the box that alluded to the compartment and wrapped it in cardboard, with loads of brown parcel tape.

Once wrapped and I’d paid for the postage online, I set off to find a drop box.

For those not aware, a drop box is a post box that takes small packages for shipping.  Pay online, stick a label on the parcel and drop in a box.  Magically it arrives at the destination.

Buuut.  The drop box allowed me to put the box in and the mechanism slide shut to trap my handmade beloved box between the drop box holding areas and the opening mechanism.  My box had become a doorstop!!!

Some panic calls later and all that could be done was leave a note on the drop box machine begging the next potential user to not smash the parcel / box up.  I’m not hopeful.

Needless to say, the box may be lost, may be broken, may be perfectly fine but I have never felt so annoyed at an inanimate object as I was staring at the loss in front of me.

Get over it!  I tell myself, have the video online and that’s fine.

What else you got planned? ?

Visit the Facebook page and let me know (there should be a Facebook icon around here somewhere?)

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