Making Use Of Myself

What Is this obsession that I'm running about, first Poisoning, now, catching and keeping birds captive???

Oh, and then, so proud of my behaviour, I come onto a public forum and announce myself?

I swear; If I said " I mounted my mare, last night and had a great ride. " This place would make me a pervert! Not a horse owner.

There's a big shop, in town? Every time I go in there, carrying my big shoulder sack, the boss sends one of his men to hover right at my shoulder. Asking, " Can I help you? " I know this, because, when the boss isn't around, the lads just ignore me.

If I saw the boss, across the road, with his teeth on fire? Guess what I wouldn't do?

Please, people, have some cop on? And before ye say, " I only asked! " and give me a yellow card? Just look at who 'Likes' what, when sly innuendo is directed at me. It's getting Old, frankly.


These boxes are to be hung under cover. In an open hay barn type structure. Up on the roof 'joist' beam. So, they'll be completely covered from the elements and won't need sloping or waterproof roofs.

Just spent my saturday afternoon, getting their roofs and latches on. Make something of that.

So ..... When ye Only drill bit snaps, right in the middle of fixing the doors on the Thirteen new starling nest boxes ye making?

I always put them face down.

I shouldn't say it, but; There's a certain grim satisfaction to leaving some would be politico's face down, after taking a Stanley knife to them!

Probably the worst part, for me?

:eek: Good god! I genuinely never knew they existed! Thanks!

Last post on here ~ unless anyone wants to ask anything. Else, it'll get repetitive


Saw this, yesterday:



Thinking of making myself a coffin, next.

New Home wrote: »

Would you make some hedgehog boxes and some bat boxes, too?

In honesty? My hedgehogs have their own, established, little home. They've got a hole, next to the compost box. Other side of my Dog proof fence.

Unfortunately, being as the ditch is 'In Use', it's also a no go zone for me too. So, I'm unable to further examine, photograph, or set the trail cam on their hole. But, I do sling any edible scraps of goodies out there. " For The Wild Things ".

Bat Boxes? I've always read such mixed reports about those things ..... And, living in an old cottage, with 'proper' stables, the bats have their own, long used and traditional roosting places.

Even when I replaced a fascia here, I was careful not to be too fussy. Ensuring there was room for a bat to get behind it. So rewarding to have since witnessed one creeping up in there!

I do have a further 'Box' project up my sleeve though. (Other than my own one!) But, I plan to cover that one entirely separately.

Finally; I have - somewhere on my system - details of a newer TreeCreeper nest box. One I really must get round to; As I have treecreepers here. And, this box would allow me safe access to them.

For anyone interested? I'm sure a google around terms such as " BTO Treecreeper Nest Box " will bring it up.

It's, basically, two bits of wood. Separated by a frame of roof batten. As opposed to the old, 'Wedge' design. Sounds a belter. I've just been too focused on my starlings to ever have yet gotten round to it.


One, last, thing I Must get off my chest, about my starling boxes? I now use screws. Just had to get that in. For clarity.

Anyone thinking of buying a plank and knocking a few up? By all means, go for it and whack some nails in there. Only, I'm ~ provenly ~ cack handed, with a hammer. I seem to have to measure where to beat the nail. Then miss hit the bloody thing ..... :mad:

So, yeah; Making boxes on a near industrial scale, as I do? I actually find drilling and screwing far easier. I also love the 'connected' feeling of driving them in with my Stanley 'Yankee'! (Lesson to the youngers; Its battery never wears out! )

So, I mean; What's a man, alone, to do? Out with my big, pump action and I've been screwing so hard, all afternoon and evening, I'm now soaked in sweat and completely done in! Finished though!

What ye reckon? Man's got to make use of himself. Right?

I really Love my Yankee!!! In fact, my top two tools are, absolutely, my big Stanley 'Yankee' and my power saw. I make starling nest boxes on an almost 'cottage industry' scale. I just couldn't cope, without the driver and saw.

Thing about the pumper? I like the Connection with the job. Me and the tool, dependent on each other and pushing to get the work done I've had cordless drivers. (Note the past tense!) It's like a factory job. My Yankee never runs out of charge. And he'll still be pushing in screws, long after I'm pushing up daisy's.

Good thinking, about the plastic covered roof too. I have a good stock of 'vote for me' posters in stock. That lid fits tighter than a drum. But, ye can't be Too waterproof.

Still absolutely shattered, here. Too knackered to even eat. Think I'll have an early night, then spend a few days just brushing stuff onto this box. Clean out of planks. Stable's backing up with starling boxes I need to get out to a farm. Saw needs a fresh blade.

Hmm. Do wonder if any of those off cuts would do to make this Tree Creeper box I'm gagging to try though?

Put the first coat of stain on it, today. Took it into my work room and put it on a stand. Easier to work on, and no Dogs getting near it.

I must say; I'm in love with that stain! Might well buy a big tin and use it on my paneling. Strip the under coat off and start over. That in love with this gorgeous, honey tone.

Roof? Yeah. Have ye looked at their cutting plan? It's atrocious!!! Skipping between inches and mm. Strange hieroglyphics that mean nothing to me. I just, basically, went for a bloody great box. Put those partitions and holes in.

Their lids look flat, in the photo, though. I was gonna rely on yacht varnish, and the fact that my lid is the 'shoe box' type. But, no; Now ye mention it? Plastic seems good too.

I'm pondering, now. Letting schit sink in and marinate my mind. We get horrific Tin Testers here. Not really likely. But, nor would it be impossible that the next hurricane could shift, even This weight.

It'll be on a narrow, flat roof, remember. Pitched roof behind it. Gable in front. Not a lot of space to spare. Protected from the sun by the gable. But; Could that west / east roof form a wind tunnel? Dunno. Aerodynamics isn't my thing.

But, yeah; You've inspired me to consider a pitch, on the plastic roof. My weather comes from the west. I'm thinking of putting a batten on the lid, to form a slope of plastic. Cause a run off, like on my starling boxes.

Only, they just run to the front ~ as nest boxes pretty much always do. But, this one's a bit different. I want it to be perfect, for my situation. And, if I could add something to the V design? Wouldn't that be something else?

I'm erring to the west side / end. Sloping toward there? Rain would run off toward the side of the box. Wind would slide up and over it.

:eek: Eureka! I've been constantly milling over this 'Hurricane from the west' nightmare. It's just clicked!

I have these rodenticide holding box tethers. Used to tie boxes down. Drill them into a wall and crimp steel trace between them and the box? Talk about a face palm moment! Why didn't I See that?!

Okay. Time I'm finished, with the SDS drill and my old equipment coming out? This baby ain't going No Where! Hurricane all ye like!

Love bouncing ideas around. Sussing it and sharing it is what it's all about. That's how we progress and get things better.