This is a relatively easy bird/squirrel feeder. It is made out of a 1"x 8"x 8' piece of number 2 or better pine. A 12"x 12" piece of Plexiglas, some 4d finish nails, woodworkers glue, a set of 1" butt hinges, an eye and hook set are also required.

To start, cut two pieces of 1x8, twelve inches long. These will be used as the sides. At the top of the board, draw a line from two inches in, and at a 45 degree angle in either direction. This will form the roof gable.

Turn the boards over, and layout the position for the Plexiglas window. From the front edge of the board, which has the "long" 45 degree cut, measure to the back 1 3/4" and make a mark. Then measure up from the bottom of the board 3/4" to intersect the previous mark. This is the bottom point of your slot. From the top front edge, measure in 1/2" where the 45 degree angle intersects the front edge.

Using a router with a 1/8" straight bit, set the depth to 1/4". Set a guide to parallel your line and cut a slot, on each side board. Remember to mirror the opposite side.

Cut a piece of 1x8, 11" long for the floor board. Attach the two side walls to the top of the floor board. Glue and nail in place.

Cut the back wall out of a piece of 1x8 by cross cutting a 45 degree angle at one end, then measure the distance from the top of the floor board, to the top inside of the side wall. Rip this piece to fit between the walls. Glue and nail into place.

From the remaining board, cut a 8 3/4" piece for the short end of the roof. Then rip this long ways to 4". Rip the leftover piece to 2" wide. This becomes the front of the roof. Next cut a second piece 8 3/4", this becomes the rest of the roof. The outer edges of the two roof pieces can be beveled to 45 degrees, to simulate a facia. Glue and nail these in place.

The last two pieces are 5 3/4"x 1" for the front edge. And a 5 3/4"x 3 1/2" with should be beveled to 45 degrees on the two long sides. This should be placed in the back of the box to keep the seeds from piling up in the corner. Glue and nail these pieces in place.

Measure the width and height of your window slots. Cut a piece of Plexiglas to fit.

Attach the front section of the roof with your two butt hinges. These can be mortised, or screwed directly to the roof face. Attach the eye to the underside of the roof overhang on the right side. Attach the hook into the side wall directly below it.

Sand all edges, and apply a coat of sanding sealer or varnish. Let dry completely, before mounting.

For the best results, fill the feeder with either whole corn or sunflower seeds. Then sit back and enjoy the fun!

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