Platform Bird Feeder

Cut list

Board layout. Each row is one board, cut left to right, with the remainder hatched. Dark lines are saw cuts, about ⅛″ wide.

Build it

1. 
   01

   Cut the pieces

   Cut every piece from cedar:

   • A Floor boards, two at 14″
   • B Long rims, two at 14″
   • C Short rims, two at 7¾″
   • D Cleats, two at 11¼″
2. 
   02

   Build the floor

   Lay the two floor boards (A) face down with a ¼″ gap between them for drainage. Lay the cleats (D) across them, 1″ in from each end, and drive one 1¼″ exterior screw through each board into each cleat.

3. 
   03

   Add the rims

   Turn the floor over. Stand the long rims (B) on edge along the front and back edges and the short rims (C) along the ends, centered so there's a 1″ gap at every corner. Those gaps let rain and husks wash out.

   Drive 1¼″ exterior screws up through the floor into the rims: three into each long rim and two into each short one.

4. 
   04

   Hang it

   Twist an eye screw into the top edge of each long rim, 1½″ in from the ends, and hang the feeder from a branch or bracket with four lengths of chain joined at an S-hook. Leave cedar unfinished: birds don't need the chemicals.

   TipHang it 5 to 6 ft up, within 3 ft of a window or more than 10 ft away, so birds don't fly into the glass. Brush out old seed every week or two.