Scrolling on Cedar Fence.

[BirdOasis]

Hey Scrollers!

I'm building roosting boxes and want some ideas for scrolling on them to increase their value.

I mostly sell on eBay and in some local stores. Roosting boxes are big this time of year, to help keep the birds warn.

Now I'm going to make them smaller this year, due to request from customers. The idea is to have a roosting box with a reversable front so that it can be used as a birdhouse in the winter.

What I need help with is a bird pattern that will look good right side up as well as upside down. See to make the roosting house into a bird house all they have to do is unscrew the front, and replace it upside down, with the same side facing out.

My main thought is to have a chickadee on the bottom of the pattern hanging upside down so when it's turned the chickadee will be on top as if just sitting on the branch looking down.

Now the problem is, how to add birds that don't hang upside down to that pattern.

Any thoughts? Hope this wasn't too long.

John Patrick, Bird Oasis.

[owler]

John,

Now I know I am glad there is another bird enthusuast on the board!

The chickadee/finch idea is good since those birds are upside down almost as much as right side up.

You could do a nuthatch on a verticle tree trunck since they go down more than they go up anyway.

You could do the underside of soaring birds (hawks or eagles) and it would look correct either way.

You could put a pattern on both the inside and outside of the front piece so that when you switch seasons you don't just turn it upside down, you turn it inside out. The pattern on the insinde might get a little dirty though.

You could attatch the image on the sides of the box.

I was just looking at an article in Wood Magazine from this past spring that had a very nice looking bird house with some scrolled (not fretwork) molding on the outside and a copper shingled roof.

[BirdOasis]

Great ideas.

I tried cutting out a chickadee at 3 degrees, but I screwed it up and cut part of his head off. I'll try glueing it back on. But I think I'll be starting over on this one.

Cedar fence post isn't lending itself to allot of detail. Seems kind of oily or something. I attmpted to add some detail with my powercarver only to create a big hole where the feet were supposed to be. haha.

[CanadianScroller]

I would like to see some pictures of your efforts.

[SharonW0111]

John I to use to love to make bird houses and squirrel feeders-- but then I found scrolling- besides you can only do just so much with a bird house-- but anyway---- I used cedar on my houses and feeders and when I "converted " I tried to use cedar for scrolling - the lumber yard building grade does not scroll well at all..But there is a quality cedar you can get that scrolls nicely- but then that is putting a lot of money into a bird house. so don't despare if you can't find it easy to cut cedar- I don't scroll it either.
By the way -- Toni has a adorable chickadee pattern called "Got seed " in one of the past issues. I haven't checked but I bet you can get it from her or get her permission and I will send you a copy if she doesn't have it nor minds. since it was in the mag I don't feel I am stepping on anyones toes by offering it. If I am then you may shoot me at sunrise-- just please wait until the beautiful 70 degree weather goes first..
Sharon

[BirdOasis]

I've attached three pictures. Now none of these are cedar. I threw that one that went bad out.

Now the first one is a chickadee on a leaf pattern. I stacked 4 pieces of vaneer between two peices of 1/4 in oak to see if I could have some really thin ornaments.

It almost worked, except that one fell apart. It had a bunch of nice looking holes, but as an after thought, wholes don't make for very thin lines.

The second photo is of a chickadee ornament pattern that was actually my first experinace with stacking. Now the problem here is that I was in a class and was rushed to move onto the next project. I cut the oval a bit too thin on one side. I didn't have time to cut the inside lines, so I'll just go over those with a powercarver to add some life to the ornament. I'll also add the holly on top from another pattern. This work was cut from birch plywood.

The third photo was my first attempt at fretwork. at the bottom you'll find a spot that I completely missed. And you may notice that the viens in the leafs and flowers are really wide. This was before I learned that Variable speed actually has a purpose other than being able to go faster. haha.

By going too fast the birch plywood that I cut this on simply broke when I got to the beaks. They are both too short for hummingbirds, don't cha think? My wife is so proud of this work that she keeps it on her desk. She won't even let me finish it for fear that I'll mess it up. Now that's confidance for you!

[BirdOasis]

Thanks Sharon!

That sounds great! I'll even buy the back issue if you can tell me which one it was.

Today I found some nice plans for scroll saw birdhouses at http://www.berrybasket.com.

They are on special for $2.50. He has allot of great plans on there on special for $2.50.

Oh shoot. I should use the affiliate link. haha