Post by Budgies Retreat on Apr 21, 2015 22:48:17 GMT
Today I started on building a new outside flight. I have an indoor flight inside my bird shed, which is about 6' x 5' x 2', and originally I bought a hexagonal aviary which I connected to the wall of the shed so the buds could go outside when they wanted via a tunnel. This works absolutely fine, and the hexagonal aviary does look nice, but it doesn't have a great deal of flying space, being only about 4' across.
Now my bird shed was left behind by the last owner of our house, and needed some TLC. Ideally I'd like to pull it down and build a new one, but funds are needed elsewhere at the mo, so I have to stick with what I've got. I put insulation on the inside of the walls and roof, put full electrics in, and a heater, so money has already gone into it.
I decided to build my new flight to cover the paving slabs that are to the side of the shed, so it'll be around 8' long, 3' wide and 6' tall at it's highest point. It'll have a fully netted door at one end for maintenance work, and the old tunnel between the inside and the hexagonal flight has been shortened. The flight will be half boarded from the ground up, and then the usual netting above to the roof line. I may even install low voltage/wattage LED lighting as I plan to leave the entry/exit tunnel open during the summer months for their comfort.
Anyways, back to the build. The old roofing felt was torn and that cheap nasty stuff, so I knew it all had to be replaced before I start the actual build, so I spent most of today ripping the old stuff off, and pulling out the several thousand (I kid you not) clout nails that held it all down! The guy before must've owned a nail factory
I then cleaned the tongue and grooved boards that were underneath, and they all appeared sound. On with the new felt, utilising that vast stock of galvanised nails that I now owned (I still have a few hundred left if anyone needs any, lol) and made new drip rails and gable end boards. I then painted the rails and boards with water based wood preserver/stain, and it has brought the shed back into the land of the living.
I then set about laying the foot plates for the outside flight frame, and I then realised that the shed isn't sitting straight, square or plumb. The issue with this is that I now have to build the frame at a wonk, otherwise it won't look right if that is square and plumb against a wonky shed. I decided to meet the wonk halfway (we're only talking 10mm out of plumb from the floor of the shed to the roof line, nothing too bad) but do you know how difficult it is to build something wonky on purpose? All of my machines are spot on true, like my table saw, sliding compound mitre saw etc etc, so out came my trusty old handsaw for a guaranteed wonk
Here are a few photos of today's progress. The floor of the flight will have pea shingle about 30mm deep, and can be hosed down for cleaning. The water will soak away between the slabs.
This shows the terrible roof and hexagonal flight.
Old felt removed, along with rotten gable end boards, oh and two ton of nails! Notice the tunnel hole in the wall. I have a door that hinges up on the inside, don't worry, it was screwed shut!
New felt laid (properly), drip rails and gable end boards also fitted.
A splosh of preserver on the fresh timber
Foot plates fitted, and screwed to the slabs, and main frame started. You'll notice that I am going half over the window. The problem I have is with the fir tree. I don't want to go too close, even though I will have to ensure that it is kept trim and doesn't come into the flight, but I don't want to make it too short either, so I'll sacrifice this window. I have another window on the other side of the shed, so I tend to use that one for a blow through, and my juvenile flight will be on the other side of this window anyway, so it'll never be open.
Dusk is starting to fall quickly. Frame completed.
The roof board is exterior grade OSB. I have fitted 18mm x 30mm timber around the edges on the underside to help with rolling the felt and nailing. You could call it a nailing strip?!?! The roof board has only been placed on for now, it'll come off again tomorrow so I can felt it on the floor, and then I can fit it and secure it.
So tomorrow I have the roof to finish, paint the timbers with preservative, fit the mesh halfway down, fit the boards below, make the door, make the perching racks, and throw in the shingle. I think they'll be happy buds!