Rip-Off Artist: Cheep Eats
-
I’M STUFFED!: Backyard tweeters will get their fill from this sturdy feeder.
Posted by ReadyMade
Project by Sherif Shalaby; photo by Pauline Shapiro and Jeffery Cross
Dear ROA,
I’ve discovered a tragic epidemic: The birds of New York are starving. Budgets are tight, and Manhattanites aren’t tossing out their bagels and pretzels anymore. As a bird lover, I cannot stand idly by as my feathered friends grow peckish. I’ve searched for a sturdy, modern feeder, but they’re either too ugly or too pricey. So I’ve come to you for guidance. Please help save the birds of my city without ruining the view from my window.
Kevin Lytle
New York
Dear Kevin,
The birds do seem a little lean lately, don’t they? But don’t fret—we’ll fatten those finches up with style. I hunted and pecked the aisles of the hardware store for air conditioning parts that, rigged together with a few screws, hold enough seed for a flock of seagulls.
Best from the nest,
ROA
Skill Level
Easy
Active Time
Half a day
Cost
$
- 3" vent cap
- 7" adjustable elbow
- 4 3/8" eye bolts
- 4 3/8" nuts
- Hanging wire
- Bird seed
Materials
- Drill
- 1/4" drill bit
- Epoxy
Tools
Drill a centered hole 3/4" down from the top edge of each of the four rectangular vent cap openings.
Screw in the eye bolts and secure with nuts.
Drill a hole into each side of the female (wider) end of the elbow 3/4" down from the top.
Run a length of hanging wire through the holes.
Epoxy the inside perimeter of the circular vent cap opening and slide in the elbow, female end up. When the epoxy dries, test the seal to make sure it’s secure.
Pour seed through the top until the vent holes are full, then hang the feeder from a tree branch or outside a window. Blindfold the cat.
