How to Make a Wine Bottle Bird Feeder

If you enjoy bird watching, you'll love this wine bottle bird feeder. It's a great project to make using Proxxon MICROMOT tools.

Supplies and Equipment:

• 36" x 7" x ¾" wood blank
• Zipties
• Wood glue
• Wine bottle
• Bird Feeder Pattern
• Back Top Template
• Side Template
• Proxxon Bandsaw MBS/E
• Proxxon Delta Sander OZI/E
• Proxxon Bench Drill Press TBM 115
• Proxxon Table Saw FET

Instructions for making the Wine Bottle Bird Feeder:

1. Cut one 15" length from the wood blank for the back; one 10" length for the side pieces; one 7" length for the bottom; and one 1" length for the front piece using the table saw.
   
   
   
2. Mount the template for the back top on the 15" wood blank, and the templates for the sides on the 10" blank. Cover one side of the blank with painter's tape. Mist the back side of the pattern with spray adhesive, and mount on the taped paint stir stick.  The painter's tape makes removal of the pattern easy without leaving any sticky residue.
3. Use the bandsaw to cut the top of the back and sides.
   
   
   
4. Sand any rough edges with the Delta sander. I have my sander mounted in the Precision Vice FMZ so that both hands are free.
   
   
   
5. Use the bench drill press to drill holes in the back piece for the zipties and a hole at the top for hanging the feeder. The size of the drill bit used for the ziptie holes will depend on the width of the zipties you select. 
   
   
   
6. Drill random drainage holes in the bottom piece. Holes should be large enough to provide drainage, but not so large that the bird seed falls through.
   
   
   
7. Use wood glue to glue the bottom and side to the back piece. Clamp the pieces and let the glue dry thoroughly.
   
   
   
8. Cut the 1" front piece to size, then glue and clamp in place.
9. Use zipties to secure the wine bottle to the back board of the feeder. The ties should be tight enough to hold the bottle firmly in place, but loose enough to allow the bottle to be lifted out of the feeder for filling. Refer to the picture below to see how the lower ziptie forms a U-shape around the neck of the bottle. If necessary, link zipties together to get the required length to go around the bottle.
   
   
   
10. Grab those binoculars and enjoy the birds feasting at your wine bottle feeder.

    

Carole