Bat Houses - plans and guide
My home had
a swimming pool in the back yard when I bought the property. It was an "Esther Williams
Pool". It was about 35 ft. long and 15 ft. wide, constructed of California Red Wood 8 quarter stock, and had a vinyl liner
fitted within. The design was a
combination of above ground with a diving pit.
Half was 4 feet deep and the other end had a diving pit another 4 feet
deep. It was constructed with a concrete
base and plywood sides 4 feet tall topped by a red wood deck that was about 4 feet wide and went
all the way around. After dismantling and removing the structure, I was using the pit
to burn yard trash and trying to fill the thing with plaster and lathes from
the house during the restoration. After 20 years, I finally decided to make it a Kio and Gold
fish pond.
This has
raised the back yard mosquito population greatly.
Not wanting
to pour chemicals in the pond to affect the mosquito larva, I finally decided
to add a natural predator of the mosquito - the bat. I searched the internet and found many things
to be aware of and how the bat house should look, but nothing really nailed it
down or showed me in detail. So here is
how my experience has progressed.
Because I
have a pledge to trees, I try to never throw away any wood. If it is too small or damaged, or knotty, or
anything... it will help start a fire in the stove this winter and I will be
glad I have it then. A friend made some
book cases for a judge and had some barn cypress end cuts that he gave to me about
20 years ago, because he knew I would find a use for them. So I checked and found two suitable boards 12
3/8" wide and 41" long. They
were rough cut and had never been planed, so thickness was 7/8". This would do very nicely and it gave me the
ability to make the house with two chambers.
I went to
LOWE'S and got :
a 12 ft. 4x4 treated post (and wish I had gotten a 16 ft.)
a piece of 1/2" plywood both sides sanded ( 2 ft. x 2
ft. )
a tube of caulking
a can of flat black spray paint
a very small can of polyurethane
a piece of aluminum 8" wide and about 24" long (normally
used for roof flanging) to make the roof
you will also need just about 12 - 1 5/8" dry wall
screws
about 30 - 2" dry wall screws
2 - 3 1/2" decking screws
and 2 - 1" pan head screws to anchor the roof to the
house.
With the
first board I decided to have 1 1/2" at the top of the back in order to
put a screw through for mounting onto the post, and a 2 1/2" bottom extension
that also gives a place to put a second screw for mounting, as well as an area
for the bats to land as they enter the house for the day time hours. This left 37" to divide by two and get
18 1/2" for the box front and resulted in a 22 1/2" back. Here is a side view of the design:
Here is the bottom to show the chambers.
The next
thing is to cut the groves. These groves
are recommended to be about 1/16" to 1/32" deep, and only the width
of your saw blade. Space them 1/2"
apart and be sure that they will be horizontal after the box is complete. This will result in a ladder effect for the
bats to use while climbing around inside.
These groves must be on both sides of the plywood, the back side of the
front board, and the front side of the back board.
With these
three pieces finished, you should now use the black spray paint to coat the inner
surfaces. I made the mistake of
realizing they were not painted after I finished my project. I had to spray the chambers like crazy. Even then I had to tape an arts paint brush
to a 2 ft. stick so I could paint the inside surface of the spacers at the top
of the inside...no fun.
I used the
second piece of cypress to cut a 17 1/2" long piece, then I ripped 6 -
1" wide pieces from that. Two of
these I cut to be 12 3/8" long and the other four remain 17 1/2"
long. Inspect the spacers and determine
which of the 7/8" sides will be the surface on the inside of the chambers, then use the spray
paint to coat that single side in preparation for the assembly.
Now in my
assembly you will notice that I forgot to spray paint before I put the house
together, not advised. If there is a
trick to the assemble, you should start
with the front board positioned with the outside face down on your table,
and the grooved side facing up. The
reason for this is that after you finish your project, the front will not have the screw heads showing, they will all be in the
back, as you will see soon. Your first
attachment is one of the two shorter spacers.
Place it at the top and run a bead of caulk the entire length and near
the outer edge.
It was cut out of the extra from the 1/2" plywood used for the divider. I attached it using polyurethane glue so it will be water tight and painted it to be noticeable. Not that the bats will be impressed, but when friends see it they will not ask, "why that big box on the pole?" At this point I applied the first of three coats of polyurethane.
These are not to be bent until the piece is dry fitted to the bat house. Also there are 4 small circles containing "x" that represent approximately where the holes will be drilled once you dry fit this to the house. The solid lines are where you cut with scissors, and the broken lines are where you will bend the metal.
SUGGESTION : Download this diagram, print a copy, and cut and fold it before you try it on the aluminum sheet. That way you will not make a wrong cut or bend....
This should
be cut, bent, and dry fitted before you mount the house to the post. I trimmed two corners and then started to mark my metal.
Here you see the cover upside down after the holes have been
drilled.
Here it is fitted and ready.
Using my table saw as a drawing table I was able to flush the
metal to the table edge and then the combination square was similar to a
"T" square for the markings using my awl (ice pick). Large scissors and QuickClamps are also
needed.
I marked the slot for the screw through the back and the tall
"V"s to be cut out as well as the two lengthwise mark as to where I
will make the 90 degree bend and the 27 degree bend.
Before I made the first bend, I removed the tall "V"s
and the screw slot.
Then clamped the metal to the edge of the saw table and with my
fingers moving from end to end, I bend about 5 or 10 degrees at a time as I move from one end to
the other. Then back the other way with another 5 or 10 as the metal
will allow. Once I have about as well as
I can do with my hand, I use a helpful tool I made that really sets the 90
degree.
Holding this 4 in. block to the metal and tapping it with my hammer as I move it, will
make a very nice bend. Next I cut the
metal at the unbent mark for the side extensions of the sloping part.
Then I re-clamp the metal for the 27 degree bend and this is done
with my hands only. When you dry fit the
top to the box you will probably make an adjustment to this bend so that it
remains in contact with the front edge of the top of the box. Now with the top fitted to the box you can
fold the side extensions of the sloping part flat to the side and you will be
able to tell where to make the bend of the "dog ears" that bend
around the back edge.
After that you will see how the parts fit together to give a nice
water tight cover. Snug these pieces
together and drill your hole through the two layers of metal about 1/2 in. from
the bottom.
Here it is fitted and ready.
Also I
wanted to avoid having an empty cavity where wasp and bugs could nest and possibly
make the bats vacate, so on my band saw, I cut a 2x4 diagonally to make two inserts to fit in
the area under the metal roof and on top of the box.
Finally I ran a very generous bead of caulk just under the metal top where it touches the front of the box. This will also help keep out unwanted pest.
The
placement of the post with the house attached is naturally in an open area so
limbs and bushes will not make the bats come in for landing on 'a wing and a
prayer.' Mine is right next to my pond
because it was suggested in some of my readings that they like a constant source
of water.
Another site
I found helpful was : http://batmanagement.com/Batcentral/batboxes/whyfail.html.
Good luck
and do your internet searches for more information on bats and what they need
and like before you build your bat house and set your post.
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