Bob Buska's North Star

daveh · Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:40 pm

I kind of got ahead of myself and built my Winter project in the Fall. It's done. Even the steel ground stakes are concreted into the ground and the 4X4 laminated posts done. The only thing left is installing house onto the post with winch.
I think it turned out pretty good! It's a rather easy plan which went together well. I hope the birds like the North Star. They should at least compliment me on the trim paint! I hope the photos went thru ok.
Dave

razman · Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:13 pm

very nice! love it....

John Miller · Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:17 pm

it's absolutely beautiful. Really look forward to seeing photos of it covered in martins.

John M

Jerry Parent · Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:59 pm

Hi daveh,

I have four North Stars. I think they are excellent wooden house for Martins. The cavity are nice and deep and tend to remain dry in rainy conditions and are good cold weather houses. My North Stars have very good production rate of over 5 nestlings per occupied cavity. I have had many with 7 nestlings and even one with 8 nestlings. In the 2007 season, I even had an Albino Martin. I my homble opinion one of the best wooden Martin house design.

Jerry Parent

DakotaLady · Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:00 pm

Dave,

You've done a beautiful job putting together your NorthStar martin house. I really like that design. I need to rebuild one of my wooden houses and I just may build one similar to yours. Very nice. Thank you for sharing your photos.

trank · Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:56 pm

Dave,

Your North Star looks great! I built one a few years ago and it's always the first house to fill up at my site.

Tom

Guest · Sat Dec 10, 2011 3:50 am

Very nice job,,,,,it's always so satisfying completed a project.How much does it weigh?

dick

Don~VA · Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:30 am

Great looking house Dave. Your wood working skills really stand out with your project. Best of Luck in filling up with Martins.

daveh · Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:48 am

Thanks all for the comments. This will probably be the last house. I don't want to get to big and not handle the nest checks properly or not enjoy the birds. I havea Mini castle, T14, Castle, Trendsetter 26, all with gourds under them, and now the North Star. I've got them all in a row spaced about 30 ft. from each other.I will try to take pictures this spring when the martins come back. Dick, the weight of the North Star and perching cap is 63 lbs. Add another 19 lbs. for nest trays and the total is 82 lbs. I hope my laminated 4x4 is strong.
dave

~Ray~Gingerich · Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:25 am

That sure is a nice looking house, good job!
If you're worried about the weight you could possibly shave some off the nesting trays by using western red cedar for the bottoms and heavy duty aluminum flashing for sides.

daveh · Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:13 am

Ray, that's what I did on the T-14 and Trendsetter. I used 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch base and wrapped 3 inch aluminum roof flashing around them. Made very light nest trays. But I kind of wonder if they might be colder than all wood, especially early in the season. The wood tray walls for the North Star go almost to the ceiling, 5 inches. I thought I might try this because of people on the forum talking about babies climbing out of the trays with short walls and getting behind the tray when pulled out. That's happened to me. That's why I'm trying the tall walls and wood because I had it. I don't think I'll have any problems but can go back to aluminum flashing if need be.
dave

Bob Buskas · Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:15 pm

Wonderful job on the house Dave. Nothing compliments my plans more than a great carpenter

I normally used a treated 4x4 pole but a laminated 4x4 will also work fine. All my poles now are 2 1/2 inch steel, 1/8 inch thick wall, they stand fine in all the wind storms we get here in Alberta. Try using a Styrofoam sub floor behind the nest tray perch, the Martins love them and they are very warm and soft on their feet. I also like the large vent you used on the upper eve, great idea for added ventilation for anyone in the south. Thanks for posting the pictures and hope you had fun building the North Star! Good luck with it.

V & B's Michigan PM's · Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:30 am

Very sharp Dave! Was wondering where ya got your cresent plates? The northstar is one of our winter projects also! - Brian & Val

daveh · Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:54 am

Bob, thanks for your compliments on the house. It's nice to get thumbs up from the designer. I was going to buy a 16 ft. 4x4 at the lumber yard but couldn't find any straight ones so I laminated one up, 2 treated 2x4's and a treated 1x4 sandwiched in between. I had to plane the 1x4 1/4 inch to get the proper 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 size. I used gorilla glue and screws to put together. It's a lot of extra work but makes a straight and true post. It might be a little stronger than a regular 4x4.

I vented my T-14 with these 2 inch I think soffit vents I got at Lowes. Had extras and thought they would look good here. I do like them. It really gets hot here.

Bob, I'll send you a photo when I get the house on the post.

Val and Brian, thanks for your compliments. The crescent plates come from PMCA. I use them in the T-14 doors. They work great and the birds have no problems going thru.
dave

Bob Buskas · Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:47 pm

Just for the record, the North Star house also fits on the PMCA 3 inch aluminum pole real nice.

Linda Reynolds · Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:38 pm

The Northstar is a very beautiful and well designed house. You have also done a beautiful job of construction and painting. I wish you many martins.

Please post photos when it is filled with martins......

daveh · Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:10 am

I installed the North Star on the post yesterday with the help of the wife. You really need 2 people to carry and slide on post. It's to heavy for one. I broke a perching dowel right off the bat. No big deal. It slides up and down ok but sticks at the very top. It's suppose to be 50 today. I think I'll swivel the post down, pull out the belt sander and sand the top. I think the 1x4 sanwiched in between the 2x4's on top is sticking out a little on one side, maybe enough for house to stick on. That's where I'll start.
dave

~Ray~Gingerich · Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:28 pm

Daveh, if your pole boards were wet or not seasoned all the way when you put them together they will likely shrink some out in the open air and sun, if they were completely dry they will pick up some moisture and swell a little during wet conditions.

Bob Buskas · Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:32 pm

Dave, it could be the cable catching on the roof panels, had this problem a few times so I now file a V into the joining panels where the cable runs. It will loosen up after you run it up and down a few times. And yes, your right, it is a 2 person job to slide the house on the pole, lift the pole to it's verticle position and insert the lower support pin. After that initial setup it should raise and lower with ease.

daveh · Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:15 am

Bob, I notched the roof panels a little to allow the cable to fit better around house and post and that took care of the problem. The house slides up and down real nice, especially after spraying a little WD40 on cable and winch.

Do you get much rain water in the attic area dripping down post and collecting in that area?

dave