T14 larger

[TGivens]

Has anyone ever taken the t14 plans an made a bigger model

[M.Stephens]

When you say a bigger model I'm assuming you mean more compartments? If so, then yes. I've seen one that had probably twice or triple that amount. If you meant on a larger scale then very seriously I doubt one was ever made . It wouldn't be practical.

[TGivens]

Thanks,yes I meant more compartments,I am thinking of building one myself.

[Dale D]

As far as more compartment I think the sky is the limit. You could easily double the size and build a T-28, but the weight is the big factor. You would have to ensure you have a strong enough pole, cable,etc. Even with a winch it could become challenging to raise and lower. Just my thoughts.

[Don Strickland]

If you build it bigger, get ready for heavy, heavy. The regular one that I built out of pine weighed over 100#. I put mine on a 5 x 5 treated pole and it was very difficult to handle.
Don

[John Miller]

another factor..when you lower housing during the active nesting season for nest checks -- you'd have to keep it down longer and maybe risk causing harm to martins incubating or caring for very young nestlings.

There are examples too around the country of massive wooden houses with dozens of compartments, but most seem to get poor occupancy whereas smaller houses on multiple poles get more.
John

[barry resvick]

I think a good quality winch would handle the weight very well,but the amount of wind that a bigger one would catch would be the killer,and dont forget that doing nest checks would probably entail a ladder.Im building one at present and have thought about making it five and four as apposed to four and three,as that might only add another eight or ten lbs and i think nest checks would still be feasible.

[Dave Reynolds]

Barry --- I saw one T-14 that was seven and six. I thought it looked great at the time but, I never thought about the weight. I saw it in a video (made by some guy from the BBC) part of the video was taken in a chemical plant on the banks of the Amazon River Basin and part was taken on a small lake side town in Pennsylvania. Loved the video, (found it on You Tube) and have watched it many times, It kind of gets me inspired to keep trying to start a colony.

You can see the video on you tube.
"Purple Martins, David Attenborough - BBC wildlife"
Check it out you will see the large T-14 in the film.

Dave

[Louise Chambers]

That video was filmed with the PMCA's help - the lakeside town is Edinboro, where our office used to be, and we still have some housing at that location. The expanded T-14 was ours.

Note that some of the martins in the earliest scene are not Purple Martins, but Brown-chested Martins, with a band across upper chest.

[barry resvick]

Hey Dave!
Thanks for the link,i will be sure to check it out.Dave i finally got my first pair last summer after trying three years.I finally moved my housing about fifty feet last spring as it was just a little too close to some saplings that were spooking them.Just make sure the starling and sparrow problems are solved and keep your house at least 45 ft in all directions from trees and it will happen.The second year we had one of the sy males from the first year come back in full plume and he was eventually the one who got a female to nest last year.Once a male decides to make you site his home,then a nesting pair is only a matter of time.