Lonestar Alamo House owners
the trendsetter is out of my price range for a house. I was wondering what the pros and cons was on the Alamo 14 house looking for something I could put on my 2" square pole and replace my plastic house, the pole is plenty stout. for 2017. I think I should have one house with my gourd racks, them plastic houses is what started my little colony.
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
I like the design... just a bunch of little things that are annoying about it that I don't expect to deal with for the price.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
I went ahead and ordered it. If it will slide up and down the pole it will be a lot better than a double stacked heavenly haven that I have now. Lol it has 16 cavities with 10 pair now
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
I hope I can hook a cable or rope to it , I cant see it. don't have a place for rope to run through it on either side of pole [or hook it to] is there something I'm missing. I got house alone. ill call and see whats going on, something I'm missing. its sure lite could use some pads for hub. has none, going to be loud going up and down
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
Hi Warbird,
I stumbled onto these videos a while back.
This one shows the cable attachment to the Alamo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNOeisBahuY
You are correct about how the cable runs.
There are no cable tubes or channels on these units.
The cable just runs up between the house and the pole.
This video shows that pretty well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvlZjIweBkk
Here is that person's YouTube channel, which has all the video steps from start to finish, of him setting up his Alamo:
https://www.youtube.com/user/k20alt/videos
I stumbled onto these videos a while back.
This one shows the cable attachment to the Alamo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNOeisBahuY
You are correct about how the cable runs.
There are no cable tubes or channels on these units.
The cable just runs up between the house and the pole.
This video shows that pretty well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvlZjIweBkk
Here is that person's YouTube channel, which has all the video steps from start to finish, of him setting up his Alamo:
https://www.youtube.com/user/k20alt/videos
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
cable would work.. I would not use rope.. too heavy ..
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
I went ahead and got the lonestar pulley and the little roof thing with cable and nest trays. Now if I can figure out how to get some of the slop out of the hub it would be real nice. Need some type of guide buttons
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
warbird wrote:I went ahead and got the lonestar pulley and the little roof thing with cable and nest trays. Now if I can figure out how to get some of the slop out of the hub it would be real nice. Need some type of guide buttons
I ended up making my own and attaching them with epoxy. Still not great but better than the rattle trap it was.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
warbird wrote:Thanks lol that is the roof thing I was talking about. If it's pretty solid when it's all the way up I can live with that.
it wasn't for me.. depending upon the wind it would wobble back and forth for the amount of gap even in the up position.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
warbird wrote:What kind of epoxy did you use? I guess it's holding decent. You would think the factory would see this and fix it
it was JB weld brand. no issues so far. 3 years in.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
I found some plastic angel I cut in 4 pieces,if it's too sloppy I'll glue in the bottom corners of the house, the cable should still slide through. My pm's are starting to fledge now. When there gone from plastic house ill remove it and put the Alamo up
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
I would love to see the Lonestar houses follow the Nature House Castle model, in reference to using a house tube, and cable tube.
As with the Castles, this would allow the Lonestars to smoothly and quietly slide up and down the pole, with very little play, and, do a much better job at protecting the cable.
The only critical point of failure that I've heard about with Lonestars, is cable breakage after some years, no doubt due to the cable rubbing against the sharp edge on the bottom of the house as it travels up to the pulley.
Steel cables under tension rubbing against wooden edges (like on the T-14 houses) is fine.
Steel cables under tension rubbing against metal edges, seems potentially problematic.
I'm 99.99% sure the bothersome play between the house and pole, is to minimize the amount pressure of which the cable contacts the metal edge of the house.
House tube - tight fit, minimal play, quiet (as opposed to the screech you often get with aluminum sliding against steel).
Cable tube - smooth, safe pathway for the cable to travel, vastly prolonging the life of the cable (there are many Castles out there that are over 40-years-old, still using the original, stainless cables, with no problems).
I wonder if house manufacturer's ever read these posts?
As with the Castles, this would allow the Lonestars to smoothly and quietly slide up and down the pole, with very little play, and, do a much better job at protecting the cable.
The only critical point of failure that I've heard about with Lonestars, is cable breakage after some years, no doubt due to the cable rubbing against the sharp edge on the bottom of the house as it travels up to the pulley.
Steel cables under tension rubbing against wooden edges (like on the T-14 houses) is fine.
Steel cables under tension rubbing against metal edges, seems potentially problematic.
I'm 99.99% sure the bothersome play between the house and pole, is to minimize the amount pressure of which the cable contacts the metal edge of the house.
House tube - tight fit, minimal play, quiet (as opposed to the screech you often get with aluminum sliding against steel).
Cable tube - smooth, safe pathway for the cable to travel, vastly prolonging the life of the cable (there are many Castles out there that are over 40-years-old, still using the original, stainless cables, with no problems).
I wonder if house manufacturer's ever read these posts?
-
4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Matt,
I can vouch for the life of an original cable on a 34 year old Trio Castle. I am the original owner of this Trio Castle and even though I have been using the house for many years, I cannot find a need to replace the original cable on my Trio Castle. Regular inspection does not reveal any fraying or corrosion to warrant replacement.
I never thought about why it has lasted so long but you have given me a plausible explanation. Its longevity was built into the design.
Mark.
I can vouch for the life of an original cable on a 34 year old Trio Castle. I am the original owner of this Trio Castle and even though I have been using the house for many years, I cannot find a need to replace the original cable on my Trio Castle. Regular inspection does not reveal any fraying or corrosion to warrant replacement.
I never thought about why it has lasted so long but you have given me a plausible explanation. Its longevity was built into the design.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
I haven't seen the nature house castle but the tube sounds good. I wish the manufacture would fix this. I'm going to try this, the cable can still slide through, ill still have to replace cable every now and then. a little messy but it should hold.
joe
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair
2015 8 pair
2016 35 pair
2017 55 pair
2018 57 pair
2019 58 pair
2020 58 pair