Homemade Mutipurpose Pole For Golf Course.

[Kyler]

I got the Mutipurpose rack done tonight. I used 4ft angle iron with extension and some flat support metal for the support pieces going from the angel iron to the pipe. That was also 4ft pieces I cut down.











This is how I mounted the gourd arms. I used the little brackets and the arm piece.



Kyler,

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Nice job, hope to see pictures soon showing martins using it!

[taxidermy lady]

Your rocking it guy! Your going to fill the air with martins! All of us love you for that Kyler! You are the best!

[MichaelH]

Yes well done kyler you sure are dedicated to the cause ,I too will enjoy seeing pics of the birds using your housing
Mick

[avesrun]

Looks pretty darn good to me Kyler. Amazing what a person can come up with when they have MARTIN FEVER!!! Are those diagonal cross pieces/straps that the gourds are mounted to sturdy enough for high winds/severe storms? Either way, with the design you could always replace with something stronger if need be. The reason I asked is that it appears they may have a little flex to them. Take care and great work! Oh and by the way kudos on starting a satellite site; I absolutely LOVE the one I started at a local quarry; it's where I was first able to get martins. Two pair second year and 13 pair last season. It may have helped me get my first lone pair at home last year too; although I'm not sure as that pair was ASY male/female so they may have defected from a nearby slumlord site; it took me 5 years to get that pair and I'm praying for their return often and greedily petitioning for more than one pair this season!
TimG

[Kyler]

Thanks for replying guys I appreciate it a lot.

Tim,

I am planing on putting them on the bottom section of the pipe. I'm also wanting to put four gourds instead of two but anyways yes I agree they might hold up but I'm not sure. So if you guys don't see a picture of them installed on the bottom then I just am going to risk it for this year. Thanks for pointing that out! Also yes I just got the approval from the city on the Golf Course Site so all I have to do is get DigSafe out there to mark where pipes are so I don't hit them while I'm digging my hole. There is a small colony about a block up over the railroad tracks where I will be placing it. So there are martins in the area. All I hoping for is to get as least 1 pair if not more.

Hope they come back and goodluck at your satellite site!

[DornCounty]

Kyler,

What gauge is your angle iron? I am concerned that it may get bent in that KS wind.. especially in a severe storm.

I would also consider using angle for the diagonal supports as well as reinforcing the area where the existing vertical channel is welded to the angle. Maybe with some L brackets that let you weld to the open sides of the main tube, sort of a gusseting solution. Also if that angle is plated I would be concerned about how the welds will hold.

Also I would consider a mounting plate(wood would work, make it cover most of the bottom of the house) for the bottom of your houses to attach them to your metal. You want to spread out the forces that are going to be applied to the bottom of your Trios. If you just have a few attachment points they will wear out and pull through. Especially if the wind can wiggle the base metal a bit causing metal fatigue.

[Kyler]

Dorn,

I'm not sure what gauge the angle iron is but when I know I will for sure let you know. Yes I was also concerned about the diagonal supports if they would hold? I'm moving the gourds down to the bottom of the main tube so that will be less weight. I also was wanting to put something for a bottom plate because went I attached the houses it pulled the floor down which made the doors not latch at the bottom. So if I make a plate out of metal and weld it to the angle iron I think it would work? Thanks for the ideas and helping me out with this I really appreciate it!

Kyler,

[DornCounty]

Dorn,

I'm not sure what gauge the angle iron is but when I know I will for sure let you know. Yes I was also concerned about the diagonal supports if they would hold? I'm moving the gourds down to the bottom of the main tube so that will be less weight. I also was wanting to put something for a bottom plate because went I attached the houses it pulled the floor down which made the doors not latch at the bottom. So if I make a plate out of metal and weld it to the angle iron I think it would work? Thanks for the ideas and helping me out with this I really appreciate it!

Kyler,

Metal will work, put when you put 2 unlike metals together you get some weird action. I would use some wood or aluminum for the plate.. make it as big as you can and still get to the door latches.

[Kyler]

Dorn,
Could I use plywood or does it have to be solid wood? Also just attached with bolts to the angle iron?

Kyler,

[Rodger Drye]

Kyler and Dorn,

They make Exterior Plywood and it will last a long time out in the weather. It is a little costly however. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, But..... It looks like the brace pieces you have Welded to the Aluminum Square pole are maybe Galvanized. If so That will not hold. Dorn was right, sometime different metals have a chemical effect on each other.
The braces would have been better if they were Aluminum. You could also bolt them to the square pole and then if you ever noticed they would not hold you could unbolt them and use a larger/stronger piece.
Kyler you are doing a great job and I appreciate your enthusiasm for getting things done.!!
I'm sure your Bird's will appreciate it too.!!
Good Luck Man.!!

Rodger

[DickRose]

I think I would put a 1 by board between the two straps on each side. Usually straps are for resisting pull instead of push. Just cut to fit then a few screws into boards edges to make the straps rigid.

[Kyler]

Thanks guy I will do that! Also about the supports they are bolted to the top part of the angle iron and welded. But if I would drill and hole and bolt it to the pipe how would I be able to lower the system? Because the bolts would catch on the pole. Plus it wouldn't even go on the pole?

Kyler,

[Rodger Drye]

Kyler,
Is the Pipe (Tubing) that you are using to slide up and down your Pole Aluminum or Steel.?? I took for granite that it was Aluminum. I would use Angle Iron -Steel or Aluminum to brace you Houses. It would be so much stronger.! I know in some ways it might be a little over kill. But I'd rather be safe than Sorry.

Half my Poles are Steel the other half is Aluminum. This off season I took down every one of my 2" x 2" Aluminum Poles and Welded a Round piece of 1/8" x 1 &3/8" tubing (Pipe) inside the whole pole. An engineer had told me that the Round was actually stronger than the square Tubing. This I feel increased the strength of my 2" Poles. I had a friend in Louisianna have all his poles Bent over by Hurricane winds and that was an awful site. It was a real mess as it was during Martin season.
I feel like my Poles are as secure as can be. Not saying that Mother Nature won't or can't blow my Poles over. But it will take some kind of Mother Nature to get the job done - Lol .!!
Rodger

[Kyler]

Rodger,
The pipe is steel. It is pretty heavy for a small pipe. There is only a 1/8 gap all the way around when it is on the 2 inch pole. So about the braces are you talking about the diagonal pieces? If you are could I just keep them attached and attache some angle iron to them and the pipe?

Kyler,

[Rodger Drye]

Yes,
You can just add a relatively small piece of angle say a 1 & 1/2" x 1 & 1/2" above where you have your flat stock now.
In fact if you add 4 pieces of angle You might get by with just 1" X 1" Angle. That would really increase the strength of your braces greatly. Be sure to get regular 1040 cold rolled steel and weld it Good.! You will have to Paint it or else it will rust.
Remember when welding, Steel to Steel does best (Strongest). Or Aluminum to Aluminum. Galvanized metal is best not welded as it is usually dipped after welding and fabrication.
Rodger

[DornCounty]

Dorn,
Could I use plywood or does it have to be solid wood? Also just attached with bolts to the angle iron?

Kyler,

Plywood is fine.. make sure to use bolts with big washers on each side. That will reduce the odds of anything happening.

[Kyler]

Rodger,
Could I get away with putting one piece of angle iron on opposite sides? Or should I go ahead and put it on all four?

Dorn,
Okay thanks I cut some 1/2 plywood so I will mount it tomorrow and post it.

Kyler,