Refurbishing Trio – Graphic Photo Warning
-
PMDavid
- Posts: 534
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 8:50 pm
- Location: Boyce,Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 lone nut and lots of visitors
2019 6 pair -21fledged
2020 18 pair -60 fledged
2021......to be seen.
24 natural gourds on a satellite rack,9 other gourds scattered around
2-12 compartment trio houses
Rarely see a sparrow or starling,but when I do they don’t last long!
Will have a second satellite rack for the 2022 season and phase out the houses,the martins here strongly prefer natural gourds.
Hi there to the smiths. Re; roof polishing. If it’s really worth it to you,you can get a small can of Mother’s aluminum mag and wheel polish and a powerball. I did it on and old house and it worked quite well. Polish using a lot of polish then rub it all off and then do it again. Use a drill and really get after it using plenty of polish,re apply the polish several many times as your are polishing.
-
Dave Duit
- Posts: 2093
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2023, 81 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 106 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and 4 modified deep trio metal house units, 1 fallout shelter, owl cages around all units. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook. Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
On a note about paint for the aluminum exterior. I believe that aluminum needs a paint that has etching in order for the paint to stick and not peel off. Correct me if I'm crazy and got it all wrong. lol.
Mite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
-
TheSmiths
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
•
Tried to attract PMs since 2004; began more ernest attempt in 2014.
Current housing consists of two modified Trio M12Ks and a round gourd rack both enclosed in owl/hawk cage.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs & some bachelors; enclosed housing
Monitor FILs colony as well as colony at park.
~20 years of providing housing for bluebirds, Carolina wrens, house wrens, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, great-crested flycatchers and northern flickers.
Does anyone know if these old Grandma/Grandpas were painted with lead paint?
@Dave Duit, wouldn't self-etching paint only be needed if the house was stripped down to bare metal?
@PMDavid, thanks. I might have to save that for another season. PMs are due here in ~2 wks and I still have to put inner porches on my FIL's gourds and build owl guards for our poles. (A barred owl discovered the site late last season and I've recently heard it calling nearby).
@deancamp, did you glue it in place or leave it loose?
@Dave Duit, wouldn't self-etching paint only be needed if the house was stripped down to bare metal?
@PMDavid, thanks. I might have to save that for another season. PMs are due here in ~2 wks and I still have to put inner porches on my FIL's gourds and build owl guards for our poles. (A barred owl discovered the site late last season and I've recently heard it calling nearby).
@deancamp, did you glue it in place or leave it loose?
-
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.
I am probably too late answering the last questions posted to me from TheSmiths.
I don't understand the question about the added washers.
I always place insulation on the attic floor of a Trio house. I want to reduce the heat coming from the attic space. Exactly like we do in our own houses.
The best way to shine up the corrugated surface of any Trio roof is a "Magic Eraser". I have no idea how it works but it perfectly cleans and shines the aluminum roof surface. It removes fungus, dirt, grime, and corrosion without adversely affecting the aluminum. I wet the roof and "Magic Eraser" and rub the surface. It does not even take much scrubbing pressure.
I have also used "Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish" like PMDavid mentioned above.
I don't understand the question about the added washers.
I always place insulation on the attic floor of a Trio house. I want to reduce the heat coming from the attic space. Exactly like we do in our own houses.
The best way to shine up the corrugated surface of any Trio roof is a "Magic Eraser". I have no idea how it works but it perfectly cleans and shines the aluminum roof surface. It removes fungus, dirt, grime, and corrosion without adversely affecting the aluminum. I wet the roof and "Magic Eraser" and rub the surface. It does not even take much scrubbing pressure.
I have also used "Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish" like PMDavid mentioned above.
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.
-
TheSmiths
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
•
Tried to attract PMs since 2004; began more ernest attempt in 2014.
Current housing consists of two modified Trio M12Ks and a round gourd rack both enclosed in owl/hawk cage.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs & some bachelors; enclosed housing
Monitor FILs colony as well as colony at park.
~20 years of providing housing for bluebirds, Carolina wrens, house wrens, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, great-crested flycatchers and northern flickers.
4th Gen Martin Fan wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:21 pmI don't understand the question about the added washers.
Mark mentioned washers. (Please see portion of quote above) . Not sure where he used them or why.4th Gen Martin Fan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:40 amReassemble those pieces with white coated aluminum pop rivets... Any previous steel bolts and nuts are best replaced with stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers.
-
TheSmiths
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
•
Tried to attract PMs since 2004; began more ernest attempt in 2014.
Current housing consists of two modified Trio M12Ks and a round gourd rack both enclosed in owl/hawk cage.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs & some bachelors; enclosed housing
Monitor FILs colony as well as colony at park.
~20 years of providing housing for bluebirds, Carolina wrens, house wrens, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, great-crested flycatchers and northern flickers.
Here are the final results. I used Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer, Rust-Oleum Farm & Implement in Gloss JD Green, and Rust-Oleum Farm & Implement in Gloss White. I do not recommend the Farm & Implement paint. It is thick, sputters & splatters, and does not cure well.
I'm hoping the park will allow us to straighten the pole at the south end of the park in the fall. Any advice on how to do that would be appreciated. It is on a steep slope at the edge of the pond.
The first and second photos are the house at the north end of the park. The third and fourth photos are the house at the south end of the park. (I need PMCA stickers to put over the bar code labels on the baffles).
I'm hoping the park will allow us to straighten the pole at the south end of the park in the fall. Any advice on how to do that would be appreciated. It is on a steep slope at the edge of the pond.
The first and second photos are the house at the north end of the park. The third and fourth photos are the house at the south end of the park. (I need PMCA stickers to put over the bar code labels on the baffles).
- Attachments
-
- mike-mlr-north-01.jpg (162.26 KiB) Viewed 4528 times
-
- mike-mlr-north-02.jpg (159.32 KiB) Viewed 4528 times
-
- mike-mlr-south-01.jpg (443.64 KiB) Viewed 4528 times
-
- mike-mlr-south-02.jpg (364.66 KiB) Viewed 4528 times
-
Whippy
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:15 pm
- Location: Plano, Texas
- Martin Colony History: See Signature
Great job on the house. It looks very good and I'll bet works even better.
I hope you are able to straighten the pole. I figure all you gotta do is dig out around the base, push it straight, and secure with fast drying concrete. But I bet you already have a plan in place for that. I like to hear myself type sometimes.
Good luck to you. Looks really good.
Coolwhips
I hope you are able to straighten the pole. I figure all you gotta do is dig out around the base, push it straight, and secure with fast drying concrete. But I bet you already have a plan in place for that. I like to hear myself type sometimes.
Good luck to you. Looks really good.
Coolwhips
2016 - many visitors
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
Hello to the Smiths. Just curious, did the martins use your renovated Trio house. You did an awesome job in fixing it up.
Also, if you or any other Martin landlords in Kentucky or northern Tennessee are interested, I will be offering a very nice TRIO CASTLE for sale around August 15th.
Tom D.
Also, if you or any other Martin landlords in Kentucky or northern Tennessee are interested, I will be offering a very nice TRIO CASTLE for sale around August 15th.
Tom D.
