I came home this afternoon to see one of my natural gourds smashed to bits on the ground. We've had high winds today and since all of my gourds on the rack are attached using single strand wire I checked them all and found two others that were hanging by only one side! I thought this type of wire was the strongest and the best to use for the safety of the gourds but my husband thinks it twists so much in the wind it just snaps the wire after some time. So my question.........which is the best way to hang the gourds? I'm so thankful there was no nesting started in this gourd!
Thanks for and advice.
single strand wire breaks....
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Pen
I've use no. 10, plastic coated (green), solid strand copper on about a half dozen gourds last year and this season and so far none have broken. I did have some tilt slightly after a storm. This is very rigid wire. I use needle nose pliers to twist it into place. I purchase it at a smaller hardware store -- can't find it at big box stores.
Did your ASY male find a mate?
John Miller
I've use no. 10, plastic coated (green), solid strand copper on about a half dozen gourds last year and this season and so far none have broken. I did have some tilt slightly after a storm. This is very rigid wire. I use needle nose pliers to twist it into place. I purchase it at a smaller hardware store -- can't find it at big box stores.
Did your ASY male find a mate?
John Miller
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Guest
Hi John,
Thanks for the reply as always
Another question to add....if I use the #10 copper wire wouldn't that be too stiff to go into and back out of the curve at the top of the gourd? I'm not sure what the strength was of what we had but it was white wire. I'll see what I can find. We had a hard time figuring out how to put them on the rack so they wouldn't blow "around" in the winds out here. Hopefully by next season we'll get it right
Yes, my male has a mate and she has built herself quite the nest. No eggs yet but by her behaviour it shoulnd't be long. She sat for some time this morning in her cup and I thought for sure today would be the day. So soon, very soon. Thanks for asking.
Thanks for the reply as always
Another question to add....if I use the #10 copper wire wouldn't that be too stiff to go into and back out of the curve at the top of the gourd? I'm not sure what the strength was of what we had but it was white wire. I'll see what I can find. We had a hard time figuring out how to put them on the rack so they wouldn't blow "around" in the winds out here. Hopefully by next season we'll get it right
Yes, my male has a mate and she has built herself quite the nest. No eggs yet but by her behaviour it shoulnd't be long. She sat for some time this morning in her cup and I thought for sure today would be the day. So soon, very soon. Thanks for asking.
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John & Linda - KY
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
- Location: Kentucky/Hawesville
Pen -- The wire wasn't aluminum, was it? -- John
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Guest
Well it looked like copper to us. I tried a heavier type wire earlier and couldn't get it to bend enough to go through the curve in the gourd so I thought this would be strong enough, it wasn't.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Pen
With no. 10 wire, you have to use pliers (I use needle nose) to bend it, but using the pliers it's pretty easy. I like working with it. Every bends stays put. I like to loop the wire up over the top of the gourd neck and make a twist, then twist the loose ends onto the house or a rod. Others here have much more gourd experience, but if you drop down to a post I did on the "Trendsetter" house a few days ago, you'll see a couple of my gourds with the wire run through an "Emil Pampell" one-fourth inch PVC tube in the gourd neck.
John Miller
With no. 10 wire, you have to use pliers (I use needle nose) to bend it, but using the pliers it's pretty easy. I like working with it. Every bends stays put. I like to loop the wire up over the top of the gourd neck and make a twist, then twist the loose ends onto the house or a rod. Others here have much more gourd experience, but if you drop down to a post I did on the "Trendsetter" house a few days ago, you'll see a couple of my gourds with the wire run through an "Emil Pampell" one-fourth inch PVC tube in the gourd neck.
John Miller
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Guest
John I had seen your pictures the other day and didn't pay attention to the details on the hookup till now. What we used was just 1/4 inch tubing (soft) so I had to have something that bent enough to go through both sides. I'll look tomorrow and see what I can get to work. Wish I had known this would be a problem well before they were all here nesting :(
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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Sigundo
When all else fails, and time is of the essence, nothing beats a good ol' piece of coat hanger (at least for one season).
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CUL Lou~Mich
Pen. I'm confused. You keep mentioning a "Curve" that the wire has to make. I use no 12 romax, for mine. I have a roll (50 feet) of it that I just cut off a foot, strip the outer casing off, and use the two coated wires. (Black and White) I toss out the single strand (ground wire). Can you explain to me what you mean by the curve? Thanks. CUL Lou
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Guest
Well I'll try and hopefully not embarrass myself too bad
We drilled the holes at the top of the gourds to insert the 1/4 inch plastic tube that the hanging wire would go through. This soft tubing is what curves a bit and when I tried a coat hanger wire at first it wouldn't go through the tubing. I'm going to try one this morning, I should be able to reach in and push the tubing up so it's a straight shot through to the other side. I don't have anything at home stronger that what is up besides an old metal coat hanger till I get to a store to buy something.
Thanks for offering your advice
We drilled the holes at the top of the gourds to insert the 1/4 inch plastic tube that the hanging wire would go through. This soft tubing is what curves a bit and when I tried a coat hanger wire at first it wouldn't go through the tubing. I'm going to try one this morning, I should be able to reach in and push the tubing up so it's a straight shot through to the other side. I don't have anything at home stronger that what is up besides an old metal coat hanger till I get to a store to buy something.
Thanks for offering your advice
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Sigundo
I'm not quite sure what your up to there, but if I have it right, you might try putting the hanging wire into the tube, THEN put the tube through the gourd hole, that way you're not dealing with a soft bendy tube. ( I'm assuming that you're putting a soft bit of tube into the gourd to prevent the hanging wire from rubbing away the edge of the gourd hanging hole).
Of course if I misunderstood the problem, the answer won't make any sense. I'm far from the sharpest tool in the shed.
Of course if I misunderstood the problem, the answer won't make any sense. I'm far from the sharpest tool in the shed.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Pen
I used hard one-fourth inch PVC tubing. A no. 10 wire barely snugs through, so a plastic tube probably would snag. You could try to get no. 12 wire (smaller), or remove the plastic tubes for this year and use the holes to run heavy wire through, snugging it up tight around the gourd. Maybe we should just use some leather strips, like the Indians - ha.
You must visit Forest Park, St. Louis, again this summer. We've got martins this morning at three sites!
John M
I used hard one-fourth inch PVC tubing. A no. 10 wire barely snugs through, so a plastic tube probably would snag. You could try to get no. 12 wire (smaller), or remove the plastic tubes for this year and use the holes to run heavy wire through, snugging it up tight around the gourd. Maybe we should just use some leather strips, like the Indians - ha.
You must visit Forest Park, St. Louis, again this summer. We've got martins this morning at three sites!
John M
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Guest
I think what can be done to stop the wire from breaking is to wire it up so that it can swing in the wind without bending the wire back and forth. Don't twist it tight to the rack.. leave a loop for it to swing on.
Ian
Ian
Pen,
Go to a Lowe's store and purchase a roll (100 ft I think) of no. 10 THHN in any color you desire. This is strong enough and plyable enough you should be able to get it in the gourds easy enough. This is what I use and have some gourds I have used the same wire for three seasons. Good luck and hope for the best season ever. John
Go to a Lowe's store and purchase a roll (100 ft I think) of no. 10 THHN in any color you desire. This is strong enough and plyable enough you should be able to get it in the gourds easy enough. This is what I use and have some gourds I have used the same wire for three seasons. Good luck and hope for the best season ever. John
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Guest
Sigundo:
I found some old wire hangers and got one ran through without any problems so we'll go out this afternoon and see if we can fix the gourds that are being nested in for now. I'll get to a store after this and find a more permanent repair wire. Thanks for your advice.
John Miller: Thanks again, I'm keeping notes here. Yes, we used the soft tubing and found it very hard to push much through it so that is going to have to change also but for this season I'm going to have to just fix the wiring problem. It's too late in the season I think to be out there and redo all of it. Looks like I have a project for winter now:) We'll get up your way this spring I'm sure....I'm thrilled you have done so well in FP! Keep up the good work.
Ian:
Hmmmmmmmm, now I would of thought the snugger I had them the better off I/we would be but not so! I'll make sure they have some room to move when we go out this afternoon. Thanks!
John King:
I wrote down what you are using and will take a look, if it's worked for you for 3 seasons it seems strong enough. Thanks so much for you help.
Everyone:
Just wanted to share....my female in the gourd with the nest cam laid her first egg this morning What a treat to be able to watch the proccess.
I found some old wire hangers and got one ran through without any problems so we'll go out this afternoon and see if we can fix the gourds that are being nested in for now. I'll get to a store after this and find a more permanent repair wire. Thanks for your advice.
John Miller: Thanks again, I'm keeping notes here. Yes, we used the soft tubing and found it very hard to push much through it so that is going to have to change also but for this season I'm going to have to just fix the wiring problem. It's too late in the season I think to be out there and redo all of it. Looks like I have a project for winter now:) We'll get up your way this spring I'm sure....I'm thrilled you have done so well in FP! Keep up the good work.
Ian:
Hmmmmmmmm, now I would of thought the snugger I had them the better off I/we would be but not so! I'll make sure they have some room to move when we go out this afternoon. Thanks!
John King:
I wrote down what you are using and will take a look, if it's worked for you for 3 seasons it seems strong enough. Thanks so much for you help.
Everyone:
Just wanted to share....my female in the gourd with the nest cam laid her first egg this morning
What a treat to be able to watch the proccess.Pen
Is this something like your trying to do, except with natural gourds and an insert in the gourd. Did the wire break or just come untired? Of course in my opinion if you are fastening under a house the Gourd hanging arms are the best. You can purchase them thru PMCA. Thanks
Is this something like your trying to do, except with natural gourds and an insert in the gourd. Did the wire break or just come untired? Of course in my opinion if you are fastening under a house the Gourd hanging arms are the best. You can purchase them thru PMCA. Thanks
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Guest
Rick I am hanging them on a gourd rack, I do have 4 under my wooden house and those are fine for now. I try and get a picture later today, if the rain holds off and post one.