SRSeedBurners Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 Wow, it looks awesome! I am going to do this when we upgrade our aviary. I just need to figure out where we can put it. How are you going to do the door? I didn't really get it when I read the site that you linked and got the idea from... Right now we're tossing around ideas about the door but most likely I'll use a 6'x3' chain link gate frame wired the same as the aviary. Hanging the gate will require adding a horizontal chain link fence rail along the bottom of one section then T a vertical rail from that which the gate will hinge from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Very impressed. Your aviary is going to be a real winner!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Your aviary looks beautiful! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Very nice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytness Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I wish that Costco still sold those carports. It's very difficult to locate a carport manufacturer that has thick enough poles. Next year I plan to build an aviary for my babies. After all, they deserve it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I wish that Costco still sold those carports. It's very difficult to locate a carport manufacturer that has thick enough poles. Next year I plan to build an aviary for my babies. After all, they deserve it! Costco has them in now! I saw them at 2 different stores, Temecula and Carlsbad, a few weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytness Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 No way!!! When I searched for them online, there's no mention of them being available! This is great news! Did you happen to notice the price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Some where around $230-60's I THINK.... I need to go back and get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Looks great. Now she can enjoy the great outdoors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 What a labor (and lots of it!) of love. Looking so great, and I love the idea of having living plants/trees/shrubs inside of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 We're coming along. Planned to take a 4-day weekend and try and knock this sucker out. Nothing is as easy as it seems. And to top it off, I've been called back into work after only three days. This is the latest accomplishments: - wired all the sides. I really screwed this up. The bottom diameter around the aviary is wider than around the top as the legs are naturally splayed outwards. So trying to wrap all the way around (like they say to do at the link I'm following) DOES NOT WORK. This roll of wire was hella-expensive so I had to salvage what I had already done and not start over. I had to make it work. With a lot of cussing, swearing and GreycieMae telling me she loves me (one of her few phrases) we finally got it done. - I got the top corner triangles wired. Those required buying more wire. I found a 3ft - 1x2 16 gauge GBW wire that I used for that and the door when I get to it. - I had to re-dig 4 of the concrete pylons as they were off by several inches and this really played heck with getting the structure to stand true with the wire tied to it. Getting the structure to stand even and straight TOOK ALL DAMN DAY. That was a nightmare. I actually got depressed and wanted to quit that day. I ended up tying on with our truck and the car to winch it in different directions to watch what the wire was doing so I could figure out where the problem was. Most of it was in the corner where I started wiring and I found I had wired it incorrectly as the wire was trying to rise up onto the roof with the truck pulling it back to straight. So I ended up moving and shifting some wire and re-strapping it along with the moving some pylons and she straightened right up - WHEW! I really struggled with how to design the door but my wife came up with a brilliant idea. I'll hold off on that until I get it done as there is a good story behind it. We just started playing with the door posts by the time I called it quits for the weekend. My three feathered supervisors spent nearly the whole time out there supervising unless we were at the store buying stuff. They'll be glad to move in I'm sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 That sounds horrible! I am so sorry this is so difficult. GreycieMae will love it when you are done. Keep us updated. Hope it goes smoothly now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Your aviary will be gorgeous once it is completed. Your parrots will love it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 I told my wife: my job is to get it functionally complete. Her job is to get it look'in purty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Stupid job, lol. That always happens! Looking good though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascastlat Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Very nice, I am impressed.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I know what it's like to be partly into a job and to regret ever starting it. Maybe it's just as well that work called and you got to put a little time and distance between you and it so that you could come back to it calm and focused. Good job figuring out what was wrong and fixing it. Love GreycieMae buttering you up with ILove You's while you worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Looking good! It'll be worth the time and aggravation when it's finished. That's what I always tell myself on my home projects at any rate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) Opening Day has arrived!!! I still have a lot of stuff to do to get the aviary fully functional but the birdys got to investigate. GreycieMae took a few minutes to warm up but she gave me the feather wag that lets me know she approved. Toby can't stay out of the dang dirt - didn't expect that. Rio did what Rio always does - "where's the food?". Tools are all over the dang place. We still need to bury dig wire and secure the bottoms. Right now the aviary is not where I would leave them in it unattended but we're only a day or so away. Wife has lots of plans to beautify the place with flower pots along the outside. Rye grass is growing inside and soon the dirt will be nothing but bright green. A special note about the door. I struggled for a while trying to figure out what to do and I didn't want some damn boring door. My wife came up with the BRILLIANT idea to use these screen door decorative irons we've had stored away for nearly 15 years. These door grates (for lack of a better name) were attached to the house that my maternal Granddad was born in, my mom was born in, and I lived in for a while. This house, we always called it "the old house" was well over 100 years old and sat on my mother's family homestead which I grew up on. This homestead was one of those homesteads that settlers went westward and staked their claim. My Grandmother had the homestead deed hanging on her wall that was signed by I can't remember what president. McKinley? Who knows. All I know is, my Granddad meant a hell of a lot to me and now I have these cool door irons on the aviary. 'B' was for Blancett, my mother's maiden name. Can't believe how good the door came out with the color (my wife's idea) and the silver hardware. I didn't even plan on it looking as good as it does. Pics don't seem to do it justice. Lots of work still to do to remove excess wire, bury dig wire, finish out the bottom boards but we're there now! Edited October 6, 2014 by SterlingSL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Very. very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Wow, very cool. Also, I'm jealous that your birdies are still outside. I had to turn the furnace on tonight. Brrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Yay! I've been wondering how you were doing with the aviary! What is along the bottom of the aviary and framing the door? Is it plaited or stained wood, or something else? Just curious for when we make ours:) I love the door, what a great idea to bring those out of storage and use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 The door is framed out in 3/4" x 4" x 8' WRC (western red cedar). I went thinner than standard 2x4 to try and shave weight. On both sides anchoring the door are 4"x4" WRC posts. They are mounted in concrete deck blocks which are just below ground. Along the ground are some pine 2x4s I had in storage for years waiting to find a use. The non-painted boards were there just to prevent an escapee. Those will dissappear when I get the dig-wire in place hopefully this week. All of it, base boards, gate, posts are stained in a semi-transparent all weather stain. Somehow it matches the color of the structure itself. The boards along the ground are in a channel of pea gravel to help keep them from rotting. Don't forget to see the GreycieMae in the middle pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 Found some more pics of move in day on my phone that wifey took... GreycieMae supervising securing the top rail hose clamps Excellent supervision: GreycieMae is pretty excited about her new digs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytness Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Amazing work, Sterling! Can I borrow you next to help us build ours? :-) GreycieMae has a smile on her face. And wow! I could never put my caique anywhere within the same vicinity as my other fids without him going postal on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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