Log birdhouse

I saved this small hollowed out log from the firewood pile years ago, (pretty sure it’s maple) and kept picking it up every so often wondering what I’d do with it. This past summer it hit me. The idea, not the log.

I made a jig to drill (used a hole saw to determine the size of the hole, and used a flush trim bit on the router to clean it up, and take it to depth to allow for the plug/door in front (also mahogany – leftover decking).

Then, I attached the log to a house shaped fir backer board, with a mahogany roof (for weather resistance!).

I started working on this last summer, roughed out the pieces, and finished prepping the log, but never got back to it until yesterday, where I spent a fun afternoon making the front wall, (quickly turned it to size on the lathe and cut out the hole with the drillpress, before finally putting it all together.

Now, I expect the birds should recognize this by the distinctive house shape, and move in fairly quickly. Surely they’d avoid a random hollow log hanging from a tree.