Duck house....

Discussion in 'General foundry chat' started by Zapins, Sep 9, 2021.

  1. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    I got conscripted to build a duck house for my mother's two ducks.

    I salvaged pallet wood (7 large pallets - with her help) for enough wood to make it. Got left over insulation and some tar shingles somewhere to finish it off.

    Figured I'd share.

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    Here are the little buggers. They grow so fast
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    Last edited: Sep 9, 2021
    Tobho Mott, Petee716 and DavidF like this.
  2. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Lucky ducks. Breaking pallets is unglamorous work!

    Pete
     
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  3. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Oh yes took 2.5 to 3 hrs to break down the pallets and another approx 45 mins to use my angle grinder to cut off the heads of all the nails and screws. But free wood is free wood. I also spotted a very heavy duty oak pallet which I'm gonna go back tomorrow and break down. I will use it to make myself an out door couch.
     
  4. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Put on the shingles and then realized I need a drip guard... so I had to pull off all the shingles...

    Then I built the door today and spent most of the rest of the day going back and forth to lowes to buy things to finish the project.

    Wood finally came down in price. Close to before covid.

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  5. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Now to do the inside and roof then put it up for ducks...

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  6. bill

    bill Silver

    Now thats the best use of pallet wood i've seen. Great job.
     
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  7. GTS225

    GTS225 Silver

    WHAT!? No crescent moon cutout in the door(s)? :D;)
    Got a neighbor that built himself a storage shed in his backyard, using pallets for the basic framework. Did sheet it with OSB, and put on siding, though. Looks quite nice.

    Roger
     
    dtsh likes this.
  8. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Moons?

    An shed of pallets is a lot of breaking to do wow
     
  9. GTS225

    GTS225 Silver

    That was an attempt at humor, Zap. A little taller, and that would closely resemble a classic outhouse. Saltbox design, the whole bit.

    Roger
     
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  10. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Ooh. Before my time :)
     
  11. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Got the roof done.

    Just need to finish the plywood inside.
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  12. Peedee

    Peedee Silver

    Are they going to live in your shop because that must weigh a little bit by now! Nice job, free timber I applaud you.
     
  13. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Thank you! I'm hoping to finish it this weekend maybe before it gets cold here.
     
  14. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Made a door and finished inside. Looking into figuring out the door mechanism.

    I'd like some kind of lateral hinge so the door seats inside the frame and seals.

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  15. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Built the door. Will caulk and seal it in later with weather strips and linoleum to make it water proof and easy to clean.

    Also started work on an auto door opener so ducks can come out early in morning and we don't need to get out of bed. Should probably work fine to keep door closed and be unopenable by raccoons due to the worm gear motor I'll add.
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    I made it from cutting apart an old car jack I snagged from the scrap yard for a buck.
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    This is what it will look like when finished. Or at least how it will function.

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  16. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Finished up the inside. Just need to caulk the cracks and lay the linoleum down to make the inside water proof then finish up the auto door. Parts arrive Friday for automated opening door.

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  17. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    You are one heck of a dedicated duck dad.
     
  18. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Making it for my mother. She likes the ducks.
     
  19. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Finished all the little bits. Just need to paint and put linoleum floor. The automatic door is finished and painted and installed. Works well. Has limiter switches to stop over opening.

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  20. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    I ran into a bit of a technical problem. I need some help figuring it out.

    Basically the auto opener I have is wired to a timer that turns it on and opens the door. The door touches a lever switch when it opens all the way to where I want it. The problem is the switch then disconnects the power from the motor entirely and I cannot reverse the current and get the motor to turn the other way and close the door without manually removing the lever switch from being depressed.

    Is there any electrical way around this where I can use the lever switch to stop the motor but then can reverse the power to the motor and get it to go the other way?
     

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