Pole for Offset Bird Feeder

[Don52]

My friend and customer Chuck wanted a sturdy pole to hold a bird feeder bracket. The problem is that for some reason the arm of the bracket was three feet long, so it would apply a moment load to the pole. The other problem is that he wanted to mount the bracket 6-1/2 feet high so that people could walk under the bracket without hitting it. The first step was to make a SolidWorks model of the pole.

1. Concept Model


I find that my mister is great for keeping the part cool while taking heavy cuts.

2. Mister to keep part cool


I needed to cut a slot in the pole. To fit the pole in the room where my milling machine is located I had to rotate the waist of the Bridgeport and extend the ram as shown below.

3. Offset waist of Bridgeport


4. Slot milled


I used my lathe to chamfer the end of the pipe. I know that the chamfer doesn’t require the accuracy provided by the lathe, but I have a lathe and this is a very fast operation.

5. End chamfered

[Don52]

6. Loose parts are made


7. Tack welded the tap plate


8. Tap plate welded out


9. Tip welded to tube


10. Cross plate welded

[Don52]

11. Tip painted


12. Cross plate painted


13. Cap installed on end


14. All done

[Shootr]

That's just beautiful. I really enjoy posts like this. As a fledgling wannabe weekend warrior, these give me goals to shoot for. Also reminders that just because something seems simple it doesn't mean I should take any shortcuts or not go 100% to make it well.

[SlowBlues]

Awesome.

I would have had to try it out as a javelin before painting...

[acourtjester]

Watch out for the squirrels, little buggers are always swinging off my wife's feeder trying to ge in.

[Don52]

My friend and customer Chuck sent me a picture of the installed bird feeder. I still am not sure why he required a three foot cantilevered bracket to support the bird feeder, but his wife is thrilled with it.

15. feeder installed


-Don

[VaughnT]

Very nice work. The only thing I'd suggest to help keep the squirrels at bay would be attaching a Slinky at the top of the pole. Of course, with the red trellis there, squirrels could just use it as a launching platform.

[Broccoli1]

My friend and customer Chuck sent me a picture of the installed bird feeder. I still am not sure why he required a three foot cantilevered bracket to support the bird feeder, but his wife is thrilled with it.

15. feeder installed


-Don

Looks like they wanted it to hang out over the flow bed.

[smithdoor]

Looks great hard for a cat to climb too.

Dave

My friend and customer Chuck wanted a sturdy pole to hold a bird feeder bracket. The problem is that for some reason the arm of the bracket was three feet long, so it would apply a moment load to the pole. The other problem is that he wanted to mount the bracket 6-1/2 feet high so that people could walk under the bracket without hitting it. The first step was to make a SolidWorks model of the pole.

1. Concept Model


I find that my mister is great for keeping the part cool while taking heavy cuts.

2. Mister to keep part cool


I needed to cut a slot in the pole. To fit the pole in the room where my milling machine is located I had to rotate the waist of the Bridgeport and extend the ram as shown below.

3. Offset waist of Bridgeport


4. Slot milled


I used my lathe to chamfer the end of the pipe. I know that the chamfer doesn’t require the accuracy provided by the lathe, but I have a lathe and this is a very fast operation.

5. End chamfered

[Don52]

Very nice work. The only thing I'd suggest to help keep the squirrels at bay would be attaching a Slinky at the top of the pole. Of course, with the red trellis there, squirrels could just use it as a launching platform.

Or a squirrel ladder.

-Don

[Don52]

Looks like they wanted it to hang out over the flow bed.

I was thinking that if they put the pole in the flower bed, they could have used a shorter cantilevered bracket. I know that Chuck’s wife bought the bracket first. He is a wise man to request a sturdy bracket that allowed him to use the bracket as it is.

-Don

[Don52]

Looks great hard for a cat to climb too.

Dave

Thanks, I bet the clever squirrels will eventually figure out a way to climb the red trellis.

-Don

[smithdoor]

I know the squirrel will make it pole with dog pushing the squirrel up the pole.

Dave

Thanks, I bet the clever squirrels will eventually figure out a way to climb the red trellis.

-Don

[scsmith42]

Nicely done!