AVIARY.
The outside dimensions of the rustic aviary shown by Figs. 111 and 112
are--length, 3 ft. 2 in.; width, 1 ft. 6 in.; height, 1 ft. 10 in.
Hazel sticks, with the bark on, should be used, the straightest
obtainable being best for the frame; if at all crooked or bent, the
sticks can be straightened by steaming, or, if not too dry, by the heat
of a spirit lamp.
Four uprights, 1 ft. 5-1/2 in. by 5/8 in., are first cut; then six
rails, 1/2 in. thick, are made, with the ends shaped as shown in Fig.
113, to fit the uprights, measuring 2 ft. 10 in. inside the hollow ends
when finished. Four of these should be laid on the bench side by side,
and marked with a pair of compasses for the wires, which are 5/8 in.
apart. They are then drilled, the holes being bored right through the
two sticks for the top rails, but only half through the bottom rails. If
the stuff is not too hard, the holes may be pierced with a
well-sharpened brad awl.
The uprights are now secured to the rails with 2-in. wire nails, driven
so as to avoid the holes (see Fig. 114), and glue is applied at the
joints. The bottom rail is flush with the lower ends, the next one being
placed 1-1/2 in. above it; the third is 1/4 in. from the top ends. These
form the front and back frames, and should be quite square and out of
winding. The rails for the ends, also six in number, measure 1 ft. 3
in., and are bored and fixed to the uprights to correspond with the
others in exactly the same way.
[Illustration: Fig. 111.--Front Elevation of Aviary.]
The two rails supporting the tree perches are placed about 7 in. from
the ends. Before they are fixed, however, the tree perches must be
arranged. These should be cut from the limb of a leafless tree, in
winter, in order to retain the bark. Suitable pieces may be prepared by
cutting off badly placed twigs and fixing them where required. They are
then put on the perch rails, employing the same joint as the rails and
upright, but securing with a strong screw.
[Illustration: Fig. 112.--End Elevation of Aviary.]
[Illustration: Figs. 113 and 114.--Details of Joint of Rails and Uprights
for Aviary.]
When all is ready, the perches are fixed in the framework (see Figs. 115
and 116), and narrow strips of 1/4-in. board are fitted between the
lower rails of the back and ends, to be faced with split stuff, put on
diagonally as shown in Figs. 111 and 112. The best plan would be to take
a sufficient quantity of material to the nearest sawmill to be divided
by a circular or band saw; the material must be free from grit, or
objections will be raised against cutting it.
A stain, made by thinning down brunswick black with turps, should be at
hand to stain the wood before fixing on the split stuff, which is
secured with fine panel pins.
[Illustration: Fig. 115.--Part Sectional Plan of Aviary.]
The wood bottom is 3 ft. 1-1/2 in. by 1 ft. 5-1/2 in. by 3/8 in.; it is
planed both sides, and secured in place with screws. The top side is
treated round the margin, as shown in Fig. 115, and the under side as
shown in Fig. 117. The centre of the design of the under side, covering
a space of 2 ft. 3 in. by 8 in., is worked first; it is worked from the
centre outwards, each strip being mitred as shown. The marginal strips
are pieces of split cut slanting at the ends where they fit other
pieces, and flush with the edge of the wood bottom, which is surrounded
with the same stuff.
[Illustration: Fig. 116.--Cross Section of Aviary.]
[Illustration: Fig. 117.--Half Under View of Bottom of Aviary.]
[Illustration: Fig. 118.--Construction of Door Wires for Aviary.]
The wiring is all straightforward work. The wires are passed through the
top rails to those below and clipped off level at the top. Six
feeding-holes are required, one in the centre at each end, and two at
the back and front close to the perches. The top ends of these wires are
pushed up through the rails; the circular ends are slightly sunk and
fixed with small staples. Six wires are omitted from the middle of the
front to allow for the door. The cross-wires, which should be of a
stronger gauge, are then put in. In the back and ends it is immaterial
whether they are put inside or out, but at the front they must be
inside. The six wires above the door are inserted in twos, being
returned in the same manner as the lower ends of the door wires (see
Fig. 118), and soldered to the cross-wire, which is afterwards bound to
the others with thin pliable coil wire. In making the sliding door, the
returned ends of the wires are soldered to the base wire inside, so that
the ends may fit round the wires of the doorway; the top ends fit round
those above the cross-wire, and when the door is in place a scroll-piece
is soldered on outside (see Fig. 111).
[Illustration: Fig. 119.--Part Longitudinal Section of Aviary.]
Eight corner-pieces of the split stuff are put on close against the
wires, being secured to the uprights and rails with pins. Two pieces of
1/4-in. board are next got out for the top, measuring 2 ft. 10 in.
long, 4 in. across the centre, and slanting at the upper edge to 1/4 in.
at the ends. The design is worked on these in split, the boards being
kept in place with pins driven through the top rails, and the back and
front connected at the top point by a length of wood of 2-in. by 1-in.
section (see Fig. 119). The roof-pieces, 1 ft. 5-1/2 in. by 1 ft. 7-1/4
in. by 1/4 in., are nailed on and covered with split stuff, as shown by
Fig. 120.
[Illustration: Fig. 120.--Half Plan of Aviary Roof.]
A sliding bottom or tray is required for cleaning purposes; this is of
1/4-in. board, and is nailed to the strip that fits between the rails in
front; other strips about 1 in. wide are nailed on the upper side at the
extreme ends and back edge to form a tray for the sand, runners being
put in against the lower end rails. The front strip is treated with the
split, and to draw out the tray, the door may be slightly raised to
admit the fingers to push it forward from the inside. Two additional
perches put across from the wires, and fixed with staples, give strength
to the front and back.
The aviary is now gone over with fine glass-paper, all white places
being touched up with the stain and nicely varnished, with the exception
of the perches. The aviary will stand on a table, but may be hung from
the ceiling if desired. For hanging purposes, four screw-eyes are put in
the top, two on the ridge, about 3 in. from the front and back, and one
towards each end, placed midway to catch the rails. The four ceiling
hooks should screw into the joists, the aviary being suspended with
chains.