Building Secret 'drinking' Nest Box

by ruudslaats in Workshop > Woodworking

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Building Secret 'drinking' Nest Box

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Do you want to surprise your friends? This is a nice nest box you want to have near you on the terrace, because it isn't what it looks like. Is it really a nest box..... or is it a secret 'drinking' box? Nice as a give away!

What do you need:

materials:
Deal-wood (16mm thick), sawed in the following sizes:
1x 40cm x 13.5cm (rear)
2x 30 cm x 13.5 cm (sides)
1x 25 cm x 13.5 cm (top)
2x 15 cm x 13.5 cm (front)
1x 10.5 cm x 13.5 cm (bottom) (not on the image)

1x 10 x 12 mm (diameter) stick
2x piano hinge (13 cm)

12x 3.5 mm x 35 mm screws
5x 3.0 mm x 20 mm screws

2x shot glasses (bottom 35 mm diameter)
tape
liquor bottles

Tools:
saw
hacksaw
hole saw (35 mm)
drill (3mm)
drill (min. 5 mm) or a countersink
drill (12mm) 
wood Glue
pencil
waterproof marker
pillar drill
chisel
file
screwdriver
piercer
tape measure
cordless drill
dremel

Saw the Planks in the Right Sizes

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Saw the deal-wood board into the following pieces:

1x 40cm x 13.5cm (rear)
2x 30 cm x 13.5 cm (sides)
1x 25 cm x 13.5 cm (top)
2x 15 cm x 13.5 cm (front)
1x 10.5 cm x 13.5 cm (bottom) (not on the image)

Create the Front Top

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In the front top, drill a hole (35mm) with the hole saw.
Position of the hole: 6 cm from the top, 6,75 cm from left or right (the middle)

Beneath that hole, make a pit.
Please remove the drill center from the hole saw. This is important because we don't want to drill a hole. 
Put the hole saw into a pillar drill and saw like 8 mm deep.
Remove the inner with a chisel.
If doesn't matter if you put a shot glass in and it falls out. See step 7 for a solution for that.



Create the Front Bottum

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Connect the two front pieces.
Saw the piano hinge in a length of 13 cm with a hacksaw.
Use a countersink or a drill of 5 mm on the piano hinge to ensure the screws won't stick out.

Put the piano hinge onto the boards. Use a piercer on it and screw it using the 3.0 mm x 20 mm screws.
Make sure the piano hinge opens on the right side. The top should flip forward. 
Drill a pit from 8 mm deep with the 12 mm drill on top of the front board bottom. 
Put some wood glue in the pit. 
In the pit you should put a 10 cm long stick (12 mm diameter).
 

Screw the Box

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Now it's time to complete the box.
Before you screw it, you should drill holes (3 mm drill) so the wood won't split.
Use the 3.5 mm x 35 mm screws.

The rear board protrudes a bit. This is deliberately so you can attach the box. 
Don't use any screws on the top front board. This should freely move forward.

Create the Top

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The upper sides should also have a piano hinge attached. This is necessary because there is also a cover here.
Install the hinge the same way as you did on the first piano hinge.

Create an Unique Text

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To pimp the nest box you can put some ambiguous bird name on it.
In Dutch you can put "pimpelmees" or "buizerd" on it.
In English you can put some birds names on it, that are related to the liquor inside.

First write it with a pencil. So you can fit it the right size.
Next use a waterproof marker on it.
Use a dremel to make some emboss in it. You can colour it with a waterproof marker, or use solder iron to darken it.

Finishing Touch

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If the shot glass doesn't fit well, you can put some tape around it. The glass will fit much better.
Place one extra glass behind the first one in the hole. Now you can drink with your best friend.
Place one or more bottles of liquor in the nest box and attach the whole thing at a nice place close to the terrace.
Have fun and surprise your friends!