How to easily make your own DIY bird feeder pole from an inexpensive piece of EMT pipe.
I’ve wanted a bird feeder for our back deck ever since we moved into the cottage so I could do some bird watching.
The hubs wasn’t interested in having one (he didn’t want to spend $$ on a feeder and food).
So, instead of waiting for him to change his mind, I went out and got supplies myself.
Although I haven’t worked with concrete before, I would like the pole to be detachable so I can remove it when necessary. Is it possible to simply obtain a PVC tube that is marginally bigger than the pole, embed it in the concrete, and then simply slide the pole into the tube? Does this type of arrangement present any issues?
Supplies to make a bird feeder pole for under $5
The bird feeder and all of my other supplies were easily found at the hardware store but I wasn’t crazy about the bird feeder poles that they offered.
They were all more expensive than I wanted to pay, and they were all rather brief and skimpy.
It took me a few seconds to realize that I needed to look around for something different so I could make my own pole for less money.
It didn’t take long to find exactly what I needed in the electrical section, a 10′ piece of ¾” EMT conduit.
It cost less than $5, so I could use it to make the ideal do-it-yourself bird feeder pole.
One issue though, was that the conduit was straight and I needed a bend in it so I could hang my bird feeder.
No problem. You can easily do this with a conduit bender.
Once I was home with my new bird feeder and pole, I quickly got to work hanging it.
First I drilled a hole in the curved end for my hook.
I then drilled a hole in the deck railing using a spade bit, big enough to accommodate the pipe.
I snaked my conduit, or feeder pole, into the hole and added 2 screws at the bottom to secure it to the deck.
I hung the hook in the hole I drilled at the end of the conduit, and hung the filled bird feeder on that.
Easy peasy…and less money than a regular bird feeder pole.
My bird feeder would not only provide food for my feathered friends, but it would also allow me to get up close and personal with them just outside our window.
I was concerned that the birds would want to approach the house so closely, but I had a guest when I returned to the yard after putting my tools away.
Less than 5 minutes after it was up!
Observing and attempting to identify the various birds that come to visit is something I truly enjoy. Roger, as I anticipated, has been having fun with it as well.
And then there were squirrels…
The squirrels quickly began to call, so we hurried to come up with a plan.
After three attempts, we managed to deter the squirrels from scaling the bird feeder pole.
My feathered friends can now eat without interruption and without having to deal with those annoying squirrels.
FAQ
How deep should a bird feeder post be?
How to build a bird feeder station?
How do you stabilize a bird feeder pole?