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Here’s a quick tutorial for a simple squirrel feeder that you can mount to a tree. If you’re a DIY enthusiast, this basic feeder design is an easy project to tackle, and very rewarding once your resident squirrels start to frequent their new food source.
This project is great because all you need is some scrap wood. I recommend using cedar due to its durability outdoors. Currently, all I have lying around is pine, which will do fine for the purposes of photography in this article. We’re actually going to build three feeders in this tutorial.
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Tools, Supplies, and PPE
I’ve linked to several different retailers below for your convenience. I encourage you to shop around as I’ve found that each item may sell for less at a different retailer.
Tools
DEWALT 12″ Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw
DEWALT Rolling Miter Saw Stand
DEWALT 10″ Table Saw With Rolling Stand
DEWALT Atomic Cordless Drill
DEWALT Random Orbital Sander
DEWALT Tape Measure
Carpenter Pencil
Supplies
Power Pro 2 1/2″ Wood Screws
Gorilla Wood Glue
Gator 120 Grit Sanding Discs
Gator 220 Grit Sanding Discs
Scrap Piece of Wood 12″ x 12″
Personal Protective Equipment
Firm Grip Dura-Knit Gloves
RZ Mask Dust Mask
- Amazon
- Northern Tool
- RZMask.com – Use promo code DIYDAD10 to get 10% off*
3M Safety Glasses
3M Earmuff
Related Article: PPE: DIYers Should Use Personal Protective Equipment
*Cannot be combined with other promo codes. Can only be used one time, per person.
Squirrel Feeder Tutorial
As you can see in Photo 1 above, I’m starting out with a scrap piece of 6’L x 12″W x 3/4″ thick board. You can make your squirrel feeder as large or as small as you want. In this tutorial, we’re going to make ours 3 1/2″ wide x 9″ long.
First, cut off a 9″ long section from your piece of scrap board. Then, with your table saw, rip this section of board into three 3 1/2″ wide pieces. (Photo 2)
You can leave your three boards purely rectangle-shaped, or add a bit of design like I did. Simply make 45-degree angle cuts on each corner, as shown in Photo 3.
For the squirrel feeder platforms, cut off a 3 1/4″ section from your original scrap of wood, then rip it into three 3 1/4″ square pieces. Then make the same 45-degree angle cuts on one end of the square pieces. (Photo 4)
Sanding and Building Your Squirrel Feeder
At this point, we’re finished with the saws, so before we join the feeder platform to the back, now’s a great time to sand all the wood pieces with a hand sander, if you want a nice-looking, smooth finish.
I mount the feeder platforms two inches above the bottom of the back piece. Place the feeder platform on the back piece, then drill two holes from behind the back piece into the platform. Make sure the drill bit is going in straight. Use a drill bit that is smaller in diameter than the screw itself.
Add a small bead of wood glue to the back of the feeder platform. Then re-position the platform back where it was against the back piece, and screw in your exterior screws into place. Be careful not to over-tighten the screws.
Finally, drill a hole in the center of the feeder platform, and insert a screw from the bottom. This screw is how you’ll mount your corn cobs. Then drill a hole in the top and the bottom of the back piece, for the screws that will fasten the feeder to the tree. (Photo 5)
Time To Mount Your Squirrel Feeder!
Now all that’s left is to mount your feeders and add corn cobs! Photo 6 shows how the finished feeders should look. Again, be careful not to over-tighten the screws when mounting the feeders.
From start to finish, it took me about 30 minutes to build these three feeders. Quick, easy, and rewarding for the whole family, and for your squirrel friends!
Do you plan to make you some squirrel feeders? I’d love to hear about your plans in the comments below!
