How to Build a Copper Bird Feeder Pole

Decide on the height. The starting point is deciding how tall you want the structure so you will know how much pipe is needed. A good size is a pole that is about 8 feet (2.4 m) tall so the feeders hang at between 5 and 7 feet from the ground.

In addition to the 8 feet (2.4 m) above ground, you will also need about 2 feet (0.6 m) of pipe to drive into the ground; this is the support for the structure and also allows the above ground section to be removed and modified, or swiveled if you like. Try using a hammer and block of wood to hammer the 2 foot (0.6 m) section into the ground about 1.5 feet (0.5 m) deep. The wood is used so you do not hit the pipe directly with the hammer which would bend the pipe.

Solder a simple coupler (sleeve) once the pipe is driven to an adequate depth, over the end of the pipe so the upper half of the structure can slide in and out of the coupler as needed and be supported by the pipe in the ground.

Decide how many "limbs" you want. (Remember that the more limbs, the more breaks you need in the main pole which will create more movement at the top. You also want to try to equalize the weight distribution of the feeders to each side of the pole so it does not lean over time.) You can decide to have three limbs, two at about 7 feet (2.1 m) and then another off the very top. From this point, you simply cut the main pipe at the height you want the first limb and attach a "T" fitting so you have the ability to add another pipe perpendicular to the main pole. Then add another length of pipe into the "T" fitting that will extend the main pole to the height of the second limb and repeat as desired.

Prepare and add the actual limbs that you will hang the feeders or houses on. The further out you want your feeders hung, the less weight the pipe will bear. This image shows somebody using 1" copper pipe which seems to be holding the weight well but it is a soft metal and will kink easily so it is not suggested making the limbs more than 12 or 18 inches (30.5 or 45.7 cm) long. A good idea is to find a way to secure the feeders in such a way that they could spin easily for a different look and could be removed for cleaning and filling. The easiest way some would think to do this was to drill a hole in the bottom of each arm about an inch from the end. A hole is drilled large enough for a deck nail shaft to fit but not the head. Taking a pair of vice grips, the nails are bent so the pointed end acts as a hook which can be fed through the inside of the hole drilled in the pipe so the nail hook is suspended by its head and can spin freely.