[TN-Bird] [Fwd: To varnish or not to varnish, that is the question!]
- From: Raincrow <raincrow@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: TNbird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 09:22:07 -0500
Ann
I am an anti-paint person because, if the pigments and solvents in many
paints can be unhealthful for adult humans, they must be truly awful for
a 0.3-oz bird and its reproductive cycle. Western cedar should stand up
quite well with no finish at all, although it will weather to a dull
gray; my favorite bird feeder is made from Western cedar and it has been
outside, unfinished, for 8 years (of course, its twin split into pieces
in its first year, so durability is in part due to the soundness of the
wood). If you want to finish it, though, stick to light-colored,
water-soluble paints or stains (I'd go matte instead of gloss), and
allow the finished product to sun-cure for several days until it has
absolutely no odor. Avoid oil-based paints or varnishes because the
organic solvents and other components used in them can cause all sorts
of harm to mucous membranes, liver, etc. Perhaps one of our
ornithological folks has more definitive data and product suggestions.
(I wonder if you could rub the outside of the box with something like
olive oil to encourage it to shed water?? This is absolutely off the top
of my head; I have no clue how well it would or wouldn't work, but I
don't think sun-oxidized olive oil would be toxic to bluebirds.)
Liz Singley
Kingston TN
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [TN-Bird] To varnish or not to varnish, that is the question!
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 22:28:59 EST
From: Tallentad@xxxxxxx
Reply-To: Tallentad@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I bought a new bluebird box. It is made of western cedar. I wondered if
I
should just put it out as is, or if I could put a coat of varnish or
Linseed oil
to help protect it from the elements. I don't want to put any thing on
the
box, if the chemicals in the substance could harm the birds in anyway. I
would
appreciate it if anyone can give me an answer.
Thanks and Happy Birding!
By the way, my Rufous Hummingbird is still here in my backyard!
Ann Tallent
Maryville, TN
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=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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