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#1
30th September 2008, 08:11 PM
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New Loft Using Existing StructureHi Gang,
New to the forum and back into racing homers after nearly a 30 year hiatus... Hope to show what can be done with an existing structure to save time, materials, and hopefully a few $$$... Keep-em-Flying, Dr.E 
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#2
30th September 2008, 09:27 PM
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Getting Started...Hi Gang...
I first got into racing pigeons while in Jr. High School some 50 years ago... After moving to Alaska, I put together a small loft with a few nice birds, but the climate was too severe, no one to race, too hard on the birds... I now find myself in the NW corner of GA and the pigeon bug, long dormant, has struck again... With an active racing group in the Chattanooga area, perhaps I can finally get a chance to fulfill my long ambition to race... I am fortunate to have a detached two car garage, "The Man Shed", on the back of the property with an overhang on both sides... I have chosen to use one of the eight 9'x9' bays on the sides to build a breeding loft... Other posts have asked about using an existing garage etc for a loft... My thought is that the fewer walls and roofs that you have to build, the easier and more cost efficient the project becomes... I built the base using 4x4 pressure treated timbers on the perimeter and 2x4 pressure treated studs for floor support... The studs are on 16" centers and have been filled with 4" insulation... Over the foundation is 1/4" stainless steel wire mesh to keep the critters from eating through the floor covered with 17/32" sub flooring... The following photo shows the start... More to follow... Keep-em-Flying, Dr.E  Last edited by DrElectron; 3rd October 2008 at 08:51 AM.
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#5
1st October 2008, 08:29 AM
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looks like a good start...can't wait to see the progress.....I thought we only had "man sheds" here in VA
 ...my hubby and his brother have those...lol...Yes ol' GA is a great place for the pigeons, glad you got the bug again.... alaska.....burrrrrrr 
__________________
 Dig in the dirt, breath deep, stop and smell the roses.... Louise Clements
Last edited by spirit wings; 1st October 2008 at 08:57 AM.
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#6
1st October 2008, 08:45 AM
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Let There Be WallsThanks Terry & Jay...
I wish I had a picture of my first loft... At age 12 and being a "City Boy", I was lucky to even know what a hammer was let alone how to use it... Standard lumber sizes, stud spacing, 4x8 sheets of plywood, all just things to be learned later in life... It was cobbled together using whatever bits and pieces I could find within bicycle range and drag home on my wagon... But in the end I had a 4' by 6' box with an attached screened in flight... Pigeons didn't seem to care what it looked like and they gave me several years of pleasure, then I discovered girls... Why the builder of the "Man Shed" used 9' spacing between the roof supports is a mystery to me but I am going to try and get my framing to accept full sheet sheathing except for a small fill piece on each wall that will all come out of one 4'x8' sheet and not leave any edges hanging out in space... Built my first wall on the floor, stood it up and nailed it in place... WhoooHooo !!! Progress... Dr.E    Last edited by DrElectron; 3rd October 2008 at 08:58 AM.
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#7
1st October 2008, 09:09 AM
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Oh, Lordy........I remember those days well..........I thought at one time we'd NEVER get through building walls.........
 Going to be a nice loft when you're done. Got any ideas on the nest boxes? I ask, because my husband just built some for a new fancier here, and they are pretty darn neat if I say so myself. It's all one piece and we're taking it over Sunday to just hang it on the wall. He usually used dowel rods for the doors but he tried to save this guy as much money as he could. Still turned out really neat and tidy.
__________________
 Renee www.lovebirdsloft.com It's FOOTBALL season again!! COWBOYS 8 - 4 It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. -Sydney Smith, writer and clergyman (1771-1845)
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#9
2nd October 2008, 07:41 AM
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Progress Continues...Hi Gang...
Lovebird, those are really nice nest boxes... Thanks for the picture as I have been pondering my nest box set up and it will really help... I have 12 nest box fronts waiting for their boxes... Oh boy, get to use more power tools... My next step was to build the forward wall and install two windows... I found three storm windows at Lowes on sale for $25 each... Glad I poked around as the vinyl windows were three times as much... Framed up the wall with the windows in place then removed them to keep from breaking them while raising the wall into position... Nailed her up, windows installed, and stood back to admire my handy work... My "Spousal Unit", being an artist, had the poor taste to point out that the windows weren't exactly straight... I had noticed this but figured the birds would not complain... Perhaps I will have to do something before closing her in... Keep-em-Flying, Dr.E.     Last edited by DrElectron; 3rd October 2008 at 09:02 AM.
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#10
4th October 2008, 10:58 PM
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Final Wall & WindowsHi Gang... Got the entry door hung and plumb then installed the final wall with window to complete the exterior framing...  The more I looked at the front windows the more they bugged me... Not only were they not straight, but standing in the loft my eyes were looking into the wall above the windows... So, out they came and with a few nips and tucks, they are now where they should be...  There will be a 3' x 3' screened in storage area inside the door with a safety door into the bird area... Time to put in the interior sheathing, nest boxes, and perches... Plan to use a non-porous tile on the floor for easier cleaning... I can almost hear them cooing already !!! Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated... Keep-em-Flying... Dr.E
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#11
5th October 2008, 07:14 AM
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 it all looks great but Im just curious why you didnt build it on the corner where you would have gotten two sides that could have let in more light ? other then that I wouldnt change a thing 
__________________
so many pigeons so little time 
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#12
5th October 2008, 08:45 AM
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Quote:
__________________
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass........It's about learning to dance in the rain.
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#13
5th October 2008, 09:14 AM
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I guess you are probably correct as I didnt really see the window down there lol , now it makes more sense
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so many pigeons so little time
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#14
5th October 2008, 10:10 AM
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Bay Choice...Hi Gang... Jay 3 has it pretty much correct... I chose the sunnier side of the garage for my initial choice... The back bay would not only block a window, it would place the loft rear wall against an apartment wall... The front bay would have blocked the entrance into the garage... So, one bay back will allow for a nice covered entryway to both loft and garage... This leaves me one more bay on the sunny side for future expansion of another 9' x 9' loft... My screened flight will be on the front to give the birds full access to the sun... This loft will be for breeding stock that can't be allowed to fly having been acquired from other racers... My racing loft will be constructed at the end of our lake on the dam next to what we refer to as "The Boathouse"...  This will give them a large open shot to their landing board... We are in the woods so some thought has to go into our loft locations... Keep-em-Flying... Dr.E
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#15
5th October 2008, 10:41 AM
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What a beautiful area. I can just picture your birds, flying over a nice little loft, built right there with the beauty of nature surrounding it. That is a beautiful spot. When you do that, we all want to see the photos.
__________________
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass........It's about learning to dance in the rain.
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