Woodworker's Central Woodworker's Gazette Gazette Archive 6/11/98

Book Review: By Bob Taylor Title: Bird Boxes and Feeders for the Garden Author: Dave MacKenzie Publisher: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XU Available through: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 387 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016-8810 Dave MacKenzie has created a book unlike the typical bird feeder and bird houses making books. It is loaded with 21 different projects ranging from simple nesting boxes to a garden aviary (had to read the book to find out what that was). The projects are broken down into categories i.e. Town Gardens, Suburban Gardens, Country Gardens, Gardens near Ponds or Lakes, DomesticAnimals and Birds and Small Mammals. No matter where you live, you can find unique projects for you to attract a variety of birds and animals. Several early chapters are devoted to materials, tools and techniques, environment and food. Each project contains color photos and drawings as well as a cutting list in both standard and metric. The drawings are not referenced to the cutting list, but they are straight forward and easy to follow. He presents a good step by step instruction description as well. Among the projects included are some a little more challenging to the average woodworker. A wooden birdbath, duck and waddler decoys expose you to the area of carving. This is a book that will be both fun and educational no matter where you live or how many projects you might want to try. Bob Taylor