Starting my Mews.

[Sighthound]

I started to clear the ground for my mews last weekend.
I'll post my progress as I go along.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/clearing.jpg
No plums this year as I had to cut down the tree!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/Picture010.jpg
Final area will be 12x10ft, 8ft high. With a covered walkway into a 6x4 shed for weighing etc.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/Picture013.jpg
Next step is to lay a concrete base.
I've a week off at the end of April to construct the actual mews. I'll keep posting as I go along. Feel free to comment, especially Varmint as I'll hopefully be collecting a MHH from him in mid-September.

[Hawkmaster]

Good man, keep it up we'd love to see the progress!

[Goldie]

Hi sighthound, is this going to be your first bird/mews ?
reason I ask is that very often people don't take the direction of the sun into account with their first mews (been there done it :lol: ).
good luck with the project.

[Varmint]

This is a valid point Goldie! but in my experience, most people are forced to construct in small gardens that pander to the other half's wishes and general cosmetic appeal.

With this fact in mind, the correct design, such as a skylight, window system which allows for light and shade in any event of sun direction?

[Sighthound]

Hi Goldie,

Yep it will be my first bird. I'm lucky in that I have a reasonably sized garden (120ft long) However as Adrian quite rightly points out we have to 'pander' to the other half...lol.
I've been in this house less than a year and one of the first things I did was construct my kennels I've partitioned the top half with a bamboo screen and gate and it's all mine! 40ft's worth! The bottom half being the sunbathing area, free of dogs and full of girlie things! I just thought however that I only got a third......women.
As for sun, well I did take that into account the area will receive full sunlight from mid-morning onwards and is out of the prevailing wind. As a third of the mews roof will be open, this should give the HH time to sit in or out of the sun.
Thanks for the input.

[Goldie]

Your welcome :)

[Sighthound]

Leveled and firmed the ground today and put shuttering up.
Now need to lay polythene over the ground and wait for my mate to 'divert' two cube of readymix from a building site he is working on nearby :shock: .
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/Picture019.jpg
Spaniel and whippet inspecting the work!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/Picture029.jpg

[Sighthound]

Layed the concrete base today. (12 x10ft)
4 inches of mix on top of a polythene membrane.
Can't see it in the pics but slight slope into trench I've dug for drainage pipes.
Sorry about the quality of the pics :oops:
I'll remove the shuttering tomorrow and trim the polythene.
Next step is in 4 weeks time when I am off for a week and will actually construct the mews
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/concret.jpg
Thought I'd also post a running cost.
1 and 3/4 tonne of ballast and cement £76
Mixer hire £14
Polythene £7.99
all the rest eg shuttering etc were just scraps I had.
Oh and thanks to my pal who helped me barrow the ballast to the end of the garden-cost=numerous cups of tea!

[Bubo]

first steps nicey done!! cant wait to see more.

[Sighthound]

Well I'm off work all next week :D :D :D
Timber arrived last week.....£340 :shock: :shock:
Weather forecast poor :cry:
I'll keep you posted on my progress

[IAmTheWeasel]

Is there such a thing as a good forcast in Scotland? :lol:

[BrianM]

of course there is weasle... sometimes the rain just comes straight down.. and not horizontal

[Gary.B]

Good work! We're at about the same stage of construction of our mews, what the rest going to be like? I'm still looking for ideas, the design in my head changes by the day. I think I might go for covered roof with translucent section and open window ( with bars).

[Jiff]

i'm getting envious of these "this is my new mew" topics, i realy enjoyed the planning,anticipation and finaly the construction of my mew, it realy was one of the moments of my life to see it all come together and then have an inmate,best of luck mate and hope you enjoy it as much as i did. :wink:

[Sighthound]

Finally got down to the 'fun' part.
3 sides completed, 3/4 inch tongue and groove on 2x2. I must admit 12x10x8ft looks BIG when its up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/PICustom.jpg
Tongue and groove will be treated once up, 2x2 already is.
Wood kept of ground by plastic spacers to prevent damp etc.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/PICT0003Custom.jpg
Project cut short by visitors and got 'summoned', into the house :cry:

[Shaun Byrne]

Is it tongue and gtoove you're using or shiplap?

Hope its shiplap as its shaped to prevent water running into the joint. If its T&G it will rot on the joints as it is really only meant for indoors or sheltered walls.

[Natch]

:oops:

[Shaun Byrne]

:D

[Sighthound]

:shock: Don't worry H4wka it is shiplap :roll: bought it from sawmill that also builds and sells sheds, pigeon lofts, kennels etc, good price also, much cheaper than B&Q, Wickes etc.

[Shaun Byrne]

Wasn't being picky mate. Its just that I saw a big aviary last week that was built last summer from T&G floorboarding. Although it was given 3 coats of quality preserver it rotted on about the first 10 boards from the ground due to the joints.

I'm giving him a hand next weekend to replace the rotten boards and overclad the whole thing in shiplap.

Keep the pics coming mate.

[Shaun Byrne]

If anyone else is using shiplap, a good thing to bear in mind is to paint the Tongue and the groove before you fit it. The joint is always the first place to rot and if you paint it afterwards the preserver wont get in.

[Sighthound]

....didn't think you were being picky mate, as I said I appreciate any advice.
One thing though I have not painted the T&G before assembly :oops: Was going to give 3or 4 coats of preservative on the outside and use a good quality white paint on the inside.

[Shaun Byrne]

....didn't think you were being picky mate, as I said I appreciate any advice.
One thing though I have not painted the T&G before assembly :oops: Was going to give 3or 4 coats of preservative on the outside and use a good quality white paint on the inside.

Thats sound mate, although if you paint or even glue the joints it will prolong the life of your mews. You might find that the wood was already treated if you got it from a trade supplier.

[GriffMJ]

More pics of the Whippet please :)

[Sighthound]

I'll see what I can find Griff.
I only have the whippet and spaniel now :cry:
My lurcher broke her wrist last year and I made the decision to replace her with the spaniel, I've worked lurchers since I was 14 and miss them. The whippet is laguna bred though and gives some good sport.
As for the mews progress.....rained off :cry: :cry:.
power tools and rain don't mix :wink:

[ScarletFever]

I dunno........... I was rained off, I was well bloody chuffed :D

[Falconry Equipment International]

Leveled and firmed the ground today and put shuttering up.
Now need to lay polythene over the ground and wait for my mate to 'divert' two cube of readymix from a building site he is working on nearby :shock: .
Spaniel and whippet inspecting the work!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/Picture029.jpg
Impressive start, thos I bet the dogs christened yoour mews bfore laying the concrete :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Sighthound]

Well it was actually sunny and dry in Scotland today :shock: so I got cracking on my chamber.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/wed1Custom.jpg
3 sides now complete, framing for 4th side also complete. I'm waiting for a couple of my mates to come round now to help lift and screw it all together. Door will lead to a covered walkway into weighing, equipment room (shed!) thus giving a double door.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/wedCustom.jpg
Managed to get four coats of preservative on also :D
Fingers crossed it all screws together straight :oops:

[Sighthound]

It all fitted together :D :D :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/up1Custom.jpg
Thank F**ck
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/upCustom.jpg
Roof tomorrow :roll:

[Gary.B]

Looking good, what you doing with the roof?

[Hawkmaster]

Damn! That is looking GOOD!

[Sighthound]

Well another sunny day 8)
I got the roof up today
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/roofCustom.jpg
By the way thats not the height of the door (8ft).
I'll finish the door then put the T&G above it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/roof2Custom.jpg
Roof is 5 inches at the back sloping down to 2 inches at the front, thats a 3 inch drop over 6 1/2 feet.
Used 3x2 for the extra support.
The roof over hangs the sides by a couple of inches and a fillet will be put on the top so rainwater will not go over the sides (except the one with the gutter of course) and my mate is going to burn some felt on at the weekend, saves having to tack it and gives a much better finish.
Last day of my hols tomorrow :cry:

[Hawkmaster]

It will be good enough for you to live in at that rate, good stuff! :lol:

[Sighthound]

Got the front on today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/friCustom.jpg
View from the top.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/fri2Custom.jpg
Still got the twi-weld roof to do, the door. finish the preservative, paint the inside, burn the felt on and finish the walkway into the weighing room.....sh**t I need another week off :shock:

[BrianM]

sighthound,, cant you feel the flu coming on ,, after all tis the season,,,,,,,,lol

[Hawker29]

looks like it'll be a crackin aviary :wink:

[Sighthound]

Just a quick update.
Now at the finishing off stage, 3 coats of preservative on the outside is on and I'm on the third coat of white gloss on the inside, not the best job painting 'brilliant white' gloss on a sunny day. I think I have snow blindness :shock:
Cost has crept up and with paint, hinges etc is now about £525.
Just need to buy and fix in the bars and fit a food chute in.
Perches will be fitted once the HH is able to be free lofted.
Will put some pics up tonight.

[Miguel Gomez]

that sounds and looks really good there. well done

[Sighthound]

As promised, sorry about the pics but the sun was in the way, yes it is sunny sometimes in Scotland :wink:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/sun3Custom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/sun4Custom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/sunCustom.jpg

[Shaun Byrne]

Nice one mate, looks quality!!

[Miguel Gomez]

very grand! well done

[Jastreb]

WOOOOOOOW MAN :prayer: :prayer: :prayer: :prayer: !

[Sighthound]

Well after a wee break I finally got round to adding the bars. :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/fin-sun2Custom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/fin-sunCustom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/fin-sun3Custom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/fin-sun4Custom.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Sighthound/finsun5Custom.jpg
I used Varmint's idea of the Wickes plastic pipe, quite expensive though, £75 :shock:
I still have to connect the chamber (Varmint tells me off when I call it a Mews! :wink: ) to my weighing room. This will give me a double entry door, add a food chute, and put gravel on the floor, but I'm slowly getting there.
As for my bird, I've met the parents, and seen their eggs :lol:

[Finnish]

Are you sure your building a aviary and not some where for you to hide out. :wink: That is looking good.

[Bubo]

that does look very nice well done

[Sighthound]

LOL @Finnish.
Why would I need to build it for that reason 8)
I already have my kennels with radio, phone, fridge and freezer....and I'm not joking :D

[Sighthound]

Any ideas about food chutes? , eg height, etc, was going to use guttering pipe. Also I've noticed many folk don't incorporate chutes, are they necessary?

[Finnish]

I have used 4" soil pipe bends for my food chutes mate easy to put food in and easy to clean.