# My new loft



## Zippy

Hi everybody, just wanted to post a video of the pigeon loft I just built. I started on January 1st 2012 and made this vIdeo just a few days ago. I was wondering how many sections everyone would recommend. I built the loft 8x12 so I guess it makes sense to make 3 sections 4 x 8 each. I did plan on that as can be seen by the windows but I was wondering if it might be best to make it 2 sections with a 7 x 3 hall behind. I plan on raising Portuguese Tumblers. Thanks in advance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvV_2OLukA


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## polo963

good job! I wish I nearly as talented


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## Zippy

Thanks, It was fun to take on a new project. This was a gift from my wife, mother and mother in law as well as a few bucks that I saved for the purpose. Best gift ever, kept me occupied for a month straight and I still have work to do so the gift keeps on giving, lol.


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## Zippy

I'm also going to be putting in ventilation under each of the windows.


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## Nkloft

I cant see the video


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## Zippy

Yeah that's weird , the link works fine on my iPad but not on my pc. I'll have to log into pigeon talk on my pc to put the link up tomorrow.


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## Rafael/PR

yes the link is not working


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## Zippy

Hi guys,

Try this link I copied it from my pc. Weird that the one copied from the ipad doesn't work, maybe it's a mobile link that only works on a mobile device. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvV_2OLukA


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## raftree3

That's too nice a loft not to race from ! I'm sure the Tumbler's will love it.


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## Zippy

Ha ha thanks! I wanted to race but don't think I have the time to dedicate to training to do it justice. I had homers as a kid and had a lot of fun with them.


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## polo963

yea i am a kid i wanted to race but i move homes to much to do that so i want to race roller tipplers and fantails for my mom


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## Kay343

Oh wow, it looks great! Good job!


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## tjad25

Good work,


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## Wingsonfire

Looks Great!!


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## Jay3

Very nice loft. You did a great job.


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## Zippy

Thanks everybody, it was really fun building it. I run a seasonal business so this is my winter project. I just painted the inside today and will be putting the ceiling slats up next week. Then I will build a partition wall and the nest boxes and perches for the breeder section. Once it's warm enough I will paint the exterior then build the fly pens. I doubt I will be able to get any birds until the fall since I haven't found a breeder of tumblers yet.


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## Rafael/PR

hi Zippy ,here the windows you should consider putting on http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Wind...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051 and make drop traps for your birds to get in


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## Zippy

Thanks Rafael, the windows will be completely enclosed by the hardware cloth covered flypens. I'm not sure if I will ever fly my birds so traps are not a big concern for me right now. Thanks for the input.


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## Rafael/PR

what birds are you planing to get ?show pigeon ? since you are not planing to fly them
but it too nice of a loft not to let you bird go out and get fresh air,lol


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## Zippy

Yeah I would like to get Portugues tumblers but will breed mainly for color and show. Would love to fly them but since we live in a fairly snobby area I doubt my neighbors will like to see the birds flying a round. I was raised as a poor kid but got "lucky" with some investments so that I could move "up" a bit. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of people who don't understand the fun of backyard chickens and raising pigeons,lol. One of the main reasons I built the coop to look like a cottage was to make it cute enough that nobody around here would have the nerve to comment about it.


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## Woodnative

Awesome loft and your future birds will love it!! I am in a suburban area and my neighbors don't mind my fancy pigeons and I let them out for short periods.....calling them back in afterwards. Just train them to come back in and don't let them hang out on the neighbor's roofs and you will be fine. I like the looks of your loft and it will certainly look good in your landscape!


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## Zippy

Hi Everybody,

Just finished painting and putting up the ceiling slats with cool trap door to get into the loft of the loft, lol. Hope you like it.


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## almondman

Very impressive!


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## Zippy

Thanks almondman!

I always wanted a slated ceiling as a kid but never had the cash to do it. This actually cost less than hardware cloth about $40 using 75 cent furring strips.


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## Jay3

Wow! Nice!


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## almondman

It gives the loft a nice finished look. Great idea with the trap door.


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## Jay3

Now all you need is some poop in there! LOL. Looks too clean.


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## almondman

Jay3 said:


> Now all you need is some poop in there! LOL. Looks too clean.


All in good time, right Zippy?


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## Zippy

Yeah I swore I would take my time and build the loft exactly how I wanted it before the birds. I would love to go out and get them NOW! I am having almost as much fun dreaming and planning the loft, lol.


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## Jay3

I know what you mean. And you are doing a great job. Your birds will love it, and by planning and taking your time, so will you.


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## jeff houghton

nice job , really smart, hope my new one in the summer is just as good.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- Your loft looks beautiful. I like your slatted drop ceiling and especially the door in case you need to enter. Good idea to complete the loft before you place any birds in it. The birds go thru enough stress being placed in a strange loft for the first time. Love to see the finished loft pictures, in and out. Lots of luck to you.-Nick..


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## Zippy

Thanks Jeff and Nick! Here are a few pictures of the nest boxes I just built. Hope you like them.


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## almondman

Ya just keep impressing me  nice job!Do the nest "floors" pull out individually?


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## Zippy




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## almondman

That answers my question. Great ideas.


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## Zippy

Lol, thanks almondman! I searched and searched for a design that I liked. I figured there must be major changes to nest boxes since I was a kid but for the life of me I couldn't find anything that I like better than the ones I built 30 years ago. I built a set like this when I was 14 and I built these without a plan other than my memory of how I did it way back then. I do plan on making some wire shelving fronts for pairing and keeping birds from taking more then one set as their territory. I doubt I will ever have 8 breeding pair at one time but since it cost the same to build 16 as it would have been to build 8 boxes I just made them all. I also will be raising these off the floor to avoid nesting and pooping on the top.


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## almondman

Golden oldies😄. I don't remember seeing any other boxes like these. You sure incorporated a lot of great ideas. Thanks for sharing the pictures.


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## Zippy

I got the idea from Wendell Levi's "The Pigeon". I think they were used for squab production at Palmetto Pigeon Farm back in the 30's. I modified the size a bit with these for smaller breeds. The boxes I built years ago were bigger for my Modenas.


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## bhymer

Another version....


http://taubenschlagbauschorr.de/Galerie Handhabung/index.html


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## Wingsonfire

You are doing a first class job for sure, keep up the good work, looks GREAT !!


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## Zippy

Thanks wingsonfire, when I was planing this loft I looked at everything and everybodys loft and kind if combined ideas. Your loft was one of the inspirations.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- very nice nestboxes with removable shelves for easy cleaning. Haven't seen this type box for alot of years. Reminds me of similar nestboxes my brother and I used when we first started at the age of 12. We had a variety of tumblers, tiplets, and owls. Thanks for the memory, I think I'll call my brother. Great job- Nick..


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## Zippy

Thanks Nick, this style box always appealed to me. It seems like each pair has their own little suite with a veranda, lol. I remember with my old birds how the hen would be in a nest and the cock pacing out front defending his territory. That always made me happy. Hope you have a nice call to your brother.


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## Zippy

I was able to hang the boxes tonight and build some v perches. Just so this makes sense, the 2x4 on the left is where the partition wall will be for this one section, it's 4x8. I'm working on one section at a time. When I'm done with the furnishing in the breeder section I'm gonna put down luan over the whole floor to make it smooth for scraping. Hope you like it.


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## Nkloft

Now all you need is the Birds and your loft would be complete. Nice job. How long did it take you to finish building that loft ?


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## Greek Boy

Zippy-why v-perches?I have always found that these type perches make it easier for birds to get away from you since there are no surrounding walls to stop them. Plain box perches seem to give a bird an enclosed perch to defend as well, large enough for only one bird of course. I agree that v-perches are easier to clean but for me they were only used in the aviary if at all. It just seems easier to approach and pick up a bird when in a box perch. Just a thought. -Nick


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## Zippy

Nick, good point about the perches. I'm not stuck on these, I was bored last night and decided to make these. I could easily make box perches and put these aside. Are box perches made with 1x4 lumber wide enough?


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## Zippy

Nkloft, I started building January 1st and took about 30 days to finish the main structure.


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## AZCorbin

Zippy said:


> Nick, good point about the perches. I'm not stuck on these, I was bored last night and decided to make these. I could easily make box perches and put these aside. Are box perches made with 1x4 lumber wide enough?


Nice looking loft. I agree about the box perches. If I were to build a new loft it would be nothing but boxes. 1x4" is big enough however I would go to 5 or 6" for more lay down room. The wider the perch the more poop to scrap as well..


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## wink0520

Out Standing.....Makes me want to grab a hammer. I would go with 3 and put some nice aviarys outside those windows. Not much room for walk way but if you can make it work I would go with it...


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## Zippy

Thanks for input everyone. Wink, I do plan on the aviaries but am gonna concentrate on the inside right now. I was planing on a walkway but after seeing how small this is once I started putting in furnishings I think it will be 3 equal sections 4 x 8 each. I have also read that birds tend to be tamer if you are forced to walk into each section for feeding etc. I would love a walkway but turning sideways to squeeze through one would ruin the fun of it for me.


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## Greek Boy

More infoZippy- 1x4" is large enough but make sure to leave them about 1" from wall. This way all you have to do is scrape the droppings back and down they fall into a catch drawer at the bottom with 1x1" screen on top of it. I kept play sand for kids in the drawer and used 1/4" hardware screen made into small shovel to sift thru it to remove droppings. Simple and quick. The 1" space from the wall also allows air to pass drying the droppings quicker. It also gives the bird more room to turn and lie down, 95% of the time facing forward. Which makes it easier to pick up and handle. Use your V-perches in the aviary. Can't wait to see your progress. Make sure you use sliding doors between each section. It saves space and you don't have to worry about hitting the birds. Good luck- Nick


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## jeff houghton

looks the business , i remember when my loft looked as prestine as yours ,until i started putting pigeons in it !!!!!!


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## bhymer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL6gd0O-7HQ


When I redo my perches, they will be designed like these... Easy to clean....


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## Zippy

Bhymer I really like that! I saved that link and will be going back to check it before I build the boxes. I liked what he said about one bird not soiling the one below. Whe I built my first loft I was completely clueless so my perches were nothing more than sticks stacked right on top of one another. In all those years I never saw a bird with poop on it's back. I guess comfort is a whole different story regarding the with of the perch. Jeff I know what you mean, lol. I'm looking forward to getting it dirty.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- Bhymer show's an excellent design for box perches in that video with a very simple catch system for droppings. Can't wait to see the both of your lofts completed. Yours in sport-Nick..


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## Zippy

Hi everybody, I finished the partition wall for the breeder section today, there will be wire on top. It is a sliding door but I chose to use inline casters on the bottom rather than the hanging kit. I looked at the kit and thought it wouldn't work well for me. Ended up building a channel along the base and above so the door just rolls. One thing I will say its not nearly as smooth as the hanging kit but I left enough room for wood swelling so it shouldn't bind up. Still on the fence whether or not to paint it white or leave it natural. I'm leaning on painting it since I know the wood will darken significantly over time. Funny how small an 8 x 12 loft is once you start partitioning. Disregard the v-perches, I plan on changing them to box perches before the birds move in. Hope you like it.


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## almondman

Very, very nice! You are genius.


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## Zippy

Lol, thanks almondman, you wouldn't say that if you saw me sitting on the floor in the pen staring at the door, scratching my head trying to figure out how it would all come together.


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## Jay3

But you did get it to all come together, and it's beautiful.


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## Zippy

Thanks jay, I was just out there with a flashlight sliding it back and forth, lol.


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## Jay3

That's what I'd be doing. Actually, that's what I wanted to do when I saw yours. LOL.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- very nice job, impressive.-Nick..


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## Zippy

Thanks Nick


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## almondman

Zippy said:


> Lol, thanks almondman, you wouldn't say that if you saw me sitting on the floor in the pen staring at the door, scratching my head trying to figure out how it would all come together.


That's what makes you genius. A lot of us may not have taken the time to sit on the floor to figure it out. Although I do spend a lot of my time scratching.


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## Jay3

almondman said:


> That's what makes you genius. A lot of us may not have taken the time to sit on the floor to figure it out.* Although I do spend a lot of my time scratching.*




Ivermectin is good for that.


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## almondman

Jay3 said:


> [/B]
> 
> Ivermectin is good for that.


Well, there goes my reputation with the"old hens".. 

Sorry Zippy. Jay3 and I are having a rough time staying on topic in several threads.&#55357;&#56881;


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## Jay3

Too much! LOL.


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## Zippy

Hi Everyone,

I finally got the partition done and painted, here are a few pictures. Unfortunately I am going to back off of the loft for a while so I can get some work done around the house. I will be putting in wood floors on the whole downstairs, redoing my sons bedroom, some landscaping and preparing for my work season which starts in the next month. Once that is all done I will be putting in another partition wall building those box perches and building the fly pens. Thanks for reading my thread.


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## almondman

Still amazed! But where are your priorities? Yeah, I know you got to keep the family happy and make money, but......


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## Jay3

It's beautiful. Gee..............what do you do in your spare time? LOL!


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## Zippy

Thanks Guys,

I told myself I would only go this far right now. It's gonna be tough not to drop everything and get back in there. I knew that I wouldnt put birds in there until the fall since I run a seasonal business and I am so busy I wouldn't be able to enjoy the birds much for the summer months. At least if I have it done by the fall I can enjoy the birds for the fall winter and spring of next year and then go on auto pilot for 4 months during the peak of my business season. In my spare time other than dream about the loft I look after my son play guitar and surf. Thankfully my business season ends in October and doesn't officially start up again until May so I have more time than most to do these projects, lol.


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## Shadybug Lofts

Nice job Zippy. Take your time and finish it before you get your birds.


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## Greek Boy

Great job, and very open surroundings outside the loft. I agree with Shadybug lofts to wait till loft is comletely built before adding your birds. Good luck-Nick..


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## Zippy

Hi Nick, yes I live on a peninsula on a piece of land that was once a farm. It was divided about 50 years ago into estate sized lots. Very open with. Clear skies on 3 out of 4 sides. The 4th side has a house about 100 feet away that is very tall, built for views but ruining my line of sight for flying birds, lol.


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## almondman

Zippy said:


> Hi Nick, yes I live on a peninsula on a piece of land that was once a farm. It was divided about 50 years ago into estate sized lots. Very open with. Clear skies on 3 out of 4 sides. The 4th side has a house about 100 feet away that is very tall, built for views but ruining my line of sight for flying birds, lol.


Again, where are your priorities? MOVE THE HOUSE


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## Zippy

Man I would love to move that house. Not just because of the structure but the people that live in it. They complained about my cat going in their yard, they have motion sensored flood lights that flip on and off all night and to top it off their dog attacked me last fall and nearly took my arm off. I belong on a farm in the middle of nowhere, lol.


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## billyr70

SWEET job zippy..... Your loft really turned out fantastic bro.


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## almondman

Zippy said:


> Man I would love to move that house. Not just because of the structure but the people that live in it. They complained about my cat going in their yard, they have motion sensored flood lights that flip on and off all night and to top it off their dog attacked me last fall and nearly took my arm off. I belong on a farm in the middle of nowhere, lol.


I hear ya! Sounds like the neighbor from H.ll.


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## Sonorgirl

Really nice loft...Awesome job!!


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## Zippy

Thanks! What kind of birds are they in your picture? The look like Frills or owls but the beaks look longer than I remember.


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## Sonorgirl

Hi Zippy,
They are a Frill type but are considered Satinette's. I brought them because I lean towards the fancier birds, though I love them all. I just thought they had the cutest little faces. 
Gina


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## Zippy

They are very cute, lol.


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## Zippy

Hi everyone,

Haven't been working on the loft much in the last 2 weeks but have been getting a lot done around the house. I took a break today to make a feeder. Not a big loft improvement but every little step gets me closer to actually getting birds. I will probably add a handle/roll bar on top to keep the birds from sitting up there. Made with all scraps other than the $2 worth of dowels. Hope you like it.


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## Jay3

Hey that's great. Good job and thanks for sharing. And you are right........one step closer to getting birds.


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## Zippy

Thanks Jay


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## Zippy

Hi everybody, even with all the chores going on around the house I am managing to make headway on the loft. Here are a few pictures of it painted. I have had several people drive by the house, stop and tell that they want to move into it, lol. Hope you like it.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- very impressive loft. Can't wait to see final pics of completed loft in and out. Yours in sport-Nick..


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## Nkloft

Well Done, it looks pretty nice. I see alot of Windows where are you gonna put the Nest boxes and Perches ?


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## almondman

You have outdone yourself. Very nice. Are those flower pots I see under the window ledges?


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## bhymer

http://www.redroselofts.com/hammonds_loft.htm

Bruce was very successful with this loft and the color >>>>>>>>


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## Zippy

Thanks everyone, Almondman yes those are flower pots. They stay until I see even one hawk perching then they are gone, lol. I'm into cottages, and even my house has that look. I don't know why but everything I build is in that style. I built my son a pirate fort and did a similar color scheme. I asked my wife if this looked too girly and of course she loves it. It's really important to me that it looks attractive. The flypens in front of those windows are gonna change the look once they're done. NKloft the first pen that is done will be the breeder section, the nest boxes are finished as is the partition. The other 2 pens will just have box perches. The windows on the front will be enclosed by the flypens other than the top third that will accept a movable trap and landing board that can be moved from section to section as needed and will fit into the window opening with the top opened down. If I could I would have built this loft for utility with looks taking a back seat. In my case it needed to look like an atractive addition to the yard so some utility was traded for aesthetics.


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## almondman

Gotta keep that neighbor from H.ll happy They sure better not complain about your loft. It probably looks better and is built better than their house.


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## Zippy

Yeah that neighbor, uhggg! I actually don't care what they think after all this effort I'm not gonna worry about it. You know what's weird I live on the bay and have seagulls, egrets, bald eagles everything in my yard. In all these years I have never seen a pigeon anywhere near here. The other day I was out in the yard and I heard something on the roof of the "bad" neighbor. I looked over and what do I see? I see a male pigeon doing his dance up there! Today I went out to get something out of my shed and that same pigeon was walking around in our vegetable garden! My wife is convinced that he was flying by and a stopped, hoping to set up house in that beautifull little pigeon cottage. Too funny.


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## Feathered Dragons

Zippy said:


> Thanks almondman!
> 
> I always wanted a slated ceiling as a kid but never had the cash to do it. This actually cost less than hardware cloth about $40 using 75 cent furring strips.


How far apart did you space the slats? I'm doing the same thing in my new loft.


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## Zippy

They are furring strips spaced one strip apart. Hope this helps.


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## Jay3

That is really nice. Like a little guest cottage. I love it!


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## Feathered Dragons

Zippy said:


> They are furring strips spaced one strip apart. Hope this helps.


I thought that's what you did but I couldn't tell for sure by the picture. I am planning on doing the same. Thx


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## almondman

So...... When are the birds moving in? And please post pictures of the other sections with the box perches.


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## Zippy

Hi Almondman, sorry no birds until the fall  . That is unless some incredible strain of portuguese tumblers cross my path that I can't resist  . I just finished the wood floor in the downstairs of my house, spread 4 tons of river stone around the gardens, cleaned the attic and planted 25 new trees around the property. Now I need to get to work prepping my work equipment for the season. I leave on an 8 day surf trip to central america next week and once that is done I will open the boat. After that, other than work, I will have some more time to devote to finishing the loft. Will post pictures once ther have been some changes. Thanks for checking back.


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## almondman

OMG - are you hyperactive, on speed, or just a workaholic. I guess we know what you do in your spare time,other than building lofts. Wow!

Enjoy your surf trip. Sounds like you need it. Although I'm not sure that will qualify for an easy, relaxing vacation. Have fun.


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## Zippy

Lol, well all of that work was spread over a month and I don't work a day job other than marketing my business for 6 months of the year. That gives me tons of downtime to get projects done and still chase waves and be lazy. I was holding off on building the flypens until after the inspector comes so there isn't a question as to the use of the structure. As far as the surf trip is concerned there will be plenty of lazing around waiting for the right tide etc. It's also really hard on your body to surf more than 4 hours a day so that will leave 20 hours of sleeping and eating with no house chores to fill the time. I actually might get bored and want to come home to back to my routine.


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## almondman

Well, enjoy it anyway. Hmmm, bored time on a vacation to Central America. You could start another revolution!!! Only kidding! Talk at cha when you get back. Adios amigo.


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## Zippy

Almondman, do you raise English short face tumblers? I love those birds.


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## whytwings

I think you have done a wonderful job with your loft and quite frankly - I love it !!

.......you have achieved a lot for the outlay of your $$$


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## Zippy

Hi everybody,

Just a few pictures of what I have been up to, taken from my trip to El Salvador. Hope you like them. Now back to work on my loft, lol.


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## napcinco05

Wow! that was awesome man. i've been wanting to learn how to surf. If there is a chance i'll be willing to do it.


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## Zippy

Yeah it's definitely fun. I started surfing 36 years ago right right around the time I started raising pigeons as a matter of fact.


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## Jay3

Wow! Great shots! Guess you had a great time then.


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## Zippy

Yeah it was wild down there. I was there for 8 days, surfing 4 to 6 hours a day. I lost 3 pounds. I video chatted with my wife and had her take the phone outside to check on the loft, lol, Kinda surreal. It is a very poor country but the people were very friendly and kind, other than the gang members.


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## napcinco05

do you live near a beach? where do you live at?


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## Zippy

I live in Md, 1 mile from the beach. The surf here is small compared to the west coast but still pretty good. After surfing big waves out there the surf here looks really small. I surfed a few days of 12 foot waves in El Salvador. When it gets that big out here it's too stormy to surf.


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## almondman

Man, you found your own way to fly.  good for you. I am sooooo jealous!


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## Zippy

Ha ha,

I have a very distinct style of surfing and have been told that I hold my arms out like wings. The kids in El Salvador new me from my style and would run up to me with their arms out imitating me on a wave. It was an adventure thats for sure.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- glad you had a great time. Everyone deserves to fly one way or another and enjoy to the fullest.-Nick..


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## Zippy

Thanks Nick


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## Jamie Heuberger

nIAre u a landscaper,,,,,L


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## Zippy

No, I own an rv rental company .


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## cbx1013

Zippy:

Great loft! I really enjoyed looking at your work. I'm sure the birds will love it.

Don


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## Zippy

HI Everybody,

Not a lot of changes due to my busy season being in full swing but I have made some headway. First I put in the vents / fly pen openings (theyre not done being painted). And I bulit two sets of box perches styled on the video that Bhymer linked to. Hope you like the changes.


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## almondman

Really like your exterior paint! The box perches look great also. What is the hinged door to in the last two pictures? Vents/fly pen openings? Again, it just keeps getting better!


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## Zippy

Hi Almondman, the hinged door is to hide the scrapings from the perches above until cleaning. That way I can scrape them daily and empty the bin on the bottom every week. I plan on devising a removable pan to put in there to catch the scrapings.


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## Zippy

Oh yeah that paint looks insanely bright in that picture because the sun was going down and shing directly on the loft.


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## almondman

You quite literally think of everything. When you are done, you need to write a "how to" about the innovative things you have put into your loft. You and Shadybug.


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## Zippy

Lol, I think shadybug is a real builder I'm a bit of a hack. The most I have going for me is my willingness to do it and redo it until I get it right. I told me wife that I could build us the house of our dreams but it would take me 3 times as long and cost 5 times as much as having a pro do it.


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## almondman

But you would know you have it the way you want it!


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- very nice job on your openings and box perches. You and Shadybug share the some of the same designs. Well done all around. Yours in sport-Nick


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## Japanese Boyfriend

wow very nice!


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## Cgosch

Nice, love the music. You should hire yourself out.


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## antonis777

really nice job! well done!


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## Zippy

Thanks everyone,

Now going into my seventh month since the start of the project! The first loft I ever built 30+ years ago took me 3 days to build and had birds in it in 5 days, lol. Growing up and having responsibilities really slows down my creative juices.


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## Shadybug Lofts

You stole my idea Zippy LOL


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## Zippy

Lol,

Actually I got that idea from that video mentioned above. About a month later I saw your perches and figured that you had seen the video as well. Here is the link to that video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL6gd0O-7HQ


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## Shadybug Lofts

No I never saw any video. I just thought of it while I was building them. I didn't even have plans to do the door before I started. My door is different than yours my door holds the droppings. I will look at the video later I only have dial up here at work. Anyway very nice loft. I don't see any hacking going on there. Nice job. Can't wait to see it done.


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## Zippy

Your perches look built to last, mine were meant to be but the materials I used are a bit flimsy, if I have to rebuild them so be it. Mine are also not exactly like those in the video just my spin on them. The ones on the other side are smaller and there are way more of them. They are for Portuguese tumblers so I'm sure the smaller size won't matter much. Can't wait to put birds in there. Next week I am starting on the fly pens!


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## Shadybug Lofts

Zippy said:


> Your perches look built to last, mine were meant to be but the materials I used are a bit flimsy, if I have to rebuild them so be it. Mine are also not exactly like those in the video just my spin on them. The ones on the other side are smaller and there are way more of them. They are for Portuguese tumblers so I'm sure the smaller size won't matter much. Can't wait to put birds in there. Next week I am starting on the fly pens!


 I may change mine again for some reason my birds don't use the box perches, They just sit on the boards in front of the nest boxes. There is only one or two birds in them at any time. I think the best perches are the one's I have in my old loft. I never have to clean them the poop dries and comes off or it roles off when they poop, or one long scrape on the board and your done. The birds like them. I would make the next ones further apart so the birds can't pick on each other. I got that idea from an old photo from the early 1900s on the internet. I am thinking of putting them in the breeding loft.


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## Zippy

Hmm, That's interesting. I remember having big ideas as a kid only to have the birds ignore what I had built. I used all of my allowance for 3 weeks to make these great nest boxes and all of the birds nested in the framing such as above a window etc. Drove me nuts, lol.


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## Zippy

Hi Everybody,

I know it has been a long time since I updated this but I have been working on the loft so slowly It would have been a real bore to update before today. I finally finished my flypens and thought I would update to let you see what I've been working on. Believe it or not the flypens took me over 3 months start to finish, from planning to today. I went through several concepts before settling on this and they came out almost exactly as I had hoped. Will be back on later to post up some more picutres and give a better description on how it all works. Hope everyone likes it!


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## raftree3

I know it's nice inside but the outside is terriffic.......looks like something my Dad had always planned to build for my Grandma to live in..........................


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## almondman

My God, that did turn out better than my house! The heck with the pigeons, when can I move in? Nicely done, and well worth the wait and construction time. Let's hope the birds appreciate your efforts.

Dave


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## Zippy

Thanks guys! At first I had tinted corrugated roof panels on the pens but it really darkened the whole look of the loft and I didn't like it. It cost me $125 dollars and went completely to waste. Oh well at least I'm happy with it now. Here are some more pictures of how it all works. The center pen will be for old birds and non breeders and will be the only pen that the birds will be flown from. There is a bob trap that fits into the frame when needed and when the time comes a removable landing board will be built. Also all of the pens will have multiple levels of platform style perches to allow for lounging in the sun. Hope everyone likes it.


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## Zippy




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## Zippy

Here are the flypens with the platform perches and the window ledges.





































Everything is going to be painted. The best thing about the perches is that 75 percent of the materials were left over scraps from the building of the loft. Actually 75 percent of the wood for the flypens were salvaged from several projects arount the yard that I tore down, knocked the nails out of, and stacked neatly for the future. The wire was from an old chicken pen. Hoarding does pay off sometimes, lol.


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## Vova

Wow! it looks amazing


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## Zippy

Thanks Vova!


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## tjc1

Amazing loft


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## Zippy

Thanks tjc1! It's crazy to think how much time I spent on this, lol.


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## Zippy

Hi Everyone,

I finally added a couple of pairs to my loft and one of the cocks was a real bully. I needed to lock him in a nest for a while with his hen to give the other pair a chance to settle into a nest. Because of that I built an extension (6 inches on all the nest boxes) and then built a front for his so I could keep him in with food a water. Well I liked how it looked and also the fact that I could lock the dominant cock out of the other nests (he was claiming all of them). Thankfully it worked and the other male took the top nest and was willing to defend it. Once I let the other pair loose they were happy to take the second nest down and after a little tussle the better behaved white one seems to be in control and the kite settled down. Hope you like the fronts.


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## pigeon1977

Beautiful loft


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## Zippy

Thanks! I laugh when I go in there and think, all of this for my 4 little birds, lol.


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## HmoobH8wj

Can I get a closer look at your nest box? I like how you do it.


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## Zippy

If you go back near the beginning of this thread you can see what is behind those fronts. All I did was build large box perches out of 1 x 6 pine and attached that to the front to add interior space to the boxes. I then framed the fronts out of 1 x 2 pine with a slot cut in with a table saw to accept the wire. Hope this helps.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- your breeding section came out really nice. You did the smart thing to lock up all boxes not being used or the two males would own all of them. This way new birds will be able to dominate a box once settled. Your box perches are from a great design that I plan to use as well when I finally get started. Only difference will be that I will be racing homers instead of keeping fancies. I can't wait to get started. Best of luck, you took the time to build a loft you can sure be proud of. -Nick..


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## HmoobH8wj

Closer look on the front of the nest. I like how u design it.


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## Zippy

Thanks Nick,

Building the loft and the all the furniture has kept me occupied for almost a year. I am considering adding an additinal 4 x 8 section for training and pairing and also to store food and equipment.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- There's always more work as we move forward. One picks up ideas or comes up with better and more improved designs. Thats what I like about this great sport, it keeps you going and gives you a reason for getting up every morning. You are always thinking to forge forward. Yours in sport-Nick..


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## Zippy

I took a couple of pictures of my loft under the full moon that I thought were kinda cool. Hope you like them.


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## blongboy

im jealous !


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## Pijlover

Simply Beautiful!!!


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## Zippy

Thanks guys,

I did the last one with a sparkler and a 30 second exposure.


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## TALON

Great looking loft. Fantastic workmanship!!









Ken


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## Zippy

Thanks Ken,

After I saw yours I thought, Geeze I really like that, and wanted to start building another one, lol.


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## Reidar

That is a great looking loft, what are the fly pen dimensions?


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## Zippy

Hi Reidar,

Each pen is 4 by 4 by six high. Not a lot of space for flying around but lots of space to lounge in the sun. Sorry I haven't gotten back to your pm. I did read it but have just now had the time to sit and answer.


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## nancybird

It is very nice.


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## Reidar

*Thanks No Rush*

Zippy: thanks for the reply, no rush on the PM, have a great holiday, Reidar


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## GimpieLover

amazing work! Can we get another video tour?


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## Zippy

Lol, yes im going to do another tour as I finally finished the inside. Might be a week or so before I can do t. Thanks for checking out the thread.


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## zgrywusek

I am going to be honest here. I don't like to watch all these great designs makes me jealous as hell!
Zippy I'll pay $1200 build one for me with delivery  but then first I have to solve the mystery with my town.


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## Zippy

Lol,

I'm way over my $1000 estimate right now, probably closer to $1800, and I just started a 4 x 8 addition. I have real appreciation for home builders now and wouldn't consider selling this for under $10,000 even though I know its not worth that. There was so much effort put into this thing that's 90% of the value to me.


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## Roger Siemens

zippy thank you for showing every one a perfect little loft, i enjoyed looking at how you did things and the time that you took on the details.


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## Zippy

Thanks Roger


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## Callum Young

Brilliant loft


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## Zippy

Thanks Callum, im still working on it.


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## Zippy

Hi everyone,

here is a video I shot today of the loft in progress. It's kinda long and and the camera work is kinda lame but you will get a good idea of the loft so far. Hope you like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ_8yeZanss


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## Jay3

All I can say is Wow! Beautiful. I want it! Worth a lot more than it has cost you. Fantastic job!


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## thepigeonkey

Thats a great loft - the best backyard loft I've ever seen.


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## TALON

Great video, thanks for sharing!! The new office will be a big help.


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## Zippy

Thanks for the comments everybody, and thanks for sitting through my shakey video camera. I think I'm gonna re-do that video with the camera on a tripod so it shows the loft in a better light. All of that twisting and zooming made me dizzy. The funny thing is while I was shooting it I thought I was being really careful. I also need a narrator, I hate to hear my own voice drone on and on, lol.


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## almondman

As usual, very, very nice. Thanks for sharing your video as it really allows us to see the plans and ideas you had posted earlier. If your main business ever falters, you could make a nice living building lofts for others. I would sure like one that nice. 

Dave


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- you did a beautiful job on the entire loft. I like those box perches and the collection box at the bottom of each set. Great job all around. Sections your size usually work out very well as long as you don't overcrowd like you said. All the best Nick..


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## Zippy

Thanks dave and nick. Glad you like the loft. The construction is ongoing..... Lol.


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## Zippy

New drop trap in 45 minutes built from scraps, used hinges and hook & eye. A little paint a landing board and small aviary for training and I'll be ready to go. Hope you like it.


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## TALON

Looks good, now it's painting time!!


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## Melanielynn4

*Perfect!*

Your loft has been an inspiration. Thank you for all the pictures you posted.


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## Greek Boy

Zippy- the drop trap your using is simple and very effective. I too will use the same type trap design when I build my loft. I would add a landing board at the traps entrance.
Yours in sport - Nick.
Real nice build my friend.


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## ClosetPigeon

That loft is much nicer than my house.
I installed four simple shelves some months ago in a one room apartment in an old building. They generally look fine... Cheap materials but a lot of money, time on buses, learning to use anchors, wood screws, power drills, bits, paying a helping hand neighbor 30$ an hour to "hold it while i drill it" + a six pack of beer, why I NEED a stud tester, patching, collapse, purchase a few more cheap shelves... The final installation looks generic. I learned a lot through it. Now I have a life skill. The three useful shelves cost many, many hours, online shelf orders, trips in taxis, on buses.... Approval from building management... Purchase of levels, wall patch, step ladders, multiple walks to Ace / Home Depot. They look dumb and generic but I had an expensive learning process and will never hang a shelf housing pots, pans, canned goods where a stud does not live. The whole thing probably cost close to $300-$350 for just four shelves. But now I know how!


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