Homemade Solar Pool Heater

There is actually a multitude of ways to make your very own homemade solar pool heater to use at home. Sure, it may be easier for you to just dig in your pockets and shell out the appropriate amount of money to buy your own solar heater for your pool. But why pay more when you can simply make your own homemade solar pool heater with a lesser amount of budget for the project?

How are you going to make your homemade solar pool heater?

Here are some of the basic things you’ll need to know to start creating your homemade solar pool heater and start reaping its benefits:

Of course, the first thing you may need to concern yourself with is to gather the materials for your home project. What do you need? A black poly pipe (or, commonly known as, polyethylene pipe), a back board or shed roof, and a pump.

Finding these things may not be a big problem. In fact, you can easily and quickly purchase these things from a garden supply shop or a hardware store near your area. You may also be pleased to find out that most of the materials are quite inexpensive and easy to use.

There are three simple ways to assemble these things to make your homemade solar pool heater.

One is to mount the poly pipe on the back board. Don’t forget to connect a pump to this. Another way is to place coils of the poly pipe on a shed roof. Then, connect a pump. The third way of using this is to mount the pipe arrays on your roof.

However, the third option may be too hard for a beginner to follow since you may have to consider the water flow that will have to pass through the coils. This manner of installation may need a professional to assist you.

For safety reasons, it may be best to stick to the two first options in making your own homemade solar pool heater.

Better bear in mind that the coils of the poly pipe should not have any kinks or leakage when you arrange them on the shed roof or the back board. If it has, this homemade solar pool heater won’t work well as you would expect. So check for holes in the pipe and replace your poly pipe if needed.

Making your homemade solar pool heater does not need the most expensive materials and a complicated manner to follow. Anyone can make their own pool heater as long as the desire and interest in following basic steps is there.

Homemade Sparrow Trap

The first step to making a homemade sparrow trap is to assemble the necessary materials. A working knowledge of carpentry is needed for this task.

Required Tools and Materials

1 sheet of plywood (1/2 inch thick)
Jug
Hinges (2 pieces, 1 ½”)
Long treated bugle decking screws
Finished nails
Small washers
Wing nut
Sheet metal screws (6” x ½”)
Wire screen (2 sq ft)
Aluminum (10 in sq)
Flexible wire
PVC (4” diameter)
Film canister (35 mm)
Roofing nails
Hammer
Drill
Needle nose pliers
Screwdrivers
Hole saw
Metal file
Wire cutting pliers
Jigsaw
Tin snips

Instructions

Get the plywood and cut it with a saw. The dimensions for this homemade sparrow trap frame should be 18” x 10” x 5”. You can also put in a foot board if you want to place it on a table. The jug needs to fit in the 5” width frame. If necessary cut it. You can use a plastic jug so it’s easier to cut to the right size.

Get some light wood. Make it 12” long by 1 and ¼ in wide and 3/8” thick. Use white pine; do not use other wood types because they are too heavy. Use a tape measure if needed to get the right size.
Drill a couple of holes at one end. (1/16” in diameter). They need to be an inch apart.

Make a single hole in the other end of this homemade sparrow trap, with the same size. The one with the two holes is for the jug. The latter is for the film canister.

Putting the Jug and Aluminum in Place

Make two holes in the jug near the center (1/8” in diameter and an inch apart). Set the jug in place and screw it on. Make a similarly sized hole in the canister. Remove the lid and screw it in place. Put two nails on the side of the board. Set them opposite each other.

Get the aluminum and bend it. Make two holes big enough for the nails. Drill a hole near the bottom. Set a couple of washers on each arm. Insert this in the homemade sparrow trap.

Find a place to make a hole in the bracket (that’s in the frame). Drill it and put the washer there. Set the balance beam in place. Make the door by cutting a piece of wood (18” x 10”). Make sure you measure it correctly so it fits the trap.

Use the hinges to put it in place. Drill a hole and put the washer and wing nut in there. Cut a similarly sized board to make the back section. The down chute can be made from the PVC tubing. Make a ½ hole in the structure and put the tubing there.

Tips and Warnings

You need to be accurate when drilling the holes. They need to be of the right size so the nails and screws fit in. Wear eye goggles when using the saw so splinters don’t get in your eyes.

This homemade sparrow trap can work just as well as the branded types being sold. The only difference is that this one doesn’t cost as much.

Homemade Hummingbird Nectar

You don’t need to buy the instant mixes in stores because making homemade hummingbird nectar is actually a simple process. Here are the basic ingredients.

Required Tools and Materials

Spoons
Water
Measuring cups
Feeders
Granulated Sugar

Instructions

Mix ¼ cup of sugar for every 1 cup of water. You can put the mixture in a saucepan or jar. Use a spoon to mix it. Boil it for a couple of minutes. Let it cool down and put in the bird feeder. Pour the rest of the nectar in a container. The nectar can be stored for up to five days. Use a measuring cup if you’re having trouble getting the measurements right.

Food Coloring

Putting food coloring on homemade hummingbird nectar is optional. Some believe that red food color attracts the birds. Others contend that it’s the feeder that needs to be red and not the food. Try giving the food without any coloring first.

Most of the time, the birds will eat the food even without red color. Aside from being unnecessary, the additives and chemicals in food colorings may be harmful.

Cleaning the Feeders

Nectars in the feeders need to be changed every week. Change it more often if it’s hot in your area. It’s also important that the jars and plates you use are clean. It’s also a good idea to clean the feeder itself every week.

Position the feeder a little high so insects will be kept at bay. However, keep it away from direct sunshine. Too much heat will spoil the food.

About Boiling Water

Those who make homemade hummingbird nectar have conflicting views on boiling. Some think it isn’t necessary. This theory states there is nothing in the sugar that will cause problems. Others assert that boiling is needed. It’s probably best to boil though. However it shouldn’t be for more than three minutes.

Ingredients to Avoid

Only use granulated sugar. Sweeteners and preservatives should be avoided. Honey mustn’t be used either. They contribute to fermentation. It may also attract other insects.
Keeping Other Insects Away

Look for bird feeders that have an ant guard built in. This is a structure specially designed to keep the insects away. You can use specially designed feeders to keep bees away.

Wipe the feeder if there are nectar stains left. This can happen when the birds feed on homemade hummingbird nectar.

Tips and Warnings

As stated, once a week cleaning will be sufficient for feeders. But if there are black spots, it has to be cleaned immediately. These black spots are molds. Use a brush to wipe it off.

You can also mix sand with water to get rid of the mold. Wash the feeder every time you change the nectar. This will prevent mold from building up.

Don’t fill the feeder to the brim. The birds won’t be able to consume it all before changing time arrives. You’ll just end up wasting the nectar. You’ll want to put up a couple of feeders if the birds come aplenty. They are very territorial.

The recipe for homemade hummingbird nectar is simple. Resist the temptation to add to the ingredients. Just put these in the feeders and the birds will come soon enough.

Homemade Gift Certificates

A homemade gift certificate is one of the quickest and easiest ways to come up with a present. Whatever the occasion is, these certificates can be made with minimum fuss.

Required Tools and Materials

Construction paper

Pen

Gift certificate book

Instructions

The first step is to get a gift certificate book. You can buy several of these for only a few dollars. However, you can make one easily enough. Get some construction paper and cut it with a pair of scissors. Add some decorations and trimmings if you like.

It’s much easier to create a homemade gift certificate with your computer. Open your word processor and choose one of the certificate templates there.

Write down your message and print it out. Double check the contents and print it out. Repeat the process for other gift certificates.

Gift Ideas for Kids and Teens

The contents should be appropriate for the person. Think of what that person really likes. For the kids, it can be an extra hour of TV watching or video games during the weekends. Or maybe it can be a trip to the circus or a new toy.

For teens, why not extend the curfew by a couple of hours? The homemade certificate could also be letting them drive the car or camping out.

Gift Ideas for Spouses and Parents

For your mother or wife, it can be treating her to dinner. It can be home cooked or you and the kids could take her out to a restaurant. Breakfast in bed is also a nice treat. How about volunteering to do the spring cleaning? You could jot down new clothes, a trip to the beauty salon, etc.

A simpler but no less effective present is a promise. Make your pledge on the certificate. This can be a promise not to smoke, clean your room or something else. For dads or husbands, you can volunteer to clean the yard while they watch the football game. The homemade gift certificate may also be for a spa or body massage.

Other Ideas and Suggestions

Kids can make their own certificates. It can be a promise to eat their veggies or finish their homework. A great idea is “movies night”. Rent or get copies of their favorite movies. Pick a day of the week (weekend most likely) and watch it with them.

The following ideas are suitable for kids or teens: set down a dollar amount so they can buy whatever it is they want. The certificates can also be for free snacks or dining out.

Certificates for holidays should stay true to the occasion. The designs should be fit for the holidays. Valentine’s Day certificates should have some hearts on it. Christmas should have Yuletide oriented designs too.

When making gift certificates, try to put some thought in the design. By putting in some work, the recipient will be more appreciative. Using Web based or software based templates is okay. But change the templates so that it will appeal to the recipient.

The supplies are affordable and all you need is a little imagination. These are the reasons why homemade gift certificates remain suitable for many occasions.

Homemade Hdtv Antenna

Although homemade HDTV antennas may not look as polished as their commercial counterparts, they can deliver. Here is how you can build an antenna without burning your wallet.

Make an HDTV Antenna

Required Tools and Materials
Plywood (half an inch thick)
16 washers
Screwdriver
Copper wire (you can also use 8 coat hangers)
Screws (8 at least)
Coax cable (with the end connector)

Instructions

Get a piece of plywood. It can be any size but 2 x 4 ft will be nice. Set it down. Get the copper wire or coat hangers. Modify it so it forms a V shape. The legs should be 7”. Repeat this for all eight coppers or wire hangers.

You’ll start making this homemade HDTV antenna by screwing the wires on the plywood. Fasten the wires along the bend on the sides. That translates to four wires for each side. Get the washers and use them. Ensure each one is parallel to the other.

There should be a couple of wires parallel down the wood. They will be at the V bend too. Make sure that they’re close to each other. They’ll be used to link the coax at the wires. Link this with the coax cable. Turn on the TV and it should look okay.

Make an HDTV Antenna II

A piece of plywood
Metal drying racks or grates
Aluminum foil
Duct tape
Cutter
Saw
2 x 4
Washers
Screws

Instructions

Start making this homemade HDTV antenna by cutting the plywood to a size of 30” x 16”. You can also use cardboard. If you’re going to use this outside, use metal racks or grates. The board can be 41 inches long. Add a 5 inch dent in the bottom part. This is for putting the rotor in place.

Put aluminum foil around the board. You can apply some duct tape on it too. Get a 2 x 4 and cut it. Set the 2 x 4 atop the plywood. Nail it. Set the bowties 7 inches in apart from each other. Put them in the middle area. Connect it to the transformer on the homemade HDTV antenna board.

Get the coat hangers or wires. Shape the wire hangers into Vs. Put these Vs (you’ll need eight of them) below the washers. Look at the layout. Make certain the Vs are laid out evenly. They should be parallel to the foil.

Screw them into place. Make sure the crisscrossed wires are insulated. Connect the transformer (you’ll probably need two washers). Install the antenna. Turn the TV on and check the channels.

Tips and Warnings

Be careful when cutting the wires. Take care that you don’t cut your fingers or get any wounds. Keep the hangers away from your eyes as you are bending them. It’s a good idea to have antiseptic and bandages nearby just to be sure.

With a little bit of cutting and wiring, you’ll be setting up a homemade HDTV antenna in no time. Now you can sit back and enjoy your favorite programs without any distortion.