Giant Yard Bell, Wildlife Feeders For The Yard

Giant Yard Bell Wildlife Feeders For The Yard AG WORLD Over the years FARM SHOW has featured numerous “for the yard” items made by Dan Jacobson of Pequot Lakes Minn His custom-designed decorations include everything from tow-behind garbage bins to firewood trailers and bat houses     “I enjoy taking something that was built and designed for one thing and giving it a whole new life ” says Jacobson     Here are three of his latest inventions:    Giant Yard Bell     Cut the bottom off a 2 500 cu in oxygen tank and mount a metal dinger inside and a hook on top Paint the tank in bright colors and you have a shiny giant yard bell that can be mounted on a tree or hung from a deck     Jacobson has made several different bell models The one in the photo is painted blue and yellow like the Swedish flag and shows a Swedish Dahlia horse     “It works great for calling the family to dinner ” says Jacobson “You just grab onto a chain at the bottom of the dinger and move it rapidly back and forth It makes a deep ringing sound that can be heard from several hundred feet away     “The steel on these tanks is 3/8 in thick so they’ll never rust out That’s why all my yard bells come with a 100-year guarantee ”     He starts with old leaking “reject” tanks purchased from a local welding company A local steel supplier uses a big bandsaw to cut off the bottom of the tank It makes a nice clean cut which Jacobson then sands down He also sandblasts the tanks     The dinger a 4-in long 3-in dia steel bar is connected to a rope that runs up inside the tank and is attached to it at the top The hook attaches to a bolt-on angle iron bracket     Jacobson sells the giant yard bells for $250 plus S&H     Pots & Pans Bird Feeder     He uses old stainless steel frying pans to come up with what he calls “lifetime bird feeders” “Unlike wood and plastic squirrels and woodpeckers can’t damage or destroy these feeders They’re virtually indestructible ” says Jacobson     Birds feed out of the pan while the pan’s lid forms a roof about 12 in above The lower pan is to hold the feed The upper pan is 2 in wider and keeps feed dry The 2 parts are connected by a 9/16-in dia eye bolt that hangs from a light chain     Jacobson grinds the pan’s handles off and throws them away     “I’ve field tested these bird feeders for more than 10 years with amazing results ” says Jacobson “Even after they sit out in the weather they still look nice and the depth of the pan keeps birds from spilling seed     “Raccoons and squirrels can’t even come close to wrecking these feeders because they can’t chew through or even scratch the stainless steel metal They can jump on it or do anything they want but they can’t wreck it ”     Jacobson sells his bird feeders for $40 plus S&H     Bonkers Squirrel Feeder     It’s made from an old hollowed-out oak log and hangs by a strong metal spring from a basket mounted on a tree branch     “You just put in some sunflower seed and watch the squirrel jump from the tree to the feeder The log then will bounce all over the place up and down and in circles with the squirrel hanging on for dear life ” says Jacobson “Even deer like to eat from this feeder ”     Jacobson cuts the dead tree trunk to the desired length and then uses a chainsaw to clean out the center He drills a hole in the center of the trunk and screws a metal ring into it then attaches the spring or a rope to the ring     The squirrel feeder sells for $50 plus S&H     “The squirrel feeder comes with just a 50-year guarantee because it’s made from wood that’s subject to changing weather conditions ” jokes Jacobson     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dan Jacobson 8913 Weaver Lake Dr Pequot Lakes Minn 56472 ph 218 543-6623; sdkimblecreek@gmail com

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