{"id":2382,"date":"2011-06-07T22:40:00","date_gmt":"2011-06-08T05:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mikesenese.com\/DOIT\/?p=2382"},"modified":"2026-03-08T21:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T04:04:24","slug":"secret-surveillance-garden-birdhouse-notes-and-plans-from-my-build","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mikesenese.com\/DOIT\/2011\/06\/secret-surveillance-garden-birdhouse-notes-and-plans-from-my-build\/","title":{"rendered":"Secret Surveillance Garden Birdhouse – Notes and Plans from my Build"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Friday I’m doing a workshop for Craftsman in Chicago, for their first annual blogger summit. The different presenters each introduced themselves by building a birdhouse project that represents them.<\/p>\n

I started the project by drawing a set of blueprints, knowing that I wanted something with multiple compartments and a remote-access rear hatch. I adjusted things on paper a few times, and then built a small model of the birdhouse to make sure the pieces would work together, and the hinge apparatus would function correctly. Glad I did this first because there were a couple key modifications from it.<\/p>\n

Once the model was built, the actual birdhouse came together fairly easily, with just a few small changes. I really like the way the tiny bird apartment conceals the high-tech inner workings.<\/p>\n

I painted the exterior green and stained the roof red. I’ve been wanting to use the dead, dried tree from my yard for a project (or as fuel in my pizza oven) so did some resawing, cutting it into rough 1\/2″ planks. The addition added a fantastic rustic charm that would make this birdhouse look great in any garden.<\/p>\n

On the inside, I used an RC servo to control the rear door, with a second servo that pans the webcam side-to-side. A high-gain wifi antenna allows the setup to be placed a distance away from the house but still have access to internet signals, in case you want to stream the video feed, or just check up on facebook while gardening.<\/p>\n

There are a number of tweaks I’d still like to do, including transitioning the entire thing to Arduino, but for now, I’m very happy with how the birdhouse came out.<\/p>\n

Check it and the others out on Craftsman’s Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/object><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"
The funny part is that the birdhouse is really just a tiny “apartment” in the front corner of this piece, kept separate and secure from the electronics inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"
I was originally going to put a helicopter on the inside, but soon ran out of space.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
The cardboard model \u2013 even mitred the roof top.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pieces of the dead tree from my yard. They were sawn into 1\/2″ planks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This Friday I’m doing a workshop for Craftsman in Chicago, for their first annual blogger summit. The different presenters each introduced themselves by building a birdhouse project that represents them. 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