Helpful hints for building coops

Pics
Date sort Score sort
Hooray! I got the last two walls of my coop ready to install! What a difference screwing in the screws with a fresh bit! They are small to start with, so it is hard to tell if they are worn. Using a slower speed and putting a little more pressure on the drill while putting weight on the board or having someone hold it makes the difference between frustration and easy work!
Now i need to put a few edge braces up and when the neighbor comes over to help tomorrow evening the walls will be up!.... As long as it's not raining!:fl
 
dunnmom said:
I will take some pictures of ours next time I clean it. I will point out what worked, what didn't, and why. My husband built it, but I do all of the practical chicken chores, so my word would better than his. Lol!
Click to expand...
Great, i love seeing other people's coops and getting their feedback on what works. Looking forward to it!
 
Oh, and i wanted to mention safety glasses. Really important! I usually wear regular glasses all the time unless sleeping or reading. Today i went out of the house to work on the last wall of my coop, and left my glasses in the house. Why bother, i thought, i can see without them except at a distance? Then a piece of dirt flew up and lodged in my eye! It could easily be a small piece of metal instead. Vision is too valuable and health care too expensive to not buy and USE protective eye wear. Be like Nike, just do it!
 
CapricornFarm said:
I don't know how many people know this little trick, but i use it a lot. When you have to interrupt your painting session, just pop your brush into a plastic sandwich bag and wrap it around snugly. I have kept paint brushes fresh for up to two weeks this way. Beats using a lot of water to rinse them out each time.
Click to expand...
Use plastic wrap place in fridge same thing but less air.
 
Screws vs nails.
nails are made by basically cutting pieces of wire and welding a cap on top. Nails will bend and still remain strong. You can tie them in a knot.

Screws are made in a mould and hardened. Quality ones can be quite strong but when put to the test a screw will sheer when it fails. Bend one, it snaps.

This is why nails are used in structural framing construction. They do not sheer or break off.

Most coops and sheds are not big enough to matter, so screws work just fine. But if building something larger than a 4x8 size building, I would recommend using nails for the framing. At least put a few in there.

I have found the impact drivers to be better than a drill if you are putting in a lot of screws. A good one is under $100 and can use the same rechargeable batteries the drill does.
Use the torx head screws. Don't use Phillips head. The torx head ones almost never strip out like the Phillips.
 
cholland said:
Screws vs nails.
nails are made by basically cutting pieces of wire and welding a cap on top. Nails will bend and still remain strong. You can tie them in a knot.

Screws are made in a mould and hardened. Quality ones can be quite strong but when put to the test a screw will sheer when it fails. Bend one, it snaps.

This is why nails are used in structural framing construction. They do not sheer or break off.

Most coops and sheds are not big enough to matter, so screws work just fine. But if building something larger than a 4x8 size building, I would recommend using nails for the framing. At least put a few in there.

I have found the impact drivers to be better than a drill if you are putting in a lot of screws. A good one is under $100 and can use the same rechargeable batteries the drill does.
Use the torx head screws. Don't use Phillips head. The torx head ones almost never strip out like the Phillips.
Click to expand...
Oh! I love it! Different toys to ask Santa for! How does an impact driver work? Is it pneumatic? What do torx head screws look like? Are they like 6 sided stars? Thanks for your suggestions!
 
Ok, i did a bit of research and you can get manual or battery powered impact drivers from what i see. I am guessing but not quite clear about the manual ones, do you hit them with a hammer to generate the impact? I am not clear on that. I was right about the torx head screws, they do resemble six pointed stars. I even have some but can never seem to locate the bit used for them. That will change! I knew there had to be a better system. I love building things! My next building will be even more fun to build if i can get the tool i need!
 
Electric impact driver. Looks like a drill but specifically for driving screws, lag bolts, etc. DeWalt makes rechargeable ones that use the same rechargeable 18-20v batteries the other tools use. Google or look up at Lowes/Home Dept.

Yes torx is the star head. There is usually a bit in the box of screws I get at Lowes. I'm usually getting at least 5 lbs or more. They also have 5 packs of the torx bits right next to the Phillips bits, so you have a couple spares. Cause you are going to misplace it.
 
Last edited:
cholland said:
Electric impact driver. Looks like a drill but specifically for driving screws, lag bolts, etc. DeWalt makes rechargeable ones that use the same rechargeable 18-20v batteries the other tools use. Google or look up at Lowes/Home Dept.

Yes torx is the star head. There is usually a bit in the box of screws I get at Lowes. I'm usually getting at least 5 lbs or more. They also have 5 packs of the torx bits right next to the Phillips bits, so you have a couple spares. Cause you are going to misplace it.
Click to expand...
Super! Thanks for getting back to me on that. I seem to have a knack for spending money since we moved here. I need a hot box and now an impact driver and more screws!
 

Similar threads

Caity
    • Like
    • Love
UPDATE-FINISHED! New Coop from "The Garden Coop" plans PIC HEAVY
2 3
Replies
26
Views
66K
Quail Newbie 3
Quail Newbie 3

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom