Inventing a novel feeder
I wanted a bird feeder that would make birds do a trick
for a seed. I invented one with a crankshaft that activated a seed valve when the wheel turned. It worked in the lab, but not in the field. A squirrel chewed
it up like a piece of toast in about 5 minutes. After several more
prototypes, one finally worked that squirrels
would not ruin. It was all wood. That worked fine, until it rained. The wheel
got too heavy for the chickadees to turn. The seed got wet inside and wouldn't
dispense. I redesigned the top and wheel frame to be made out of plastic,
like the one at right. I molded them in the garage. It took another year to produce the first one.
It worked good. Ten years later the first unit still cranks out. Seed stays
dry. Squirrels use it without spoiling it. It works in all kinds of whether,
even covered with snow. I patented the design and the 
easy-access top.
Heavy duty - Collector's item
Includes mounting pole - Yes
Includes squirrel deflector - Yes
Price includes shipping - All but $9
It took three solid years to make this thing right. It accommodates the smallest of birds. All parts of the feeder are handmade. Molded parts, such as the rim of the wheel and the plastic top, are hand poured and may have small bubbles in the plastic that do not affect the longevity or performance of the feeder. This is not a production item. At this stage of the game it is for collectors or someone who wants to copy and manufacture it. They are pricy because the same person who invented it makes it by hand, and this is not how an inventor should spend his time. There is no other place in the United States, China, Earth, this galaxy or the Universe where you can get it. This is it.
Price
$2,400
Birds are smart
There was no way of knowing whether the birds would actually use such a thing. There are so many other places for them to find food. Luckily it dispenses seed weather
they figure it out or not. When they start out, they don't know what they're
doing. It doesn't take them long to find out. Finches, Chickadees, Titmice, Cardinals Rose Breasted Gross Beaks, doves,
wrens, Indigo Buntings, woodpeckers, and Nuthatches all take a turn. Each
has a different approach to turning the wheel. House Finches and Nuthatches favor turning
the wheel in one direction. Chickadees and Gold Finches go back and forth
in a rocking motion. The picture at left shows a Nuthatch riding the wheel
counter-clockwise 
while it watches and listens for the seed before
it slides out the spout. See its head pointed back. Usually birds feed off
the cedar trays of the wheel. In this case the bird caught the seed in mid-air.
What you see at left is typical.
More birds means more fun
The wheel turns only when it is off-balance, Two birds opposite each other make a stalemate. Six birds and a chipmunk make a circus. All parts of the feeder are handmade.
