How can I stop a 2.5mt X 6mm diam steel rod from swaying about like a 'car whip type aeriel?

[mart]

I thought I had prevented squirrels from taking the bird food.

I got a 20mm diam length of conduit about 2.5mt high fixed in the lawn, with a 'tee piece on top. Then coated the upright with some gear oil. The squirrels still managed to climb the pole.


I'm on Plan B now, which was to obtain a lenth of 6mm steel rod that would be too narrow for a SQ to grip. I fixed it to a base, and was surprised to see that the rod is just sort of swaying about because it is too thin to remain still & rigid.

I need find a way for the rod to remain more rigid without adding something that will help the squirrels climb up. How will I stabilise it?

 

[voipio]

A small slinky spring placed over the pole.

 

[mart]

OK. E Bay?

 

[voipio]

Why not.

3cm, 6cm Silver Metal Springy Slinky Metal Spring Retro Toy Party Bag Filler Mag | eBay

Silver Colour.

www.ebay.co.uk

Select the 3cm diameter option.

Or a toy shop like the Works might have them.

Or replace the stand upright with PVC downpipe.

 

[Barking Mat]

My wife's grandfather had a low powered air pistol, didn't really hurt them, just peed them off, and kept him amused.

 

[mart]

The set up means I would be shooting towards where people walk.

 

[mart]

Why not.

3cm, 6cm Silver Metal Springy Slinky Metal Spring Retro Toy Party Bag Filler Mag | eBay

Silver Colour.

www.ebay.co.uk

Select the 3cm diameter option.

Or a toy shop like the Works might have them.

Or replace the stand upright with PVC downpipe.

OK.
Will the slinky (s) somehow stop the rod from swaying about? Reason I ask is that if I was to put a feeder of nuts on one side the steel rod would flex down to nearly 45 degrees. That is how flimsy it is.

 

[Barking Mat]

The set up means I would be shooting towards where people walk.

Don't hit them, easy.

 

[Beanwood]

How about 2 more 2.5m rods in a triangular pattern-perhaps 50cm apart - with rods across the top to stabilise them?

 

[voipio]

OK.
Will the slinky (s) somehow stop the rod from swaying about? Reason I ask is that if I was to put a feeder of nuts on one side the steel rod would flex down to nearly 45 degrees. That is how flimsy it is.

I thought the upright was 20mm diameter conduit.

 

[PhillipM]

Nothing outside of some cable stays really.

 

[mart]

I thought the upright was 20mm diameter conduit.

It was, but when I saw the squirrels had reached the feeders via the oily 20mm conduit I realised that I needed a very thin rod that they could not climb. That is when I got the 6mm steel rod. This just flops over to the side. At 2.5mt there us not enough rigidity.

It now seems I need to try 10mm rod.

 

[mart]

I thought the upright was 20mm diameter conduit.

It was, but when I saw the squirrels had reached the feeders via the oily 20mm conduit I realised that I needed a very thin rod that they could not climb. That is when I got the 6mm steel rod. This just flops over to the side. At 2.5mt there is not enough rigidity.

It now seems I need to try 10mm rod.

 

[RWD3M]

Can you not just use a squirrell-proof feeder?

 

[hotponyshoes]

Stick a cone shape thing half way up the pole. They struggle to climb around those

 

[Cobbler]

Can you not just use a squirrell-proof feeder?

We have tried them, squirrels just laugh at them & get on with dinner

 

[mart]

We have tried them, squirrels just laugh at them & get on with dinner

True. Plus I used to have one of them but the birds don't seem a feed the same as they do with more open type feeder.

 

[brightspark]

make a squirrel trap with a wooden tunnel and a mk 4 fentrap inside. bait it up with bird food . i made one for a guy and he caight about 50 in the year a fresh lot moved in when the others were dispatched and they went the journey up in the sky as well

 

[hotponyshoes]

Worth catching them.
Taste much like rabbit..

 

[Bornfree]

They are good eating. Fried squizzer and chips. The food of kings.