Plans, Tools, and Materials

These plans are from Bats Northwest, written up by Barbara Christensen.

You can download the plans directly from this site here:

rocketbox.pdf

or from the Bats Northwest website here:

http://www.batsnorthwest.org/rocketbox_plans.pdf

Please be sure to cite Bats Northwest if you share them elsewhere.

Note: as you go through the pictures on this website, you can click on the pictures to get a larger version.

Here's a listing of the tools I used to create the bat house.

It could definitely be built with hand tools alone. Power tools simply speed up and make the process easier.

This list just shows what I used, and some of these tools are definitely optional!

• • Cordless Drill

  • Saws Galore!

    • Hand Saw

    • Jig Saw

    • Handheld Circular Saw

    • Miter Saw

    • Table Saw

  • Belt Sander

  • Air compressor + Braid Nailer

Materials Used:

• • Center Pole: 4x4, 8' long (actual dimensions 3.5"x3.5"x8')

  • Spacers: Two pieces of 2"x2"x1" scrap

  • Sides and Roof: 4' x 4', 1/2" thick Sheet of utility grade plywood. (When measured, actually 7/16" thick - see notes in Starting the Build)

  • Misc Cedar Shingles (nailed to plywood roof, just for appearance)

  • Black spray rubber waterproofing "paint" (the plans call for black exterior paint.)

  • 2 x 4.5" lag bolts + nuts for "splicing" to center pole to existing fence post

  • Brad Nails

  • Gorilla Wood Glue