Closer
The rain held out today and I managed to make a little progress on getting the bat house ready to hang.
First, I buried these 6′ 4x4s 3′ deep in concrete as a “foundation” for the pipes I will use as poles.
The 3/4″ galvanized pipe on top (the board connecting the poles is just a brace while the concrete sets)
will be installed as the axle for the pivoting base of the “tower”, ie two 20′ 1 1/4 galvanized poles with the house suspended between them. Two 1″ Ts with 3′ of pipe screwed into them will have the 3/4″ axle through them with the ends resting in holes cut through the bases of the 4x4s. The 1 1/4″ “tower” poles slide over the 3′ sections of 1″ pipe and theoretically I’ll be able to walk/winch up the whole thing with the bat house bolted to the top.
Riiiiiight………
It should be interesting regardless of whether I am successful in engineering my way out of soliciting assistance from any number of friends who have offered to help. Is it stubbornness? Maybe.
Or maybe it is just to see if I can come up with a system to do it.
Speaking of the bat house-
It has been sitting up on blocks awaiting a final coat of stain (mahogany this time just to unblacken it a bit), attachment of screening to the landing surface under the open bottom of the house, and of course the proper marking of the house as being one for bats.
Ready for attachment to the 1 1/4″ tower pipes (maybe tomorrow):
Behind cohutt's fence 
That looks great. We put one up last year but I think we did it too late. Since we didn’t have any bats use it during summer. Hopefully this spring! Our design is the same as yours minus the batman welcome sign!
Hopefully this will be up in time to catch some coming in this spring- who knows.
Batman…. Nice touch. I normally see them up on trees or atleast higher up. Is there a benefit having them lower to the ground?
Nah, It’s just parked there on blocks while I’m getting the poles set up to mount it on. The minimum recommended height is 12 feet or so- this one will be 20′ at the roof ridge. Bats aren’t like birds when they take off- the have to drop and catch air to get airborne. Higher gives young pups learning to fly more margin of error. Higher also reduces wasp nest issues and ground based predators noticing and gaining access.
Mega!
LOL, yes, http://www.Overkill-R-Us.com