How to Make a Snake Baffle
- 1). Bolt two strips of hanger iron together on either side of the birdhouse support pole. Fasten the hanger strips together with a machine screw and nut on each side of the pole. Bend the ends of the strips away from each other to create a bracket on which to hang the baffle. Slide the hanger strips up the pole so that when the stovepipe is hung on the bracket it clears the ground by at least several inches. Wrap two or three strips of duct tape around the pole under the bracket to keep it in place.
- 2). Snip a hole in the center of the circle of wire mesh hardware cloth. The hole should be big enough to slide the circle over the support pole, but to fit snugly. Slide it down over the top of the pole to rest on the hanger strip bracket.
- 3). Cut into the end of the stovepipe about 1 inch with the tin snips. Make an identical cut 1 inch from the first one. Bend the cut section toward the middle of the stovepipe. This is one notch. Make three more notches evenly spaced around the stovepipe.
- 4). Slide the stovepipe over the support pole with the notches on top. The notches will rest on the wire mesh circle.
- 5). Smear carnauba wax on the support pole between the baffle and the ground to repel ants and climbing insects. The wax will also let you see if snakes have tried to climb the pole.
- 6). Mount the birdhouse on top of the support pole.
