# DIY Bird launcher



## Lee Watt (Sep 16, 2011)

Has anyone ever made a home made bird launcher or have plans for such.

Just looking at the price of some them and pretty sure I can make it cheaper.
Also love building stuff so that is my second motivation. 

just curious 

thanks

lee


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## Duckquilizer (Apr 4, 2011)

I made some...Do a google for kwicklabs. He has everything you need on there.


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## Ihatesteel (Aug 22, 2011)

The only issue you might run into is the remote launcher stuff.


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## Chris Krause (Jun 29, 2011)

I am building mine now! I am simulating the bumper boy concept. I cut some alluminum sheets out into triangles like bumper boy did and screwed those together. I bought some servo's from radio shack. I bought my transmitter and reciever off of ebay (being shipped from Japan right now) I am using the DT systems launchers as my bumper launcher itself. Total cost for one setup is 250 bucks. I'm bulding two. So for 500 bucks I'll have two launchers. Only thing mine wont have is the sound..my dogs and I can live without the sound.


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## mrosspa (Oct 11, 2009)

Lee:

Is that a bird launcher or bird winger?

Michael


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## TN_LAB (Jul 26, 2008)

Duckquilizer said:


> I made some...Do a google for kwicklabs. He has everything you need on there.


yup

kwicklabs has a very thorough writeup with photos of his remote controlled PVC wingers


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## Lee Watt (Sep 16, 2011)

the kwick labs one is amazing, but I think I'm gonna modify the release so that its more like a gunner up. like the simplicity of that one. 

I guess its off to the local hobby shop to figure out the parts i need. oh ya i live and the boonies and the closest one is 4 hours away. 

can't wait till i move back to civilization.


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

Sure, I made this one. Release is similar to the zinger winger.


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## Donald Flanagan (Mar 17, 2009)

As many others have done, I've mounted a retriev-r-trainer in a small pvc stand. My electronics are based on cheap 2-way radios from Wally World. I got the plans for doing this off the internet (there are some very detailed descriptions and schematics). Instead of servos, I used an automotive door lock actuator. One of the components of the system has a 1-second delay designed into it by the manufacturer, and I wish this weren't the case, but it's good enough.

For about a year now, I've had the parts cut out for an aluminum winger, but I need to get it welded (I don't weld, and my welding friends don't have the equipment). PVC is a lot cheaper and quicker, though, and for future units, I might just go with that. The aluminum itself isn't that pricey, but cutting it is more work, and the welding is expensive.


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## kdeckels (Sep 12, 2009)

Are there particular models of the frs radio's i need to look for? Maybe I had the wrong switch or something. I couldn't get it to trip the actuator. Or do you even need to use the switch.

I have a dummy launcher & pvc winger built, but the electronics are tripping me up.




El Matavenados said:


> As many others have done, I've mounted a retriev-r-trainer in a small pvc stand. My electronics are based on cheap 2-way radios from Wally World. I got the plans for doing this off the internet (there are some very detailed descriptions and schematics). Instead of servos, I used an automotive door lock actuator. One of the components of the system has a 1-second delay designed into it by the manufacturer, and I wish this weren't the case, but it's good enough.
> 
> For about a year now, I've had the parts cut out for an aluminum winger, but I need to get it welded (I don't weld, and my welding friends don't have the equipment). PVC is a lot cheaper and quicker, though, and for future units, I might just go with that. The aluminum itself isn't that pricey, but cutting it is more work, and the welding is expensive.


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## Duckquilizer (Apr 4, 2011)

Mistyriver, where did you get ur release or did you make it?


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## Duckquilizer (Apr 4, 2011)

There is a section on the 2-way radios on Kwik's site. You have to be careful because some of the radios don't put out enough voltage on the earphone jack.


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## Salmonbum (Sep 2, 2011)

If someone had some plans they would like to share, I will get some made. I am a design engineer and have access to a full welding dept, CNC's the size of a small house, edm wires, 4 laser machines, etc..... 

Even if someone had the idea on a napkin, I can turn it into a 3D model.

Heck, if there were enough guys interested, I could see about making 50-100 of them to cut the costs down.


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## Lee Watt (Sep 16, 2011)

sorry already started building mine. 

hope to have a pic up in the next couple of weeks. 

I'm going to use castration tubing very flexible and tough. 

Have a waterballoon launcher made with the tubing that can send stuff well out over a hundred yards so i think it should work for this. Hard part is waiting for the pouch to arrive.


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## Mstormc (Feb 18, 2010)

I believe this is the link that some have mentioned

Kwik's site


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## Kendall Steffensen (Sep 19, 2011)

Interesting post. Pictures and supply sources would be appreciated.


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## Donald Flanagan (Mar 17, 2009)

kdeckels said:


> Are there particular models of the frs radio's i need to look for? Maybe I had the wrong switch or something. I couldn't get it to trip the actuator. Or do you even need to use the switch.
> 
> I have a dummy launcher & pvc winger built, but the electronics are tripping me up.


You have to know what kind of connector to use, and this is based on the type of radio. A lot of the cheap radios use a TRS plug (Tip Ring Sleeve, stereo plug) because it connects ground, output, and input. Others use 2 TS plugs (Tip Sleeve, mono plug), with one plug being ground/output, and the other being ground/input- Motorola often uses this setup. In either case, the ground and output need to be connected properly to your circuit. Because the output of the radio is so low, you need a low-voltage trigger. The trigger then activates a relay, which closes a circuit which sends power from a large, powerful battery to your actuator or relay.

So no, you don't need a particular model, but you do need to make the proper connections.


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

Duckquilizer said:


> Mistyriver, where did you get ur release or did you make it?


Made it. Just cut it out of Stainless steel.


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

Kendall Steffensen said:


> Interesting post. Pictures and supply sources would be appreciated.




What type of supplies are you looking for?


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

Salmonbum said:


> If someone had some plans they would like to share, I will get some made. I am a design engineer and have access to a full welding dept, CNC's the size of a small house, edm wires, 4 laser machines, etc.....
> 
> Even if someone had the idea on a napkin, I can turn it into a 3D model.
> 
> Heck, if there were enough guys interested, I could see about making 50-100 of them to cut the costs down.


With all that equipment you should have no problem building one. Things like the pouch are pretty much a factored cost and the only way to get it cheaper is to make your own. I can't sew, so that was out. As for the pulleys, hinges, aluminum, etc.. you really have to shop around. I think I built mine for a little over $100.00. The pulleys, hinges, pouch and servo cost the most.


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

If you look real close at the bottom you will see a thin wire running across from the release arm to an actuator. We added an actuator so you could plug in a plunger that runs off little battery pack so someone standing next to it can use the plunger instead of a string tied to the release to fire it off.


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## Kendall Steffensen (Sep 19, 2011)

Release design, electronics, and 209 primer holder. I do not have a winger to use for an example, the closest I have gotten to one is loading a buddy's.


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## Kendall Steffensen (Sep 19, 2011)

Read back through the posts and realized the pictures that are being referenced are showing up as a box with a question mark in it. Anyone know what I need to do to display the pictures?


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## Donald Flanagan (Mar 17, 2009)

I got a pouch/pulley/bands/rings set from Dogs Afield for about $50 (http://www.dogsafield.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R001-019), and this is the best deal I could find. The Pouch is designed for a tosser-style winger (the type commonly used in hunt tests), so I designed mine a little larger to make up for the difference in draw length. My only complaint is that the photo shows hooks, which were not included in my kit.


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## Mistyriver (May 19, 2005)

You can buy the hooks, rings etc... from most hardware stores. You can buy the pulleys there also, however some say than don't think they work as well. I really have not had any issues with them. I will be out of town for a few days, but will post pics of the release design when I get back. As for the 209 primer holder, it is just a hole drilled in the top of the aluminum bar the size to hold a primer. There is a little point on the back part of the release that holds the pouch ring when the winger is set that strikes the primer once you launch the bird.


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## kdeckels (Sep 12, 2009)

El Matavenados said:


> So no, you don't need a particular model, but you do need to make the proper connections.


Ok, thanks. I was using Kwicks winger design and found these instructions, these remote launcher electronics http://tinyurl.com/4xbvbuw

No more electrical knowledge than I have, I was trying to find the exact radios.


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## Donald Flanagan (Mar 17, 2009)

I have very little knowledge about electronics, but learned quite a bit as I researched this project. That's the same page I used (along with one other, I think), and you can go with the parts list given. Or, you can find better parts elsewhere. I went with a small 12v battery instead of the 9.6v RC car battery. I also chose a PAC low voltage trigger instead of a PIE (http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=6yGPTrLKI-3FsQKI_72sAQ&ved=0CFIQ8wIwAA#) because they cost less, and only have a 1-second delay, instead of the 2-second delay of the PIE. A lot of the parts listed are from Radio Shack, and they charge way too much for stuff, so I went to local electronics store, and saved some money.

In my adventure, I had a friend who is VERY experienced in electronics tell me how he would design the circuit, and I wasted a good bit of time and a litte bit of money trying, but my brother and I just couldn't get it to work. Finally, I just went with the path well trod, and was happy with the result.


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