Home Repair Workshop

           Back yard trees are often the victim of a high wind and ice
storms usually  tilt or break trunks to a point where they must be removed
---an expensive job. This usually  requires a back hoe  or stump grinder to
bring the stump below grade so you can cover it with top soil and plant
grass seed.  But if you would to add a birdbath to your yard here¹s a simple
jig that will make certain the top is perfectly level so you can rest a
concrete birdbath. If the trunk diameter is eight or more inches gravity
will keep it in place but if your tree is only 4 inches or so in diameter,
nail a five gallon paint, joint compound or roof coating can top to the
stump and then rest the birdbath on top.
            Illustrated are six simple steps that will guarantee a level
cut  First, determine the desired height of your birdbath (Figure 1) by
nailing a 1x2 inch furring strip to the trunk. After driving the first nail,
use a level to make certain the strip is level and the drive another nail.
As illustrated in Figure 2, add another short strip to form the second leg
of a triangle by end nailing the second strip to the first with a single 8
penny nail. Then swing the strip down (or up) until it is level and drive
two nails through the strip and into the trunk. Next, rest another 1x2 two
strips that are nailed in place. Push it against the trunk and mark off the
angle on the two strips as shown in Figure 3. Cross cut each at this angle
(Figure 4).  Set the third strip flush with the first two strips and end
nail as shown in Figure 5. Also, drive two nails through the strip and into
the trunk. Then use a bow saw or even a cross cut of rip handsaw. to make
the cut as shown in Figure 6.