Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

[lakelivin]

I want to modify a large glass wine bottle so that it will fit the threads of my hummingbird feeder.

A plastic 2-liter soft drink bottle will fit the feeder, so I'm thinking I can cut off the threaded part just below the lip and feed it through a hole I cut in the metal cap from one of those 3 liter glass bottles of wine. I'd cut the hole in the wine cap just large enough to let the threads pass through, but smaller than the lip of the soda bottle top, insert the soda bottle top through the hole from the inside of the wine cap and glue the lip of the soda bottle top to the inside of the wine cap. The threaded part of the soda bottle top will project out the top of the wine cap and allow me to use the 3 liter glass wine bottle for my hummingbird feeder.

I need to make sure the setup won't leak where the soda bottle top goes through the wine bottle cap (it will be turned upside down and in contact with hummingbird nectar most of the time). I also need to make sure whatever I use is non-toxic and doesn't add any taste or odor to the nectar.

Anyone know of an appropriate glue to use for this project? Or even where I might go to find the answer if no one here has it?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

A 3 liter wine bottle with a metal cap. Where do I get me some of that?

Any glue that may be non-toxic to humans, could still be toxic to hummers.
Can't help with that.

Why do you want a 3 liter hummingbird feeder?

You know the feeders need to be emptied and washed once a week, to reduce bacteria and stop fermentation, or the hummers get sick (and drunk).

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with hummers. During peak season mine go through around 2.5 quarts (3 feeders) in a little over a day. They've gone from being super cool to the verge of being a pain in the butt. I need something big enough to last a couple of days before needing refilling so I can enjoy them more than resent them, lol.

A couple of 3 liter feeders would especially come in handy when I'm gone for the weekend (there's not always someone around who can refill em for me).

p.s. I got my bottles from some neighbors, otherwise I'd check any grocery store that sells wine, lol.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

Use a hot glue gun. Most of the (maybe all) plastic glue sticks are non-toxic.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

Use a hot glue gun. Most of the (maybe all) plastic glue sticks are non-toxic.

Thanks for the suggestion. Will the hot glue stand up to almost constant contact with a liquid?

 

[JB]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

I don't recommend a 3 liter feeder unless it has about 12 stations, lakelivin. Some of the fights over one 4 station feeder of any capacity put the little Spitfires and ME 109s at more risk than possible contamination of the nectar.

I put out 3 1 liter feeders in early summer and two more in the late summer when the squadrons becomes more like swarms. By then the toll is about 5lb of sugar a week and worth every grain.

Consider the daily scalding and refilling the fee for hours of priceless entertainment.

 

[Coors]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

a silicone for use in restaurant kitchens is made- can't remember where we got it. Call a rest. supply place.

 

[justin65]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

a silicone for use in restaurant kitchens is made- can't remember where we got it. Call a rest. supply place.

Good call.

Even better is silicone made for use in aquariums.
When it cures its fish safe. You can find it in small tubes at any pet store.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

The silicone used in fish tanks is 100% silicone. Do NOT use silicone that is used for window/door caulking since that has anti mildew agents in it. Home depot carries the 100% silicone in caulking tubes.

Yes the hot glue gun glue will stand up to liquids.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Non toxic (food grade?) glue for hummingbird feeder project

Some good suggestions, thanks all. I'll check out the acquarium silicon this week.

JB, even when I use the 3-liter bottles I'll put up the same number of feeders I always have (3, with 1 around a different side of the house so one bird can't 'guard' it and the others at the same time). I think I might add a fourth one down near the boathouse this year as well. That will give me 3 feeders with 6 ports each and one with 4 ports. The same number of birds will be using each feeder regardless of how big the bottle is. The only difference with the 3 liter bottles is that hopefully I'll be able to go 3 days between refills instead of needing to refill every day. That's been my schedule using 1 liter bottles (until the swarms hit each season). Been doing it for years and I've never had a problem with 3 days worth of nectar in the bottles. I'd just like to be able to continue the same schedule once the swarms do hit.

I boil my water extremely well before stirring in the sugar and thoroughly clean my feeders (including bottles) between refills. I suspect those two things help give the nectar a longer 'shelf life' before it starts to go bad. As a matter of fact, I cook up twice as much nectar as my feeders will hold and keep the extra in a glass jug in a cold refrigerator until it's time to refill. Been doing it for years and have never had a problem with the nectar going bad. It sure is convenient cooking every 6 days or so instead of every 2 or 3 (and I can't imagine doing it every day; hats off to you sir)!

I have noticed what might be a strange thing with my hummers. Through mid summer they often share surprisingly well. On more than one occasion I've seen 7 hummers feeding simultaneously on a 4 port feeder. Three of the ports had 2 bills down them at the same time. Then, when the swarms come, even the most aggressive hummer can't 'defend' a feeder for long. While he chases off 1 or 2 birds, five or six (or more) others hit the feeder. Doesn't take long before the 'aggressor' runs out of energy and joins the others on the feeder for a drink.

One other thing I noticed last year you might find interesting; after all of the hummers left in the fall I kept 1 feeder up. Changed the nectar maybe once a week (it was pretty cold by that time and the nectar lasted surprisingly long before it got cloudy). About 3 weeks after what I thought was the last of the hummers, and just as I was about to take the feeder down for good, I saw a hummer on it drinking nectar. Must have been a late traveller from up north passing through. Only saw the one, but there may have been other stragglers as I wasn't watching the feeder much at all. Gonna leave up 1 feeder late this year as well and see if the same thing happens.

 

[Jenner]

www.gluehow.com/glues?tag=Food-Safe

I haven't tried the other ones on that list but Dap is great stuff. I used it to repair an aquarium 18 months ago and it's still holding up.

 

[GA_Boater]

Holy Batman. Biff, pop, pow, bam. Seven year old old topic, Jenner. Please don't post in old topics which have not had activity in excess of 90 days.. Thanks