old satalite dish- what do you do with yours?

[InHisName]

Someone just gave us an old dish- we were thinking it would be a good shelter for animals- any ideas?

[Ravenlost]

My uncle used his as the roof on the gazebo he made his wife. And I have seen them used to hang birdhouse gourds on too.

[Queen Bee]

We had the small/med. sized one--dh mounted it on a 6x6 short post, sealed the bolts w/ water proofer and the birds love to bath in it.. If I ever get ducks, I think I will put one in their pen with water. The sides are sloped gently, so little ones could play and not drown..

[miss_dee]

I just saw a photo in Backyard Living where a guy used one as a giant salad bowl - he planted lettuce in it and hung a sign "Big Al's Salad Bowl" or something like that. Cute.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Used mine as a goat shade, on three 4x4 inch posts. DH, who is a landscaper, was supposed to put palm fronds over the top, but it never happened. I guess the goats would have eaten them anyway, lol. The dish was upside down, by the way.

niki

[agmantoo]

I ripped the mesh from the main skeleton frame work then I mounted the framework upside down like an umbrella on an aluminum post and planted a Carolina jasmine vine at the base. Makes a wonderful trellis. Eventually I intend to make a circular bench to mount under the shade of the vine.

[GrannyG]

Ours was a big round one, some kind of fiberglass I suppose. Had DH take it off the post, filled all the holes in with liquid nails, hauled it out to the barnyard, put blocks around it after I got it centered, and filled it with water. All the critters love it. The goats use it now, but before that, when we had geese, they used it as a swimming pool and loved it. I also have minnows in mine for fishing time.I have to put fresh water in it every day, as it does get warm with the sun shines on it but the fish are thriving.

[Boleyz]

Saw one guy who used his to roof a round ostrich hut. He built the hut to fit the dish. I worked well. If I had one, I'd definitely use it to build a chicken coop.

[Mike in Ohio]

I'm trying to get one now to make a solar cooker.

[Sparticle]

someone in countryside one time said they used theirs for hay bale covers.

[WisJim]

I'm also trying to find one to make a solar cooker out of. I was originally trying to find one of the big fiberglass ones, but I think even the 2 or 3 foot one would be worth experimenting with (I have seen one that size used to melt pop cans). Cover the inside surface with aluminum foil, aim at the sun, and burn away. Would need some kind of tracking mechanism to get maximum heat out of it over a period of time, but it would be fun to try out.

Anyone have one to get rid of in western Wisconsin, around Menomonie area??

[greenbean]

Water Heater! Point it south & coil a black water hose in it.

[tamatik]

great cover/roof for a hot tub//gazebo style

[Gunner0331]

Paint a bloodshot eye on it and aim it at a neighbor you don't like.

Gunner

[nodak3]

Mount upside down, string clothes line, and instant clothes tree.

[Mid Tn Mama]

I'd make a small gazebo.

[woodsmokeinherhair]

lol, I know a woman who took a large dish, painted the inside in a very intricate pattern, and then put it on 6 4X4 posts to make a gazebo. I got myself a dish thinking to do the same thing, but at this point, I really don't need one and it wouldn't get used, so it is just sitting in the backyard. My 10 year old loves to play with it. It is in 2 pieces, as it is one of the large ones, and had to be taken apart to transport. My son likes to stand the 2 sides up and make a kinda shelter to hide in, and then he lay them down so that they wobble, and gets in and runs from one side to the other! lol.

Hopefully, someone will come up with a new idea that I can use for it. If nothing else, I might eventually use it as an animal pen. Apparently, you lay the dish down and mark around it. Then take T-posts and some 5 foot tall welded wire, and form a circle, leaving room to making some kind of doorway .... Then put the satellite on top. You do have to drill some holes to attach the dish to the top of the wire fence ... but I hear that this kind of pen lasts quite some time, although I guess if you have to go inside the pen, it helps if you are only 5 foot tall! lol.

Woodsmokeinherhair!(5'2", lol)

[Ozarkguy]

.


Do a search on:


solar oven + satellite dish


satellite solar oven


Lots of info on free cooking! Seems a bit TOO hot for me when they all use welding gloves and goggles!



.

[bumpus]

.
Many people in our state just leave them, and sometimes paint them so they will look like large flowers.
Many call them The West Virginia Wild Flower.

You all come back now ya hear.


bumpus

[ArkansasLady]

there is a dude in HotSprings, took two of the big ones, and put them back to back to make a huge looking yo yo...painted them hot pink...they are neat...

~Cindy~