My New Revamp Job Is Somewhere In N9 !!!

(Ceiling made of nesting planks)

This week I will be in Negeri Sembilan.           

This new project is not a very easy to start and to do.

The building is too short and in an area with so many people around the building as early as 7:00am till late at night.

The door leading to the higher floors is tight and you will get pretty crazy when a lorry load of items arrived at the ground floor.

The owner wanted the job to be done within less than two weeks and what I have told him is to let me start this week.

The first task is to clean up the place.

Too many unwanted items plus partitions that need to be taken down. There was also a cabinet that was not dismantled.

The biggest head ache will be the installation of those false roof.

The owner wanted his way and his method is to line the roof using those nesting planks.

Very costly and I think using those false ceiling boards will be cheaper and served its purposes.

The initial problem would be those heat coming from the zinc roof.

I need to make sure those exposed areas are blocked and there will be a suitable airflow to move those hot air out.

The next issue will be what kind of entrance system will be best for this unit.

Hmm.... a very difficult decision to work with.

The owner wanted to use the staircase extension but .......

Will see how it goes.....

I will be travelling up and down from Kuala Lumpur to get this job done.....

Started the job and have a good look at some of those pictures taken while trying to complete the ceiling.

The owner insisted in using his 3.5 Mtons of nesting planks.

I am using those heat shield made of aluminium foil with bubble mat it between.

The temperature will remain at 29*C even if the other side is 80*C.

So far no one wanted to join me to see how this BH will be turned into a BH.

You have a choice to learn but .......

Installing the heat shield above the ceiling planks.

One part done the other is about to.

How the zinc roofing covered with those standard head shield.

My worker suggested to use the wood frame as the support base.

The completed part which is at the middle of the house.

Looking at another angle.  Nice work.

My worker squeezing out of the rood trusts.

This is how the top of the wood ceiling looks like.

Well covered from the hot air and it formed like a protection layer from rain water if the roof leaks.

 Installation of nesting planks about to complete

 The crossing to create more 90* angled

Installation of those cluster wood corners.

Those Maggots Are Sprewing All Over The Container !!!

This video clip is again to show you the effectiveness of using insect powder made by a friend who manufactured it locally.

Have a look and try to attract more birds by using this simple technique:





The key point is your willingness to try new things.

If your BH is facing difficulties in drawing those birds over the roof top try something to lure them over.

If they like to have free food they know where to get them.

My "Coming Soon" Project Might Be This Unit !!!

I have never seen or entered any BH with Islamic Architecture before.

Last Tuesday July 10th 2012 I was given the opportunity to.

The owner wanted my short visit and provide him the things that are needed to make it successful.

I remembered conducting a bird call test about 2 or 1.5 years ago and forgot about it since the owner keep silence on his next move.

Out of the blue he wrote to me wanting me to provide him with the necessary sound system for a BH.


"Pak Harry,

About 2 years ago you had visited Kg Budi (around 20 minutes journey from Kota Bharu), Bachok, Kelantan on the request of my brother Fz. I am not sure if you could remember the event but you came along with 2 of your Chinese friends. That time we had requested you to conduct the location test. Now the bh is almost at its completion stage and I am writing to you to ask if it is possible for you to give your best price on the installation of the sound system.

The bh details are as follows:

1) 3 storey, 25' width by 60' length. A small area on the ground floor being kept aside for control room and a small toilet.

2) LMB is dog kennel type.

3) planking formation is 1 1/2' by 100 cm

Appreciate a favorable reply to this enquiry.

Regards,"

Since I was about to wrap up my sound system installation at Kubang Kerian, about 10 minutes away, I told him to allow me to have a look at the BH.

I was not surprise when he got his brother to fetch me at the airport to get me to the BH site.

On Tuesday morning once arrived at the airport I saw his brother waiting for me.

"Good morning Pak Harry.  I am here to take you to view the BH in Bacok."

Oh yes when arriving at the said location I remembered vividly the time that I came with some friends to test the land.

The tests were good and the flight direction was determined.

I gave them the go ahead and make sure the entrance hole faces the flying path.

Today I can see a beautiful structure with those Islamic architecture on the walls.

"Who asked you to decorate the BH with those window frames and those special islamic features?"

His answer was those local council.

His story was like this:

They tried to start the construction illegally with giving any notice to the local council.  However their luck went bad.  The local council people stop the construction  work and were ask to submit appropriate application.  After lots of changes the local council allows them to proceed but with suitable amendments to the design.  All buildings in Kelantan must reflect Islamic identity.  That was how the Islamic design concept actually happened.

No a bad design, I told him.

At least they are not bare but there were too many ventilation holes.

The pipes used as the ventilation holes should be those of greyish coloured and not those white?

The white coloured tend to allow sun light to penetrate the nesting room.

So what can be down now Pak Harry?

The best is to paint all these pipes with black paint.

The next issue will be those 90* elbows and 3 feet extension pipe.

You still need someone to paint all of them. I told him.

My comment about those ventilation holes was, you have too many of them.  Each wall from beam to beam there were at least 9 openings.  It was too many and you might want to shut half of them.

The walls were okay with double brick walls and proper air ventilators.

I was pleased with the smoothness of the ceiling.  This will help in the installation of those nesting planks.

After the short inspection job I gave him a thumbs up and once the electricity and water supply is ready I might be able to install those walls, nesting planks and its sound system.

"Pak Harry, please recommend the scope of works to my brother and I am sure he will look forward to your email."

I have a very strong feeling that I might make another 7 hours journey to Bacok, Kelantan soon.

Those of you who are staying nearby and wanted to experience on site work please let me know.  You are invited to come and learn to install everything in this BH at a small fee.

I only allow two person at any one time.

Remember this is an experience of your life time.

You will never be able to get this genuine opportunity any where else in the region.

Only Pak Harry is crazy enough to allow newbies to come and learn beside him.

You will be able to learn from the experience at site and ask him everything about swiftlet farming.

Call 017 7551318 for more information.

First come first served basis.

Finish One More And Where Next !!!

The installation of BH sound system at Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan was finally completed.

This three stories but with only the top two floors converted to BH was initially DIY by the owner.

Due to some reservation that he has to complete the sound system he SOS for my help.

The BH looks okay but there were a couple of mistakes that I identified for his attention.

One of the biggest issue that I pointed out to the owner was the bright light that were polluting the nesting room.

I advised him on the proper correction measures and he gladly accepted my offer to allow my workers to erect a few walls on the top most floor and the middle floor.

The area that were reflecting those light coming from the entrance holes towards the nesting rooms were painted black.

The next consideration was to guide all the birds that entered or staying in this BH to fly above the LAL (the hole on the floor that allows those swiftlet to fly down to the lower floor). This is more like forcing them to fly on the top of the hole.  By doing so there will be a bigger chances that the lower floor will be  populated.

After the two new walls being erected the nesting rooms and those walls were painted the nesting rooms now were darker and more hospitable to any swiftlet that enter this BH.

My next concern was the entrance hole of those birds.

The owner claimed that even with one opening the whole house was a bit too bright.

This particular reason will provide lesser chance for those swiftlet to enter the BH.

What I did was to open two more holes that makes the BH having three openings.

The main entrance hole, with lots of tweeters were facing the side with least number of residential houses, and the other two with just a set of tweeters facing 60* towards the sky.

The next most important job to handle was the installation of as many tweeters as I can.

My style for this BH was to create lots of those cluster tweeters at those nesting planks crossings.

A total of about 150 tweeters were used per floor.  Nearly 80% were as cluster tweeters.

The rest were for singles, chandeliers, kite and on the door leading those birds into the nesting rooms.

For this particular BH I put lot of personal touch on the installation of about 200 fake nests.

Most of them were made of gel with 90* and 180* shapes mainly inside the VIP rooms.

I also included about 2 dozens of aluminium fake nests.

The sound amplifiers for this BH were four solid state amplifiers.  Two for the external and two for internal sounds.

Managed to install a trial insect generating set plus sourced five bags of fresh bird shit for him.

I have decided to deploy my best sound in Kelantan "Super 208" as its external sound and SuperBabyKing as the internal sound.

Tested and proved how those birds were rushing into the monkey house from all the three entrance windows.

After watching the activities created the owner was very satisfied and I handed over the building for him to look after his BH.

"Doc, you need to perhaps apply the Mutiara Aroma for at least three consecutive days before starting the running of this BH.  Once that is done lock the entrance door for about three months.  I fully guarantees that there will be at least 20-30 bird shit spots.  If you are lucky there will be at least 3-5 makings with one or two of about 1/2 " nest size."

I was very happy that the owner honoured my effort and we have a big meal after that.

It was a very happy occasion to see those smiles on the owner's face.

He knows that those birds will enter his BH and it is a matter of time that they will be his tenants.

 If you have any questions about the above pictures please send it to harryswiftlet@yahoo.com

It Was Due To The Wrong Volume !!!

(After sound adjustment the activity on the rooftop is back to its normal)

"Pak Harry, I am worried about the growth of nests in our BH (a JV with me).  What can be the reasons why it suddenly stop growing?"

A very interesting question about the performance of a BH that was showing a very good signs of birds entering and after a few short months there were lots of bird shit spots all over the place.

However due to some unforeseen events it suddenly stop growing.  I have a very strong feeling that it was due to the owner.

Let me relate to you all what  really happened.

About six months ago I was given the task to revamp a very sick BH in Gambang.  The owner tested my ability by recommending me to revamp a BH in Kepong, Selangor.

She and husband keep a very close eyes on the progress of this BH.  Every time meeting the real owner she will check on its progress.

After getting the true picture of its progress she called me and relate to me the true stories on how her relative who owned and operate the most successful BH in Kuantan could not draw any birds into her three stories BH.

She even was bold enough to offer a stake in the BH operation.

"What I want is to see more nests inside my sick BH.  Please help to cure the BH".

The three stories building was converted about 1,5 years ago but with about 6 nests.

After my usual revamp operation the number of birds entering the BH was exciting and plenty of shit spots (50-70) were all over the place.

After about two months the owner complained that she received a 500 ringgit summon from the local council for being too loud.

I told her to go an negotiate for a slight reduction and perhaps reduce the sound volume a bit.

This was where she reduce the volume to something that makes those birds refuse to enter like before.

The activities about the roof drop to a critical level and the number of birds entered were stressful.

Once that happened the number of birds staying will be reduced to a minimum this lesser activities inside.

Many of those shit spots were drying out and lots of marking went dead.

I gave my opinion to the owner and he asked me to do what ever I can to reignite the BH.

The lesson from this event is the important of using the right sound volume.

If your BH is among a number of BHs around you, the sound level must be proper.

The sound volume but be at an optimum volume to attract those birds returning home to those BHs beside you.

Too loud with cause them to bounce away from the entrance window.

Too low will not attract any new birds to play and enter your BH.

Of course it the volume is disturbing you need to be careful with the local council.

Have a good look at some of those nests that were seen in this BH.