How do I put up a Tawny Owl box with wire?

[dhpainter]

Hello, I've been given permission to put an owl box on a rather suitable tree, in an area where I hear Tawny's regularly here in North London but the stipulation is that I mustn't use screws or nails - I have to secure it with wire or some kind of strapping around the tree. I've looked high and low on the web and I cannot find instructions on how to do this. Can anybody help?
I have 6mm galvanised wire, a piece of hose to thread the wire through so that it doesn't cut into the tree but I'm not sure what fitments to get to secure the hoop of wire so that it can be loosened in the future. There must be something, right?
Any feedback would be appreciated
Thank you
Dawn Painter

[Deb London]

If you get stuck, this site shows a box fitted to a tree with wire.

How to make an owl box

They welcome the exchange of ideas and you could contact them:

Exchange ideas

But I'd use "wire cable clamps" possibly (although it'll be a fiddly job). The 3 wires would be held in position on the box with brackets or staples.

[dhpainter]

Thanks Deb, just found a marine supplies site with cable clamps and stuff - if I put some heavy duty hooks on the actual box and make a loop with the wire, it might just work... I'll post something when I have it all figured out!
Thanks again
Dawn

[Sawsicksteve]

Depending on your budget, you could use a couple of cheap ratchet straps which would be simple and straightforward to do. If your funds are really limited, silage bag ties are cheap and strong - like giant cable ties.
You just have to join them together until you've enough length to go around the branch. Only problem, I've just noticed you're in N.London - agricultural suppliers maybe a bit thin on the ground.
Whatever you do, make sure you've got some help - they're heavy old things, and don't get any lighter halfway up a tree!

[dhpainter]

Oh and the wire I have is 4mm not 6mm....der

[dhpainter]

Thank you steve, I did initially think about a few ratchet straps but we have so many squirrels I'd be worried they'd chew through them! Same goes for plastic cable ties. Yesterday I looked up stainless steel cable tie suppliers but they only seemed to make short lengths and I don't want it to resemble one of those paper chains kids make.... a stainless steel strap ratchet clamp.... now that's what I need.....

And I've got the tree surgeons pruning the tree in October - they said they'd put it up for me. Sweet.

[Kayleigh]

Have you looked at Wire tensioners they will take out any slack in the wire and are easy to adjust as the tree grows..

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Have you looked at Wire tensioners they will take out any slack in the wire and are easy to adjust as the tree grows..

Gripple make excellent tensioners, and can be released easily once you have the knack. Quite expensive though. Harder to get the metal versions if I recall.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Gripple make excellent tensioners, and can be released easily once you have the knack. Quite expensive though. Harder to get the metal versions if I recall.

Here are some I have seen in DIY centres..

wire tensioner - Google Search
Don't know if they would be any good for this job.

[dhpainter]

Thank you Kayleigh, I'll try getting hold of something like that - they look as though they'd give you the option of releasing some wire as the tree grows which is perfect because it will probably be moi who has to do that in the future - the less time spent up a ladder the better for me and all those at my feet!