bird seed packets

kes166

Artisan
I'm relativly new, having only played one event.

I'm making some bird seed packets, and they look relativly ok ... But is there a certain amount of bird seed that is considered to much? I'm using all small seeds (for small birds) with no seeds being any larger than a sesame seed and I'm using about a tablespoon of seed per packet.

Should I be using more or less per packet, or is roughly a tablespoon ok?
 
Welcome to the Alliance!

I use a tablespoon of small, round seeds for packets, in about a 6X6" square of fabric, and they come out to the right size and fly pretty well.

Quick tip since you're new at this: make sure you wrap your rubber bands very tightly to keep everything from falling out, and also pull the fabric snug so the part with birdseed doesn't have a lot of "give" to it. Works better, generally speaking, than a loose packet will.
 
The little rubberbands they have for braiding in the haircare aisle of a CVS or any similar venue work super well for closing up packets too!
 
if u have an old film roll container that is roughly the right size for judging your packets... the packet should be small enough to fit in the container, but big enough to not have a lot of wiggle room.
 
In the Southern Minnesota chapter, we are working on a series of "How To" videos for new players. Luckily for you, the first to be completed is how to make spell packets. It can be found on the front page of our website (www.mnalliance.com) or here is a direct link to the video: http://vimeo.com/20037376
 
Morganne said:
Quick tip since you're new at this: make sure you wrap your rubber bands very tightly to keep everything from falling out, and also pull the fabric snug so the part with birdseed doesn't have a lot of "give" to it. Works better, generally speaking, than a loose packet will.
Personally, I feel it's safer to hit someone with a loose packet than a rock-hard one.
 
jpariury said:
Personally, I feel it's safer to hit someone with a loose packet than a rock-hard one.
+1

In addition, it says something in the rulebook about them being loosely packed. Oh, and rice isn't allowed because it can get hard if it gets wet. In fact, all packets are to be discarded after they get wet because they become rock-hard balls of unsafe materials.

-Luke
 
Perhaps this is something that you just have to get a feel for. If you are concerned about your first batch of packets, you can always make them as tight or loose as you are comfortable with and then take a few to your local Marshal to let you know if any adjustments need to be made.
 
To me a 'snug' (aka perfect) packet is one where if you pinch the packet itself, it will 'distort' about a quarter of the way however if you pinch a very small piece of the fabric of the head and hold the packet by that, an empty space of fabric does not form.

Worse case scenario is that you show them to the marshal, the marshal says "too tight" or "Too loose" and you roll the rubber band clump at the back one way or the other to adjust it. Might suck for hundreds of them but a new player with, I'm assuming, only around a couple dozen wouldn't be a major issue to refit them. ;)
 
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