Method of making a tubular element and product, particularly bird feeder hopper, produced thereby

A method of making a tubular member such as a bird feeder hopper having offset members extending integrally from the inside surface of the peripheral wall thereof into an internal cavity. A sheet-like member is initially formed with a plurality of wall sections interconnected by integral hinges and the offset members integrally formed on one surface thereof. The sheet-like element can then be folded or pivoted about the integral hinges to form the peripheral wall of the tubular member, with the offset members extending into the internal cavity defined thereby and the edge portions of the end sections secured as by heat sealing, complementary locking members, or a combination thereof.