Whizbang Plucker

[lokua]

http://www.surpluscenter.com/ has some of the best prices for electric motors, bearings, and pulleys. Here in western PA plastic barrels are plentiful and cheap on craigslist. Look there first. I purchased my plucker fingers from cconly via Amazon and they are the cheapest and work fine (Kent fingers are nicer tho). I built my frame from 2 by 4 lumber and 1/4 inch lag bolts. Aluminum is best for the feather plate but I used plywood to save money. The book is jammed with info and a great value if you need extra guidance for the build.

 

[cmknight]

http://www.surpluscenter.com/ has some of the best prices for electric motors, bearings, and pulleys. Here in western PA plastic barrels are plentiful and cheap on craigslist. Look there first. I purchased my plucker fingers from cconly via Amazon and they are the cheapest and work fine (Kent fingers are nicer tho). I built my frame from 2 by 4 lumber and 1/4 inch lag bolts. Aluminum is best for the feather plate but I used plywood to save money. The book is jammed with info and a great value if you need extra guidance for the build.

Good to know. Do you have any issues with the plywood and the water? I was just thinking of cutting the bottom off one of the plastic barrels and then modifying it to fit.

 

[oldrooster]

Plastic barrels are few and far between in my area, once in a while there is someone with a load of them and they usually go quick. If you don't check craigs list at the right time or listen to the local radio versions of that locally your out of luck 2-3 hours later.

 

[lokua]

The plywood has held up fine through three small batches so far. My drum is the plastic outer drum from a washing machine. (don't do what I did and try using the motor and transmission from it, it doesn't work)

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Does anyone have suggestions on where to get the barrel? I know at one time they offered on the whizbang site a piece of plastic that you could wrap around instead of the barrel but every time I visit his site he's sold out on the plastic sheet. The motor, I figure one of the big box farm supply or building supply stores would have some. I saw he lists the parts you need to get from the hardware store (nuts and bolts etc.) and the stuff you can get from him (feather plates fingers etc.) but he does not list the sizes of lumbar needed to build the frame, is it listed in his book???

A blue water barrel works perfectly.
Lumber is 2x4 and 2x6
I recommend buying the book even if you gather all your own parts and his step by step instructions are great. But double check the misc. parts lists as a couple of quantities are off.

And I doubt that the bottom of a water barrel would be stiff enough to use as the feather plate. maybe if you fastened it to a piece of plywood.

 

[cmknight]

A blue water barrel works perfectly.
Lumber is 2x4 and 2x6
I recommend buying the book even if you gather all your own parts and his step by step instructions are great. But double check the misc. parts lists as a couple of quantities are off.

And I doubt that the bottom of a water barrel would be stiff enough to use as the feather plate. maybe if you fastened it to a piece of plywood.

Ya, that's what I was kinda thinking too. Maybe use the bottom reinforced with plywood. I want to make one that will work for quail. The whizbang is too big. I'm trying to figure out how to scale it down and still be effective.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
All I see are green and black water barrels at the local big box hardware stores going for 2-to 3 to4 hundred dollars. where does one get these blue barrels without breaking the bank????

 

[cmknight]

All I see are green and black water barrels at the local big box hardware stores going for 2-to 3 to4 hundred dollars. where does one get these blue barrels without breaking the bank????

I would search around on Craig's List or your local classifieds. You could also check at a dairy. I milk cows at a dairy part time and we have iodine in those big blue barrels. I'm sure they just get thrown away when they are empty. Its worth a shot.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
No dairies in my area in fact the local government does not want traditional farms in our area and make things very hard for those farmers all they want are in essence hobby farms.

 

[cmknight]

No dairies in my area in fact the local government does not want traditional farms in our area and make things very hard for those farmers all they want are in essence hobby farms.

The dairy I work on is only 100 head. I don't know if that is considered a hobby farm or not. You could check your surrounding area. If you have to travel an hour to get some materials, it may still be worth it rather than pay $300 for the barrel.