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DIY Buck Boiler

GCTerpfan

GCTerpfan

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Aug 11, 2017
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Location
Garrett County, MD
Here are some pics of my homemade buck boiler for making European mounts. I originally got this idea from a DIY section of another hunting website (now forgotten) but have made some changes to the orginal that make a big difference. My first version used a plastic trash can and wired the electric water heater element directly. This worked okay but didn't give you a way to control the heat and after 2 or 3 skulls the plastic trash can became so soft from heating and cooling you couldn't pick it up anymore when full of water.

This is version 2. Its basically a 1500 watt hot water heating element ($10) threaded through the side of a galvanized bucket ($12) and sealed with rtv. I wired the element to a thermostat my father had taken from an old hot water heater and basically just taped it to the side of the bucket with Gorilla tape. I had to add a couple layers of tape between the sensor on the thermostat and the side of the bucket to act as insulation. The thermostat only adjusts from 120-150 degrees but, with the tape added it allows the water to reach total range of about 170-220. I set the thermostat to keep the water about 190 when doing a skull. It's not pretty but works well:

2018-01-07 17.12.51.jpg 2018-01-07 17.13.11.jpg

Here are pics of two deer I just did. The buck on the right was shot by my 9 yr old nephew and the buck on the left was killed by my son on youth day.
2018-01-07 17.12.09.jpg
The buck on the right is a 1.5 year old 10 point with two small stickers. I haven't seen this heavy of beading on a 1.5 yr old deer before.
2018-01-07 17.11.27.jpg
 
Are you running your thermostat on 110? I've never tried electric, always have used propane, but I like your idea.
 
Im confused, is this for the maceration method or for cooking it before picking at it and pressure washing it technique?
 
You just need to add the sticker below to make it all safe and legal.:D


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gcr0003 said:
Im confused, is this for the maceration method or for cooking it before picking at it and pressure washing it technique?
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I use it for simmering at 180 deg. and then picking at it but, you could set the temp lower with the thermostat and use it for the maceration method. I just posted it in the other thread to show you could build one for a little less then $750. But, I didn't include the cost of @ricky racer sticker.

Edit: When I looked for the old thread and realized how ugly it is in the pics I briefly thought about having you print me some type of box to mount the thermostat and clean things up but, then thought nah, it's character.
 
It says sealed with rtv. What is rtv? How long does it take using your little head pot to do one?
 
BTaylor said:
It says sealed with rtv. What is rtv? How long does it take using your little head pot to do one?
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IMG_5192.jpeg

They don’t have RTV down south?

Depends on how much you want to scrape and pick. It usually takes me the better part of a day to finish one but that usually involves a couple drinks, some house chores and completely forgetting about it at least a couple times.
 
Heck yeah! I'm going to build one of these for sure before the fall. I've been using propane and this would seem a lot cheaper in the long run than using propane. Less chance of forgetting to check it too and burning the world down. I may try to source a stainless tank or may just cut the top off an old propane bottle or water heater tank. Now you have me thinking...
 
Wow...looking at that. It make me think of my deep fryer that we use for Thanksgiving Turkey. That's look exactly like it fundamentally.
 
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Any chance you can post some links of the components needed to make this that can be found on Amazon or elsewhere?

David

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Heck yeah! I'm going to build one of these for sure before the fall. I've been using propane and this would seem a lot cheaper in the long run than using propane. Less chance of forgetting to check it too and burning the world down. I may try to source a stainless tank or may just cut the top off an old propane bottle or water heater tank. Now you have me thinking...
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I use an oblong galvanized tub from the farm store. Gives more room for the long head w/o taking so much water as a round one. It's only 20" long and 12 wide.
 
yoda4x4 said:
Any chance you can post some links of the components needed to make this that can be found on Amazon or elsewhere?

David

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I believe it was a 1500 watt element something like this.

And I'm not making any guarantees but I believe this thermostat should work.

I'd recommend a metal bucket or a pretty stout plastic bucket. The plastic trash can I used the first time started getting soft and losing its shape on me.
 
GCTerpfan said:
I believe it was a 1500 watt element something like this.

And I'm not making any guarantees but I believe this thermostat should work.

I'd recommend a metal bucket or a pretty stout plastic bucket. The plastic trash can I used the first time started getting soft and losing its shape on me.
Click to expand...
Think one of those heavy plastic mineral tubs for cattle would be sufficient? Could for sure do 2 heads at a time, maybe three.
 
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