will a tumbler save me time? i've been drying my birds with borax and shop vac. but it take up to and hour sometimes. so would buying a tumbler be worth it don't have the time to built my own and i've been getting alot more birds to mount so i need to save some time. and does anyone recamend any tumblers to buy i've been looking at the 30 gallon tumler at Van Dykes. thank you for your time
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I wouldn't be without mine. I have one for birds and one for hides with a 5 foot drop. The bird one will save you time and I feel really cleans up the bird nicely. If you wring out the excess moisture before putting it in your tumbler (or towel dry ect.) the grit will last for a long time. Sorry I can't reccomend one since mine are both home made.
If your drying birds with borax and a shop vac in an hour you are really making good time. I dont think I have ever been able to dry one that fast that way. Wait till you do a goose, after about 2 hours you'll be wishing you had a tumbler, plus they just look so much better. If you are going to do birds its a standard piece of equipment.
using your clothes dryer. you have unhook the heating elements and i put mine in a big heavy duty trash bag. tie it shut then put a ring of tape around it. i still blow dry it to fluff the down up. of coarse put corn cob grit in the bag.
A shop vac with the blower feature...Kmart, walmart, hardware stores, etc...50 bucks, much cheaper than the blowers in the trades...As far as a Tumbler...Yes it's a must!
Just purchased a tumbler from Van Dykes a month ago. What a difference it made. I was hand tumbbling for two years and finally got the Danny Owens Special in 30 gal. My perduction went from two birds a week to four birds a week. I would definitly recommend getting this one.
The assembly instruction a pretty vague but you can get through them.
Be sure you install the door correctly or you will lose alot of grit. It comes with some sticky foam for the baffles but purchase more for around the door opening , will help a whole bunch. If you have any questions E-mail me, and I will get back to you soon.
Gary
if you don't have a tumbler or don't/can't put in a bag in the dryer, put it in the washing machine on SPIN cycle (usually the last cycle). Should get most all the water out, makes drying much easier...