i saw on the search button that you can use a bucket as a tumbler, has anyone tryed this and can you use wood shavings (very dry hardwood) as the medium to tumble in?
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I used a trash can. I would use hardwood sawdust. Then have the kids rol it around back and forward to each other. I did add one baffel in it.
I recently started taxidermy and have done a dozen or so birds now. I just graduated from high school last spring and I wanted to mount birds just for a hobby, at least for now. As you might have guessed I didn't have a huge surplus of cash to go buy a nice tumbler with so I made a temporary one out of a 5 gallon bucket until I do have enough money. I made a frame out of 2x4s to hold the bucket as it spins. I used 1/2" threaded rod for the bucket axle. I just drilled a hole to fit the rod through the center of 2 small pieces of 1/2" wood and drilled the same size hole through the bucket bottom and lid right through the center. I then lined up the peices of wood on either side of the bottom and lid of the bucket, pushed it through and threaded washers and nuts to hold the rod in place. This way there is a stable rod coming out each end of the bucket without a rod through the middle. I also put 2 baffles on the inside to turn the bird skin as it spins, these I made out of 2 pieces of 1"x1/4" board cut to the the inside length of the bucket and screwed them on from the outside exactly opposite each other. The frame has 2 1/2" copper straps inverted upside down in the 2x4s to hold the axles. It took me about 2 hours to build.
Here's how I use it. First I filled it with fine corn cob grit. When I am ready to use it I tip the bucket up in the frame, take the lid off, , put the bird in, put the lid back on, set the bucket back in the frame, then I take a 1/2" drill and tighten it onto the end of one of the rods sticking out and turn it at low speed.
Jeesh...and to think I used to just shake a bucket around for 5 minutes...it was dual purpose as I got some needed exercise at the same time. Good work Caleb!