/ Register

  1. Welcome to Taxidermy.net, Guest!
    We have put together a brief tutorial to help you with the site, click here to access it.

Anybody Have A Maceration Setup Like This?

Discussion in 'Skulls and Skeletons' started by Tnrandy, Dec 6, 2019.

  1. Dec 6, 2019 #1
    Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    357
    406
    Tennessee
    I really appreciate reading and learning from everyone on this site...

    I was reading a site on Facebook and found someone that set their maceration up in an old freezer...not uncommon from what I've seen on here, but...they did not heat water in the freezer they just heated the freezer...most setups I've seen people use 5 gallon buckets with water and then set that in a pool of water and that pool of water is heated. This person used the 5 gallon buckets with water for his heads and set them in the freezer but not in water. He just dropped a heat lamp in the freezer. His claims are 5-10 days they are ready.
    Pros and cons for this setup??
     

    Attached Files:

    MixedupMel likes this.
  3. Dec 6, 2019 #2
    Great Skulls

    Great Skulls Well-Known Member

    1,430
    282
    I had a setup like this with a heater unit heating the air. I found it much more reliable than the bucket heaters I also used to use.
     
    MixedupMel and Tnrandy like this.

  5. Dec 6, 2019 #3
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,263
    Taxachusetts
    Heating air in a closed space will be effective. You just need to be able to find or build the space. Someone on here even scored a huge walk in freezer and set it up as a maceration chamber. I would guess you might even be able to use a walk in type trailer, insulate the hell out of it and use that.
     
    MixedupMel and Tnrandy like this.
  6. Dec 6, 2019 #4
    Lance.G

    Lance.G Well-Known Member

    439
    776
    Virginia
    I bet it’s pretty rank when you crack that seal.
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  7. Dec 6, 2019 #5
    Great Skulls

    Great Skulls Well-Known Member

    1,430
    282
    I would't try to use it for freezing food anymore!
     
    MixedupMel and Lance.G like this.
  8. Dec 6, 2019 #6
    Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    357
    406
    Tennessee
    Yeah I’d say pretty rough!
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  9. Dec 7, 2019 #7
    joeym

    joeym Old Murphey

    14,559
    10,590
    Chunky, Mississippi
    That would be me! It's very effective, and great for large skulls and skulls with large antlers. I just make it a point not to enter it until after the party...not before, or I might be coined "Pigpen"!
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  10. Dec 7, 2019 #8
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,263
    Taxachusetts
    I thought it was you but I wasn't sure. Would think you would have one of those white hazmat suits by now. :)
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  11. Dec 8, 2019 #9
    Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    357
    406
    Tennessee
    Should I still try to maintain a certain temperature using this setup? Can it get too hot?
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  12. Dec 8, 2019 #10
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,263
    Taxachusetts
    Use the Search function above and read up on the process. Make a pot of coffee. 115 degrees for most skulls. 120 for deer and sheep. No higher than 120. The higher you go after that the more you chance damage to the bone.
     
    MixedupMel and Tnrandy like this.
  13. Dec 9, 2019 #11
    Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    357
    406
    Tennessee
    Do you think an inkbird controller would work for this type of setup? I need something to turn on and off the heat bulb. This may be the tricky part of this setup...still trying to figure all this out. Thanks for all the help!
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  14. Dec 9, 2019 #12
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,263
    Taxachusetts
    If you are talking about air, I have a small, electric ceramic heater that seems to have a fairly accurate thermostat. Cost me less than $30 at Walmart. The fan circulates the air and prevents cold spots. I built an outside covered insulated bunker out of 2 in thick pink insulation boards and filled it with 40 chicks of exotic birds 4x8x8. .. In February. It kept the temperature inside a constant 85 to 90 even when it was covered in snow. For maceration, the temp can wander from 80 to 90 .. and won't be an issue. Though I might avoid 100 degrees.
     
    MixedupMel and Tnrandy like this.
  15. Dec 11, 2019 #13
    Mr Clean

    Mr Clean Member

    126
    3
    Michigan
    With that set up can you get the temps up to 120 degrees?
    What is the comparable difference between heating the air or heating the water? Electric bill and such?
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  16. Dec 12, 2019 #14
    Tnrandy

    Tnrandy Well-Known Member

    357
    406
    Tennessee
    Mr. Clean...i've only had this setup less than a week and I can tell you getting the inside temp to 120 is no issue...i'm actually trying to figure out how to keep it 80-100... I started with a 150 watt heat lamp and the temps were 130+ after a couple days...i'm currently using a 95 watt bulb with outside temps in the 20s, inside lows have been right at 80 and highs around 92 for the last few days.
    I can not tell you the difference in electric bill, if any as I never heated water, this is my first attempt, but for me this method seems to be easier than trying to heat a big tub of water and maybe more reliable...at least I've been told that...time will tell. Maybe some more experienced can help out with some of these questions.
     
    MixedupMel likes this.
  17. Dec 12, 2019 #15
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,263
    Taxachusetts
    The temperatures you want for maceration are not the same as degreasing. At 120 degrees you are going to be making it hard for the bacteria to be flourishing and cleaning a skull. To get accurate readings in the closed space, as well as to eliminate hot/cold spots I would install a small circulating fan for the air. You can even use a small, 12 volt computer fan from off a computer at the landfill. Normally the fans are fine in junked PCs. 12 volt converter boxes are relatively cheap.
     
    MixedupMel likes this.