# Deer feeder build



## JBuck132 (Feb 9, 2014)

Well, its time I get into some deer hunting. 
Iâ€™m in the process of trying to build a deer feeder. I have a full lower unit with solar panel and good steal legs. Other than that, thatâ€™s about all. My neighbor is selling 55gal drum for $15 a piece so it got my wheels turning on trying to maybe build one. I went up to the local store and priced everything out and it came out to be around $200. Now Iâ€™m okay with that but I think I can cut some corners and make it a lot less.

For that price I could go down to academy and buy some rinky dink thing thatâ€™ll get the job done but Iâ€™d rather build something thatâ€™ll last.

So this is the â€œshopping listâ€ so far, Belly band for tripod legs, (non sealable) drum lid, funnels, varmint cage and battery. I would like to find a sealable lid for it but everyone wants an arm and a leg for them. 

Am I going about this wrong? I feel like Iâ€™m about to spend a ton of money on something thatâ€™s just too simple. Do yaâ€™ll have any method of madness on building deer/game feeders?

If I could get an 85 gallon drum set up for around that priceâ€¦ thatâ€™d be worth it in my book. 

Off topic but if anyone knows a good carpenter in Livingston/coldspring area please PM me their info and your experience. I have a rotten door/floor to replace. 

Any input on this feeder would be helpful. 

Thanks.


----------



## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

Been building mine for years. 55 gallon metal drums and you can get some pretty cheap feeder mechanisms at Academy. I don't like to climb ladders with 40-50 lbs of corn so I have mine set up on a winch to lower and fill feeder. You can go simple or add things like solar panels, funnels, varmit basket, etc. good luck


----------



## Viking48 (Jan 24, 2006)

Academy carries Moultrie leg brackets that just screw to the side of the drum. Don't remember how much but not too bad. A lot of places sell the lids with a lip (2-3") for around $16.00. Got them on 5 feeders and none leak. I don't like the sealed lids - drum always gets bent a little and they are a nightmare to put them back on. I don't like funnels. Seems that even when I screw them in place and seal with silicone they still tend to slip to one side and block the hole at some point in time. I'm partial to Texas Hunter feeder kits. I've used them for almost 30 years with very few problems. The few problems I've had were well taken care of by Texas Hunter. They sell a kit with timer, brackets etc for around $96.00 and the solar panel is a little more. Good luck.


----------



## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

I think if you are around the $150-200 mark, you are doing good, and will have a dependable feeder for years to come. I highly suggest the funnel, varmit guard, solar panel, good lid, etc, which adds to the price, but also makes it more dependable. 

I built a ladder out of treated scrap 2 x 4s for $7, because I didn't want to buy an aluminum one for $75, only to leave it out in the woods, next to my feeder.


----------



## JBuck132 (Feb 9, 2014)

So far it looks like Iâ€™m headed in the right direction. Iâ€™m glad you brought up the slipping issue with the inner funnel. I just never thought that would happen Iâ€™ll pay more attention to that if I go that route. 

I thought having an inner funnel was a must, but it sounds like itâ€™s no big deal. The issue that Iâ€™m trying to prevent the most is rotten corn. The reason I thought the seal-able lid was so important was because it was sealed. So now I have to ask, is the â€œslide onâ€ lid that weather proof? 

Also I thought the legs from academy were pretty east but Iâ€™m not sure how the bolts on the interior of the barrel would affect the inner cone. I found a leg system that is more like a band that you wrap around the bottom of the barrel and you secure it with nuts and bolts. Looked simple and if it did slip it would only slip to the first indention on the barrel. I think the band was like $50.

Any suggestions on leg mounting systems with and without the inner funnel?

Thanks again 2cool, heck I might even post a few pictures after I build it since itâ€™s going to consist of a little bit of everyoneâ€™s ideas.


----------



## hog_down (Jan 11, 2010)

you could also buy these, just a heads up: http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1353714

I have had tight fitting funnels in the inside of my feeders, and have not had a problem with rotting corn, and I make sure to buy metal, not plastic.


----------



## JBuck132 (Feb 9, 2014)

^^^^I like the way you think ^^^^^^

LOL problem solved? we'll have to see.


----------



## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

My opinion is that you can build a reliable and trouble free feeder pretty easily. I have built bunches over the years. I have a few recommendations for you.

1. Use good funnels, get the spun metal funnels. They have worked so much better for me than the plastic or sheet metal funnels. They will never wear out or break.
2. Buy a feeder mechanism that has a galvanized housing. I have had the best luck with the galvanized holding up vs powder coated or painted.
3. Go with a The Timer.
4. Skip the barrel band leg stubs and go with the longer bolt on leg stubs.
5. Skip the varmint cage and go with an Eliminator spinner plate.
6. Slip on feeder lids are fine as long as they are metal. Put a BFR on top to keep it from blowing off.
7. Get good solar panels with the flexible metal conduit over the wires. Mount the solar panel on the side of the barrel above the first rib and attach the metal conduit with galvanized metal strapping every 10" or so. You are making a raccoon jungle gym so make it tough enough for them to hang on every part of it.
8. Get some heavy duty legs, you can use chain link fence pipe but heavier is better. You will bump into them with a shredder, truck, etc, eventually and heavier duty will pay off. Keep them on the shorter side. The deer don't care and it is nice to fill them out of the back of the truck vs off a ladder.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Dont need leg brackets. Just bend pipe to whatever angle you want on the legs.You may have to heat it. Bolt through the legs into the barrel. Make sure you have a good inside washer or better yet a complete flat piece of metal that goes between the bolts to give it plenty of strength. Pipe bracketed or bolted to the barrel whould be of a size that you can slide the actual leg over or inside the mounted pipe. Make the mounted pipe somewhat longer than the spinner or feeder under the barrel so it can set on the ground without damaging the spinner. Made em with or without cone but cone is better. Slip over lids are fine in fact I like them better. Have fun.


----------



## Sean Hoffmann (May 24, 2004)

From experience...

You'll also need t posts or stakes to secure the legs to the ground. I prefer using 18 or 24" foundation stakes from Lowes or HD. They are heavy, pointed, and have holes in them so they can be wired to the legs. I use steel hose clamps to help secure stakes to legs, too.

Do you hunt in a rocky area? If so, a hammer drill will be your friend to pre-drill holes for your stakes or t-posts.


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

I use 'toprail' for the legs and I mount the brackets 1/2 way up barrel so as to make it hard for the ***** to reach the spinner plate, the old feeders with the legs attaching to the bottom I use grease for ***** as all my feeder motors are 6v so the Eliminator plate won't work. I measure my legs so I can fill from the back of ATV, ALL spinner plates are not the same, some will broadcast 20-30', I have >had< some that wouldn't clear the outside of legs. I have a friend that owns a sheetmetal shop who makes my lids and am well pleased with them....oh yea I do use a funnel in all of mine. I hunt E Texas and DO NOT put a feeder straight N or S of my stands..ALWAYS >>E or W<<.....ALWAYS


----------



## rbseveer (Jun 30, 2013)

Wet Dreams
Can you explain why you place your stand like you said above? Thanks


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

WIND direction....a stand S of you will be a NO-NO with a Northerner.....you will have more days of N and SE wind than ANY other direction....will be some days of E or W BUT mainly N or S... Where I hunt anything downwind 150yrds or less won't be there long.


----------



## JBuck132 (Feb 9, 2014)

I went ahead and built two feeders. I went with the bolt on legs and I mounted them on the lower portion of the barrel. Long story short they are tall but, itâ€™s fine with me because it broadcast feed further and my kill light, which is located on the bottom of my timer, shines light in a bigger diameter.

I did put cones in both feeders but one is plastic and the other in spun metal. I only did the plastic because it was given to me. After mounting it into place I feel pretty confident itâ€™s not going to give me problems. (Maybe but Iâ€™ll get into that in a sec) Over all, the two feeders didnâ€™t cost me more than 250. So you canâ€™t beat that. 

Thank you for all the advice 2COOL because when it came time to piece them together I had most of the problems already figured out. 

The only issue I ran into was my fault for buying cheap barrels. 
So if you buy thin metal barrels be ready for the bottom to flex on them when you throw 300lbs of corn into them. When building the one with the plastic cone I screwed the cone into place before putting weight on the bottom of the barrel. When I filled it up with corn the only thing holding all the weight was the cone and three screws. Needless to say, the last bag pushed the plastic cone to its breaking point and it sank an inch in the barrel when the bottom decided to â€œpush out.â€ Iâ€™m pretty sure the cone busted from the screws that held it in place but at least it fell evenly.

So what Iâ€™m trying to say is donâ€™t buy the cheap metal barrels. The bottoms flex when there is 300lbs sitting on top of them. If you do, try to set your cone right so the screw holes donâ€™t tear when it drops. Or just go buy spun metal cones. Much faster and easier. 

Iâ€™ll try to get some pictures of them. I wonâ€™t lie Iâ€™m kinda proud of my rattle can camo job. :rotfl:

Thanks again 2COOL!


----------



## millertym_1978 (Apr 13, 2006)

I saw online that the spin tech version of the eliminator plate now comes with an adapter so you can use it on the small 1/8" shaft 6V motors

http://spintechspreaders.com/shop/b...anism-spinner-plate-system-never-lose-corn-2/


----------



## Screeminreel (Jun 2, 2004)

When I set up feeders with legs, I usually put a piece of 2" or so PVC around each leg to keep ***** or squirrels from climbing them. I had several in the Llano area for a few years with no issues AFTER installing the pvc. 

I use the spun funnels and usually don't bother with screwing them to the barrels. I just drill a hole in the bottom big enough to allow the nose to fall through and that usually holds it plenty well. 

Nowadays I hang mine due to the cows I have on my place. One or two use a boat winch the rest are simply hung by a chain over a nice thick limb, high enough the cows can't reach the motors. Most of these have the bottom of the motor at about 6'. It makes them a bit tricky to fill but if you can back a truck up to them and have a sheet of plywood cut to stand on across the top of the bed, it is pretty easy. If not a good tall ladder works, or the bucket on a tractor like I use. 

I also use those spun galvanized lids and put a piece of tie wire across the tops to keep any **** from getting up there and pulling them up enough to get in the feeder. Haven't had it happen but once, but once was enough since it was full of protein and got rained on for a week. Made cleaning it out a REAL pain.


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

I have built my feeders in the past. Buying ready made feeders has made my life much easier.
I have 7 crank up feeders from these guys. http://magnumhunting.com/
The oldest is 15 years old. I just upgrade the brains and spinners from time to time.
Yes, they are more expensive than making your own; but they work very good, are heavy duty and sturdy.
my 2 cents.


----------

