metal trash can $20
- Cut a hole on the side at the bottom 90° from the handles.

- Mounted a 20" long 2X4 on the bottom sticking out ~~8" directly under the hole. Used some old 1" wood to form a trough to hold the corn that spills out of the hole. I cut & bent the under lip backwards so that the 2x4 is pretty flush with the bottom of the can. It was that or notch the 2x4.

- drilled a small hole on the under side of the bottom on the side. I will put a nail thru this to hang it on the tree.

- Pulled out the handle and mounted 2 old metal bars w/ bolt. I will use these bars to attach the can to the tree and let it hang down at a ~40° angle to keep the corn flowing as it is eaten. The handle area was the strongest point on the side of the can, so I used it to mount the bar.

- After I nail the can to the tree through the bottom I will put a short 2x4 on the tree to help support the can.

31 gallon trash can.
40lbs of corn = ~5 gallons.
Should be able to get ~200lbs in it.

I am wondering if I can get it high enough to keep the coons out of it, but low enough to fill, and that the deer can eat. I doubt it cause those bastards are pretty smart.

I wish that I could have found an OLD metal trash can. The new one is really thin and I am afraid that it is going to rust out pretty quickly.

Pics?

Here is the idea. Instead of a bracket I am running a metal rod from the can to the tree.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f294/Beasy2k6/feeder2.jpg

I’ve been looking at those pics too. Here’s an idea of mounting a feeder that I’ve been pondering over. May have to add a second side to it or brace the posts compared to how I have it drawn. I think most of the weight will rest on the bottom post though. Might tack a small square piece of plywood on top of that post to help spread the weight across just a little more surface area. The barrel will be screwed to the post from the inside of the barrel with some long screws with big wide washers....might add a ratchet strap as well. You could put some chicken wire or something around it to keep the coons out I believe. Might be best just to go ahead and do a post on each side. I’ll know more soon…….

Nope - sorry man

I just use a 55 gallon drum and drill a 2" hole in the side at the very bottom. I then set the barrel on a concrete block (opposite the hole) I also make a "roof out of 3/4" conduit and a piece of 1/2" treated plywood (about 4x4 foot).

It is simple and works well. However I dont have hogs (yet).

How much is left in the bottom after no more will flow out of the hole? That was my concern. My only thought was to tip that drum on its side a little to get most of the corn out.

Finished up the one I was working on. That design worked like a charm. It’s solid as a rock. The back post is a rough cut 2X4 that’s true to size….buried a little over 2ft in the ground. The front post is a piece of 6x6 sitting on a cap block...…all stuff I just had in the scrap pile. The barrel is attached with 3 ½ inch construction screws with large washers….3 down the back and one in the base….as well as the ratchet strap around the middle for added support. Ideally I would have liked for that post to have went all the way to the top of the barrel but I just used what I had. I purposely gave it a little bit of gangster lean in case the weight settled it forward. I don’t think it even needed it though…..I’m 235 lbs and can hang off the front without it giving at all. Probably still need to add something to keep the coons and deer out of the down spout.

Redneck ingenuity all in this thread. Awesome!

I have built a few of these using metal 55 gal drums through bolted into 2 4x4s. I use a metal funnel and lid. They hold over 300 lbs. of corn. I would be careful filling that one. It is likely to fall over.

Horsechitt!!!

It might be a good idea to wrap the post with either stove pipe or flashing. It might make it harder for the coons to get to the spinner.

That should work nicely. May do one like it myself.

That's a good idea.




It's a pretty simple and sturdy design if you have some extra posts laying around. Just don't skimp on the digging the hole deep enough to hold it. The only cost I really had in that one was the timer. A buddy of mine gave me the barrel several years ago.

Metal added.....Sorry for the hi-jack beer belly.

You could just get a large pvc pipe cut to length and slide it over the post before mounting the barrel. Paint it black if you want to and the coons will not able to climb it. Like your design.

Coons and squirrels would love this at my place

Now that's damn good idea too. BTW....I put everything together on the ground and then just stood it up in the hole. The barrel is screwed from the inside. I would have mounted the timer ahead of time too but I didn't have it yet. I predrilled my holes though so it mounted real easy.

The 2 feet in the ground is the part that would concern me. I believe that's gonna be too shallow, especially after a good rain softens that fresh dug hole.

BB, on the leftover corn that won't trickle out........ unless you make a funnel for the inside of the drum you'll have left over cord all the way around the inner circumference. You can buy internal plastic feeder funnels for this purpose.....$20 to $40

True....we'll have to wait and see. I'll keep y'all updated if any issues arise. It really seem like much of the weight is resting on the 6X6 and cap block. If I put weight on the front of the barrel that's where it gets transferred to.....I've got 150 lbs in it right now to test thing out and it holding it like a champ. A full barrel may be a different story.