Finally got around to building these-

[Bigragu]

Nicely built.. Could you have not removed the side of the bucket and let the the pellets do the removal? Just asking...

If I understand your question, you’re asking if I could’ve just bolted on the sheet metal piece onto the bucket without cutting out that square opening, right? Then just shoot thru the target and into the bucket, correct?



if that is what you meant, here’s my reasoning-

ive seen what a pellet does to a plastic container. Not “soft plastic” like a protein powder container, but brittle plastic like what these buckets are made of. Yeah, these target bucket set ups will take a beating but the way I designed them with the wire mesh they’ll last longer. A pellet straight through the plastic will puncture and also crack the bucket. Before long, after probably 10 shots, then the bucket would have large enough hunks fall off as the cracks met up and I’d have mulch falling out of the sheet metal saddle then onto the ground. Bucket will need to be replaced.

 

[stoti]

Nice work buddy! 
I hope all is well!

Stoti

 

[Deadlands]

That is one of the best mulch traps I’ve seen yet. When you spraypaint it make sure to give the plastic a good coating. When left out the sun makes the plastic so brittle it just falls apart. Thanks for the write up and awesome idea. 

 

[Emu]

The more you shot, the must the small pieces of plastic will exit through the wire mesh.

I can tell you that my traps have catch thousands of pellets without any kind of damage:

 

[Bigragu]

The more you shot, the must the small pieces of plastic will exit through the wire mesh.

I can tell you that my traps have catch thousands of pellets without any kind of damage:

Don’t understand your reply. What pieces of plastic?

 

[Emu]

The more you shot, the must the small pieces of plastic will exit through the wire mesh.

I can tell you that my traps have catch thousands of pellets without any kind of damage:

Don’t understand your reply. What pieces of plastic?

Rubber mulch....?

 

[Bigragu]

Emu, I don’t know if you read my thread from the beginning, but I made mention that the steel mesh is meant to be replaced. It’ll take a lot of shots before the time comes, especially at the distances I’ll be using these at from 60 to 100 yards. 

Where I live, I do have the room to formally set up target structures like one would see in a professional range, but wifey would put the skids to that. So, in my initial think tank moment, number one it had to be easily portable, which it is, #2 quiet, which it is, #3 great for outdoors, which it is, and lastly at #4 is be able to withstand the energy of 30 cal slugs or pellets at those distances and be able to contain the lead, which it will.

I do want to give kudos to INTENSEATY22, as it was him who gave me the rubber mulch media idea. I just had to come up with a method of containing it, and making target attachment a piece of cake.

looking at your avatar, it looks like you have an elaborate set up. Nice to have that for sure. You’re a lucky man,in that respect 

 

[Emu]

 

Bigragu,

Your idea is good and your manufacture is better.

I would think for the content of the container in some material in roll (carpet, rubber, aluminium) in order no to escape from the steel mesh nor trespassing the plastic bucket.

With the roll material inside the bucket you might not need the steel mesh.... I think...

 

[Bigragu]

Thanks, Emu for added advice.

since putting this prototype together I’ve already come up with a method of containing the mulch better by using a backer behind the screen, and a quicker way to attach the sheet metal fitting faster than drilling and bolting up. 


the screen and the backer are considered replacement items, and I’m sure after a thousand shots and a couple of years left out in the sun, the entire assembly will need replacing. I’ve got to hit up some buddies of mine who supervise my local area sheet metal shops to have more taps made. I’m thinking at least 18ga with welded seams for the tap to last longer

 

[Emu]

Thanks, Emu for added advice.

since putting this prototype together I’ve already come up with a method of containing the mulch better by using a backer behind the screen, and a quicker way to attach the sheet metal fitting faster than drilling and bolting up. 


the screen and the backer are considered replacement items, and I’m sure after a thousand shots and a couple of years left out in the sun, the entire assembly will need replacing. I’ve got to hit up some buddies of mine who supervise my local area sheet metal shops to have more taps made. I’m thinking at least 18ga with welded seams for the tap to last longer

Please keep us posted of the results!!!

For us who our work is with paper and words, getting to see the personal projects of this nature become a reality is always satisfactory. Irrespective of what the wife could think about. 

 

[Ezana4CE]

@BigRagu I like the tip about cutting the side out of the bucket as opposed to shooting up the plastic and breaking the bucket. How long do you estimate that the screen material will hold up before needing replacement? When you do replace it, will that be the time to empty the mulch and sort out the lead? This is creative set up. 

 

[Bigragu]

I think if I do it right and if I’m lazy all I’ll do is just slip another screen in by wiggling it down into place with the mulch still in.



if I decide to do it correctly I will throw all the contents in the bucket over a grate that has holes small so the mulch doesnt drop in, and carefully rake the mulch back into the bucket with a hand rake. Some of the pellets will fall thru the grate, some may not. It’ll be a grate that’ll fit over a 32 gallon trash container. 


when that time comes I’ll try and post the results of my first empty out job

 

[Bigragu]

The best screen to use but would be costly to get and I would need to role it on a set of roll formers is expanded metal, like with 3/8” size holes, or even cane metal. Next time your out at a hospital or some office space building and you look up at the ceiling HVAC registers on a T-Bar ceiling, look at the metal used on the face of the registers. A flat sheet with like 3mm perforated holes thru out. That’s cane metal. 

 

[rc4fun]

If you use the correct rubber mulch it will float in water so you could just dump the bucket into a big trash container and fill it with water and then scoop & dump the mulch out leaving the lead in the bottom to be recovered.

 

[Bigragu]

If you use the correct rubber mulch it will float in water so you could just dump the bucket into a big trash container and fill it with water and then scoop & dump the mulch out leaving the lead in the bottom to be recovered.

Seems to me I saw a video where Ted Biers tried that, and it didn’t work out so well. I’ll have to revisit that video.

 

[Khornet]

The mulch I have is shredded, not cut up in coarse chunks. It does not lend itself to sifting through screens. I have a big deep plastic wheelbarrow, and I dump the mulch in there. The topmost layers of mulch will have few or no pellets/slugs, and I lift that off by hand. Then I flood the wheelbarrow, and a lot of mulch floats, and I skim it off with some of the screen I got for sifting, and repeat. Only takes a few times. Then I tip the wheelbarrow and play the hose over the mound of mulch and lead on the bottom, which by now is mostly lead. Then I tip it all out onto a piece of screen and let it dry. No sweat.

 

[markT]

Good explanation. I don’t shoot targets, just critters. Every 5 gal bucket I have shot the pellet just penetrated and didn’t shatter. Have fun with your set up. 

 

[Emu]

It should be very easy to make a pellet trap out of tubes connections in 45 degrees angles.

I mean in a estilized "Z" shape. The top is the entrance and at the bottom the plumb collection.

 

[elite99]

looks great and effective well done

 

[Bigragu]

Finally got the sheet metal taps soldered, all buckets primered, and had one can of marsh grass colored spray paint to finish one off. I have four more cans coming to finish the rest, and if I have extra, I’ll paint the lids, also.

one bag of mulch compressed fits perfectly in a bucket. I threw in the square part of the bucket I cut out and slipped it behind the screen just because, ha ha.

some pics of completion-