Finding myself with extra time on my hands I set out to "build a better mouse trap". I wanted the new trap to include 4 things: 1- metal spinners. 2- capture the lead from the spinners and any rubber that falls from the trap. 3- easy to change cardboard. 4- some protection of the cardboard target face from the weather.
I did not need a lot of depth to the mulch since I was using mulch from my old trap that was heavily laden with spent lead. The mulch box is framed with 1x6 deck boards and backed with 3/4 plywood.
I then made a second box slightly larger than the first.
These two boxes are hinged together at this end (bottom). The bottom box is filled with mulch and covered with a piece of cardboard that is a few inches bigger than the box.
I then added a plywood shell that pivots off of the mulch box and covers and overhangs both boxes. This shell helps to keep the rain out and holds the two boxes together pinching the cardboard in place. When the shell is pivoted closed it wraps the excess cardboard around the sides of the mulch box.
I then put a second piece of cardboard over the top "spacer" box. This piece is where the target paper goes and catches behind it the lead from the spinners overtop and any loose mulch pieces.
The outer target cardboard is held in place by trim pieces around the inside of the outer plywood shell.
As you can see in the 8th photo, with such a large target face the mulch tends to bulge the cardboard as it settles (reason for over sizing that piece). This also left a bit of a mulch gap at the top where the spinners are. To correct this I added a divider between the upper and lower halves of the mulch box.
Yeah, I know this is a bit of overkill and a bucket will work just fine. Sometimes I get an idea and jump into the deep end. Lol. (I do have a bucket trap also) The last picture also shows 1/2 of the latch that holds it closed - a door hinge with a easy to remove nail instead of the pin. All built with scrap except needing one deck board ($8).
I did not need a lot of depth to the mulch since I was using mulch from my old trap that was heavily laden with spent lead. The mulch box is framed with 1x6 deck boards and backed with 3/4 plywood.
I then made a second box slightly larger than the first.
These two boxes are hinged together at this end (bottom). The bottom box is filled with mulch and covered with a piece of cardboard that is a few inches bigger than the box.
I then added a plywood shell that pivots off of the mulch box and covers and overhangs both boxes. This shell helps to keep the rain out and holds the two boxes together pinching the cardboard in place. When the shell is pivoted closed it wraps the excess cardboard around the sides of the mulch box.
I then put a second piece of cardboard over the top "spacer" box. This piece is where the target paper goes and catches behind it the lead from the spinners overtop and any loose mulch pieces.
The outer target cardboard is held in place by trim pieces around the inside of the outer plywood shell.
As you can see in the 8th photo, with such a large target face the mulch tends to bulge the cardboard as it settles (reason for over sizing that piece). This also left a bit of a mulch gap at the top where the spinners are. To correct this I added a divider between the upper and lower halves of the mulch box.
Yeah, I know this is a bit of overkill and a bucket will work just fine. Sometimes I get an idea and jump into the deep end. Lol. (I do have a bucket trap also) The last picture also shows 1/2 of the latch that holds it closed - a door hinge with a easy to remove nail instead of the pin. All built with scrap except needing one deck board ($8).
Overkill? Maybe, but it's all in what you want. My concern with the size of your trap would be the ease of emptying once it gets heavier filled with spent pellets and you want to clean it out. Looks a bit awkward handling for clean-out. (but I'm an older weaker guy too
)