Anyone build a whiz bang chicken plucker?

[crazyal]

Have you thought about looking for an old top load washing machine with a stainless steel drum?

 

[brokenknee]

Have you thought about looking for an old top load washing machine with a stainless steel drum?

I have, seen video on U-tube but it would seem like there would be more engineering involved. The one I saw I have no idea how they deal with the feathers. I like the fairly simple design of the whiz-bang pluck-er.

 

[brokenknee]

Here is a washing machine chicken pluck-er in action.

 

[TnAndy]

I have, seen video on U-tube but it would seem like there would be more engineering involved. The one I saw I have no idea how they deal with the feathers. I like the fairly simple design of the whiz-bang pluck-er.

The feathers on all various designs wash out under the center rotating feather plate. There is a gap between the center plate and the sides of the barrel, like 1/2-3/4".

In the basic Whizbang design (where you cut the bottom out of the barrel), the feathers/water flush out and down on the pulley and fling all over the place. Using a washing machine, it would be the same....you'd have feathers/water all over everything below the plate...the motor, the transmission, the inside of the cabinet...I'd think it would be a nightmare to clean.

 

[Mysfyt]

I'll email him on Tuesday with that question. It was about 6 years ago that he built it. Said it would do a chicken in about 20 seconds. I water jetted the plate for him and I still have the pattern on the computer labeled 'chicken plucker'.

He works at a machine shop and turned the portion of the plate down that holds the fingers. Left the plate thicker at the center where it gets 'driven'.