Butchering in garage, what do I need?

Mat

Well-Known Member
I'm planning to cut a hole in the ceiling and attach a winch / pulley to the beam for the floor upstairs, then buy some trays. I've got some spare worktop that I put on trestles. I've also got 4 fluorescent tubes for light, some sharp knives and a meat saw.

Does this sound reasonable, what else do I need? I don't yet have any gambrels...
 
Mat,

If possible I'd recommend fixing up a hanging rail....Something like a length of scaffold pole fixed about 6' to 7' off the floor depending on the species of deer you're dealing with....In addition to gambrels, you'll also need a few "S" hooks...Personally while working on the carcass, I prefer to hang it via two "S" hooks, (one through each hock) rather than on a gamrel as it doesn't tend to swing about as much. A butcher steel for touching up the edge on your knives is also handy...

You'll also need to think about cleaning/sterilizing your work surfaces and equipment. Once items have been washed down & cleaned with ordinary detergents, you can use Miltons Sterilizing fluid for the final wipe down ect but watch it on paint work ect as it can be corrossive if left on too long...

Have plenty of paper towels handy and if there is no sink in the garage, a couple of buckets of clean hot water mean you can periodicly rinse hands and tools as you work...

Regards,

Peter
 
Once you carcase has been hung and cooled there should not be any need for more stuff than you would cut up meat with in your own house. After each section has been removed rg saddle take it in to the kitchen and cut it the way you want.Unless you are going into it in a profesinal way and then there are other guide lines.
ps your meat saw is probably the only extra you will need. ;)
 
Pete,

I always use two S hooks for just that reason, more control.

John
 
Mat: By the sounds of your post your garage is part of your house ? With a bedroom or room above ? If so don't cut into the ceiling as this is a fire and smoke barrier for the house put a pad of timber or a steel pad with a hook too attach you winch gambril too , use screwed lag bolts these are timber screwed bolts and come i various sizes ,the ceiling will if its been done right will be double sheeted with gyproc, the joists will be 450mm 18" or 600mm 24" centers make a pad 700mm to make sure your covering both and bolt it up to the ceiling joist with you hook already fitted to the timber before you bolt it up, take your hoist or gambril .
 
I use eye bolts screwed into the joists. If you get it in far enough and central, it is good enough to hold a red. I then have a very small block and tackle suspended from this to hang the deer and also assist in skinning. I use the top of my freezer as the main work surface with a chopping board. A bone saw is handy for the cutting through the neck and the saddle, or trimming ribs. A boning knife and a steel and thats about it. Then once you start enjoying your quarry, you will find that a mincer (not a weird walking happy chap) will become a requirement, then a sausage stuffer :lol:

ITS A MINE FIELD OUT THERE.

Cheers,

J
 
JAYB said:
Pete,

I always use two S hooks for just that reason, more control.

John

I find it works well if you have the space to walk around the carcass to work..

Another idea which I've seen but not tried myself is to use a length of chain instead of a hanging rail....The links of the chain need to be big enough so that "S" hooks can go through them.

The beauty of this system is that you can place the "S" hooks just where you need to hold the legs with the degree of spread you want...

The chain doesn't need to be fixed permanently either, and it makes a good temporary setup for people who are short of space. All they need to do is fix a couple of hooks (to act as fixing points) into the walls and adjust things so the chain is is reasonable straight...The chain doesn't have to be tenioned like a bowstring either as the carcasses won't slide about once the "S" hooks are in place through the links...

Regards,

Peter
 
jingzy said:
I use eye bolts screwed into the joists. If you get it in far enough and central, it is good enough to hold a red. I then have a very small block and tackle suspended from this to hang the deer and also assist in skinning. I use the top of my freezer as the main work surface with a chopping board. A bone saw is handy for the cutting through the neck and the saddle, or trimming ribs. A boning knife and a steel and thats about it. Then once you start enjoying your quarry, you will find that a mincer (not a weird walking happy chap) will become a requirement, then a sausage stuffer :lol:

ITS A MINE FIELD OUT THERE.
Cheers,
J

If you go J's route, if at all possible, I would recommend screwing the eyebolts into the sides of the joist and not vertically into them from underneath...

With the last method, you're relying on the screw threads holding in the wood to take all the weight, where as in the first, the weight is acting against the beam, rather than trying to pull the eyebolt directly out...Thats assumming joists are open in the roof of the garage though, if they hidden behind plasterboard, things get a little more difficult and I'd go with Widow's Son suggestion...

Also a lot of joists these days are not particularly heavyduty, and I would try to share the weight of the carcass over a couple by putting the eyebolts in a different ones, rather than putting them spread along in the same joist.

With roe and perhaps fallow carcasses nether issue probably matters too much, but if your starting from stratch, you might as well plan things to be as strong as possible...

With regards the trays, you can get some quite useful black plastic gravel trays quite cheaply from garden centres; just look for the ones with out drainholes and they make ideal drip trays to keep under the carcass...
 
Chain, that's a good idea. A length of chain over a couple of beams in the garage and the jobs a good 'un. So simple and so effective, thanks Pete.

John
 
Pete E said:
JAYB said:
Another idea which I've seen but not tried myself is to use a length of chain instead of a hanging rail....The links of the chain need to be big enough so that "S" hooks can go through them.

The beauty of this system is that you can place the "S" hooks just where you need to hold the legs with the degree of spread you want...

The chain doesn't need to be fixed permanently either, and it makes a good temporary setup for people who are short of space. All they need to do is fix a couple of hooks (to act as fixing points) into the walls and adjust things so the chain is is reasonable straight...The chain doesn't have to be tenioned like a bowstring either as the carcasses won't slide about once the "S" hooks are in place through the links

I have used the prescribed chain method for the last 13 years as I have tended to rent property around the country due to work commitments and it needs the least amount of set up costs and structural requirements. With the added bonus of it really works very well.
 
Larder

Mat

You are welcome to come & have a good gander at our processing plant, you know where we are & you may get some ideas of yhat you need & how you can adapt a garage from there.

Regs Lee
 
Re: Larder

lwcdart said:
Mat

You are welcome to come & have a good gander at our processing plant, you know where we are & you may get some ideas of yhat you need & how you can adapt a garage from there.

Regs Lee

Cheers Lee, will take you up on your offer on some point, I'll be in contact soon.

Widow's son: yes it is part of the house, unfortunately it was build by a bunch of cheapskates, double layer my a*se. Thanks for reminding me about fire resistance, forgot about that. Definitely less intrusive if I go with your suggestion.

Pete E: cheers, have bought some Miltons, my wife thought it was for the baby :)

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I use chains strung up strategically over shooks form the joist and then fastened with small stainless carbiners - infintely adjustable and you can make sure you get things at exactly the right working height to suit depending on species!!
 
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