Butchering stations

[skmag357]

Hey guys,
I bought a house back in May and now I plan on turning my garage into my butchering station (as I think some of the residents of wayne do not want to see me butchering a deer in my backyard:D). Plans I have include a power winch from cabelas, a butchering station (old workbench) and prob the old fridge converted into a deer locker. Here are my two questions:

1. Has anyone turned an old fridge into a deer locker so that a quartered deer can be hung in there? I was thinking of putting a metal rod through the fridge and removing all the shelves. Any tips, ideas, etc?

2. I want to make the top of old workbench the place where I can butcher. Do you think I should make it a cutting board material or use some sort of metal like stainless steel for easy cleaning? I am open for suggestions so let me know what you do. My kitchen is too small to butcher there and the wife won't be too happy as well...

Let me know...thanks

[onthehunt]

We have quite the little set up at my buddy's house in his garage. He salvaged an old stainless 15', 3 bowl sink station from an old restareunt. We just put down peices of starboard cut to fit on the counter as cutting boards. Groundfault protected outlets for our grinder and vacuum sealer's. For hanging and skinning we just use a two pulley system with a spreader hook. the nice thing is we have hot water available in the sink. Makes washing up the equipment a breeze. As for the fridge, we havent got that far yet. Ours is being used as beer storage for the time being. I would think two 1" holes up high in the unit and slide a piece of rigid pipe through would work. Then just foam the holes. I would talk to a refridgerator man before cutting holes though, I'm not sure where the coolant lines run through. Plenty of sharp knives and a cordless saw zaw and your set:thup:. Stainless is the way to go, easy cleanup. That wood may get funky after a couple deer.

[bobmetzg]

if you cant get to deboning the quarters right away you can wrap it in plastic. i bought some nice meat tubs from cabela's a few years ago they fit in a standard ridge real nice, great for the steaks and burger to be. get yourself a vacum saver best investment you can make for the meat.block and pulley with the spreaders are all you need to hang deer, can pick that set up at most hunting equipment stores. i almost forgot about how much meat you should get from a deer till i started butchering my own again. was lazy the past few years and taking it somewhere and not knowing what i was getting back.

[onthehunt]

Butchering your own is the only way to go. We still save a deer for the sausage man at the end of the year though. Haven't mastered the mixture YET!

[skmag357]

I have typically butchered at least one of my deer for the past 4 or 5 years. I just got tired of paying for it. I have a vacuum sealer, meat grinder, bone saw, a spreader bar and I just ordered my winch from cabelas. Since I am redoing the garage anyway, I am going to install the winch in the ceiling so I only really see the cable for the hoist.

Onthehunt,
My dad recommended looking for a finished top for the bench as well. I will have to look around and see what I can find. Also, your fridge idea is what I was thinking. I want to be able to cool the meat down fast and let it hang to age for 3-4 days. It seems like it makes a big difference in taste and sometimes I hate sitting there all day to do a deer. I am not perfect at butchering yet but I am def getting better...

Keep the ideas coming guys

[ub1243]

i've got a L shaped formica counter top down stairs. on the tip of the L is were my grinder sits. then a little formica table that the meat lug sits, under the grinder.
formica isn't stainless steel, but not as many little spots for bacteria to grow as all wood.
i do around 7-15 deer a year down there. cleans up easy and in the house, radio and heat.:thup:

[skmag357]

i've got a L shaped formica counter top down stairs. on the tip of the L is were my grinder sits. then a little formica table that the meat lug sits, under the grinder.
formica isn't stainless steel, but not as many little spots for bacteria to grow as all wood.
i do around 7-15 deer a year down there. cleans up easy and in the house, radio and heat.:thup:

I might go this route...I was looking online for used restaurant stainless steel stuff and it is not cheap..thanks for the idea

[ub1243]

you may pick up a L cheap, check the depot.
for legs i used 1" floor flanges and carrage bolts.
i cut the legs a little longer then normal, so i'm not bending over.
same with the lug table, 1" pipe legs.
i'll try and get a picture for you.

[skmag357]

I measured this morning and my work bench is 6 ft by 28"....I will prob just buy the countertop and mount it to the workbench...just checked and my winch will be here today....once I get everything put together...I will get some pics