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Post by trapp on Sept 19, 2013 13:52:07 GMT -5
Trapper Ron Stuff 2013 – 2014
New stuff for this season. Have had a few projects on the go and some to start in October to get ready for the season. So will start to play catch up with some postings. Was hoping for most of October to pre make lynx sets and put up more marten boxes. Not much I can do at the wolf bait stations as the less disturbance the better. Fall cleanup of the grounds at home, finish my trailer, new metal roof for the cabin, Trappers Local Workshop gonna cut into my plans. Have to cut wood for next year for camp as well, like to keep a year ahead. I will be putting together a share making tutorial for both wolf snares and lynx snares. Probably post on their own so they can be archived.
Always look forward to your comments as the postings and the season progresses. Wishing you all a great productive season with good fur prices.
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Post by trapp on Sept 19, 2013 16:30:17 GMT -5
This has been a project I worked on this summer. Just a few bolts left to fasten the deck down and it's ready to go. Bought a new Rhino end of March and my old trailer I built in 1990 and remodeled again in 1997 I think it was was not suitable for loading or hauling it. So far I drove it from the driveway into the shop and tried it to see if it fit on the remodeled trailer. The trailer will also fit my new Scandic WT Ace 600 once I get it. (can only hope for lots of marten and high prices to pay for this new stuff)  Stripped it right down from a flat deck with 2000 pound Axel to a fendered lower trailer with 3600 pound axle. I have to admit that my welding does not look pretty. Nothing a grinder and some paint can't fix. kept looking at my old welds from 1991 on the frame and asking myself "did I really do this". It did get much better as I progressed. Here is the bare frame after the sides and deck were stripped off. The old axle is still under it.  To make the trailer wide enough I has to weld pieces of 2" x 3" angle iron down each side. This is the new frame upside down sanded down and painted.  I had to manufacture an axle carriage to fit the new axle, fit under the old main frame , and still have space for the tires. I went from shackle springs to slipper springs also.     After the axle and wheels were fitted under the frame I made steps to support the fender and to protect them also. I needed this as a place to step after I loaded the Rhino, no room to open the doors or step out except over the side.  The front was screened in also as a better place to step without slipping. There will be some kind of spare tire mount here also. Notice at the corners the tie downs, there are two at the back also. Once the deck is on they well be recessed.  Took the extended hitch off and installed the old hitch from way back as well as a new trailer jack.  The front has two gates for access from the front. (will be sheeted also) The spare tire may be mounted to one gate and the trailer jack stored on the other gate.  Grated tail gate for loading. Yup it was strong enough and did not bend on try out. You can see the mounts for my tail lights and protective bars also.   Here it is with just a few more bolts left to secure the deck and sides. Spare tire holder needed also. Worked for more than half a day to get the lights to work. The problem was the truck receptacle and not the trailer wiring at all. Bout drove me crazy to troubleshoot it.   Ready to roll, scout the trapline, make new sets, and check traps until sled time. The trailer can also hook on to the back of the Rhino to haul wood or whatever.  |
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Post by trapp on Sept 19, 2013 17:35:44 GMT -5
A smelly job but it needed to be done. When I moved to Kelowna over twenty years ago I had packed all my commercial lure making ingredients into a big container on wheels. It was time to unseal the vault and see what was in there. What was in there ? Well about everything you could imagine needed to make scent and lures. There were mink glands, a gallon of ground beaver castor, two gallons of ground oil glands, a gallon of oil gland, a gallon of both marten lure and lynx lure. 6 oz of skunk musk in one ounce bottles, a gallon of wild cherry extract, and a couple of bottles of tinctured ingredients. Many small bottles of raw ingredients, aniseed oil, rhodium, asafedita, oil of sweet birch, to name a few. There were empty 1, 2, and 4 ounce containers with caps. A hand grinder,filters, funnels, barrel spigots, measuring cups and spoons and a blender. Even a full bottle of vodka. Just to name a bit of the stuff. Some, like half a case of mackerel had to go to the dump. I will be sharing some of this with local trappers as I do not plan on resurrecting Trapper Ron Lures any time soon if ever. Trapper Ron Lures were sold in BC, Alberta, Yukon, NWT, Ontario, and Quebec in the 80's.   |
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Post by oldyote on Sept 20, 2013 7:15:19 GMT -5
Trailer looks good. Funny how the little things like the wiring can take so much time and effort.
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Post by wolf1199 on Sept 20, 2013 7:39:19 GMT -5
Very fine looking unit Ron. Well done
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Post by trapp on Sept 20, 2013 10:20:59 GMT -5
Trailer looks good. Funny how the little things like the wiring can take so much time and effort. As a rule of thumb most wiring problems come down to "ground" problems. In this case it was the coupling on the truck. Water had got in and one wire was corroded of, and another was corroded but still touching intermittently. Sometimes it would work, other times both lights flashed. The brake light would dim instead of brightening and brighten when the brake was released. I even went so far as to try the old lights. This time I sealed the plug unit with white lithium grease where the wires enter it. |
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Post by trapp on Sept 21, 2013 11:21:30 GMT -5
Reflector Oven Early last spring one of the Trappers (Bushman from Alberta) on a wilderness trapping forum site posted some pictures of a reflector oven. A crude but effective one can be made from a few pieces of tin, an old oven or fridge rack, and some haywire. Of course I had to make one out of 1/8 inch and 1/16 inch aluminum complete with piano hinges and a custom made grate. The Alaskans on the site called it the executive model. So what is it good for? Well you can boil a tea pot, make toast, warm up your lunch or what it is intended for is to make bannock. I have always made it in a cast iron frying pan but this turned out to be fun. I made up a bannock recipe, split it in two and flattened both halves out. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins went in between the two halves. Camp fire cinnamon bun at its best. The basic oven, it folds up with removal of a couple of bolts.   There is a metal shop where I test the backflow devices for the city that has plenty of scrap aluminum and other metal. The allow me to help myself to scraps. While I was getting the aluminum for the oven there was a 3 foot piece of scrap iron that had a design punched out on it. It got cut in half and the two halves welded together to make a very good grate.   Tried it out on our fishing trip to Sheridan Lake in June.  Two cinnamon bannock in the oven.  Done just like a downtown restaurant.  Here is the cast iron frying pan version. There are many recipes for bannok and just about as many ways to cook it. To the basic recipe you can add many ingredients such as blueberries, raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar, grated cheeze, bacon bits, or diced ham. Basic Bannock Recipe 3 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour) 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup margarine (or butter or shortening) 3/4-1 cup milk (or water) Directions: Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Work in the margarine using hands until you make a nice crumble. Gradually mix in enough milk to make soft but not sticky. Knead. Shape into a ball, place on a greased baking sheet, then flatten into a circle about 1 inch thick. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. |
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Post by trapp on Sept 30, 2013 21:00:03 GMT -5
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Post by trapp on Oct 1, 2013 19:49:11 GMT -5
Bit the bullet today. The new Scandic WT ACE 600 is ordered for November 1 and deposit paid.
Got a very good commercial (trapper) discount. Anyone buying a Ski Doo who is a trapper needs to inquire about this.
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Post by trapp on Oct 2, 2013 22:35:44 GMT -5
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Post by trapp on Oct 3, 2013 11:50:43 GMT -5
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Post by oldyote on Oct 3, 2013 14:11:18 GMT -5
Cool ! Thanks for sharing!
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Post by trapp on Oct 18, 2013 12:39:15 GMT -5
New Cabin Roof My roof has haunted me from the day I built this cabin. Finally I ordered and bought metal roofing. Gathered together a work party and the roof is now on. My brother commented to the crew that now I would be able to sleep as I hadn't slept for three years. The first year we ran out of time and I used a big tarp to cover the roof. It lasted two years and shattered. It was only really meant to be temporary for the first winter.  The plan was for a metal roof but a good trapper friend had a 9 foot wide roll of farmers roofing called "20 Year Roofing" Simple to put on so we went with that. Seems that it is only 2 year roofing under my conditions. On the south side of the roof from the freeze and thaw of a heavy winter snow it tore when the ice slid. Had major leaks (tears) last spring and this spring, requiring some patching.   Now a new metal roof. Gathered up the strapping from a neighbor with a band saw mill.  Some of the crew at work. My friend "Tall John" way up on top walked around up there using the roof screw for footing as if he were on the ground. I did not do heights when I had my real knees, let alone with my bionic ones. My other friend there, Dean, who is also a trapper on a wilderness line was quite at home walking around up there on the strapping up there also. My brother in law and his son were a great help as a ground crew.   Finished Roof    |
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Post by oldyote on Oct 18, 2013 16:05:42 GMT -5
Now that will last forever ! Great pics.
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Post by trapp on Oct 21, 2013 12:56:07 GMT -5
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