Fish Cleaning Table

Post by **Charles** » June 9th, 2006, 11:10 am

In conjunction with my report "Live Oak Island 6/8" over in
"Inshore Fishing Reports," yesterdays trip also gave me a chance to try out my new fish cleaning table.

Works like a champ. The top is spruce, the rest of the table is PT. It sits on a little bit of a grade. That wan't really by design, but it works well in draining the water away from your feet. The fasteners are all 10d, galvanized, spiral thread nails. Since it sits out in the weather I made sure the cup of the grain on all the top boards faced down. Hole sawed a notch in each end for a hose holder.

The top is 2'x4'. Originally, I had in mind to make it bigger, but then asked myself, "And just how often do you catch trout bigger than 4'?"

The only thing I wish I had done different, and I may go back and change it, is the exposed nail heads on the table top.

I may pull the nails, drill out the holes and use pieces of dowel rod to peg the top on, or I may pull the nails and countersink the heads, plugging the holes with pieces of dowel rod.

Post by **Tom Keels** » June 9th, 2006, 11:28 am

The best thing I ever did with mine was make a raised platform to stand on so you don't have to stand in the water/mud/fishguts.

Nice job!

Post by **Sir reel** » June 9th, 2006, 11:53 am

Either one works for me. Do you guys deliver?? Nice work

Hit-n-Miss · Post by **Hit-n-Miss** » June 9th, 2006, 12:19 pm

Sure beats the tailgate.

Now all you need is a fan to keep the knats out of your face.

Post by **wevans** » June 9th, 2006, 1:17 pm

Now ya just need ta put this cutting board over the top

http://thecuttingboardfactory.com/Merch ... y_Code=6SP

Sea Gurl · Post by **Sea Gurl** » June 9th, 2006, 3:46 pm

Tom

I like that fold down extention for the REALLY long fish!

I have the sink - how much for just the frame?

Nice

Sea Gurl

Post by **Tom Keels** » June 9th, 2006, 3:54 pm

The whole thing cost me roughly $130 in materials.

Post by **Charles** » June 10th, 2006, 8:19 am

The wood in mine was $40.60. With all new materials a table like the one I built should be less than $50, depending on what fasteners and how many. Not counting the hose and sprayer.

I thought about a cutting board top, wevans, but decided against it. It's been my experience that the fish tend to slip and slide around a lot less on wood.

Post by **Charles** » June 10th, 2006, 7:07 pm

Think I might redesign the legs using two 2x4's for each to hide the ends of the braces.

Post by **rocket** » June 10th, 2006, 7:34 pm

NIce

Knot Tester · Post by **Knot Tester** » June 12th, 2006, 8:43 am

Don't use nails on the top. Pony up for the expensive deck screws. No matter what you do with nails, they are going to pop up as the top ages.

Post by **RonHarrison** » June 12th, 2006, 8:07 pm

Looks awesome, Charles! Only suggestion would be to get a better looking statue to stand next to it! The one that's there is UGGGGLY! Guess it will keep the buzzards scared away from the fish guts though...

On second thought, just leave it there.

MstrBaiter · Post by **MstrBaiter** » June 13th, 2006, 1:55 pm

looks great, whatcha goin' to do w/ that extra 3' of 4x4 in the back middle???

storage hooks? light?

platform is a good idea also tom....looks good

Post by **Charles** » June 13th, 2006, 2:09 pm

Well, exactly, sort of.

I had in mind that a light could be hung on it, but if it's that late when I get home, I just leave'em on ice until the next morning.

I also have had in mind, for at least a year now, that an electric scaler like one I saw in Jann's Netcraft would be just the thing for these big, slot reds. I think about that every time I clean a red, and maybe one of these days I'll get one. The pole is to hang the motor on, if I ever do.

More realisticaly, what the pole is probably going to be for, is the next project I need a 6' 4x4.

MstrBaiter · Post by **MstrBaiter** » June 13th, 2006, 2:22 pm