#17 Biltong Box Dryer - DIY Curious Creator

[@ivanviehoff6025]

The biggest mystery to me about doing this is how to power the fan. When it is called a computer fan, we assume that it is DC 12V or 20V or something, which presents complication. But it turns out that you can buy a mains-powered small fans for a modest sum of money. So that answers that. We are also not told what power of bulb for the heating. But elsewhere I learn that something like 40W would be a sensible power. With incandescent light bulbs pretty much banned in many countries these days, it might be useful to have some old ones left over in your shed. Or you might have to buy a low powered frost protection heater instead. As for the box, just buy a box. Plastic box with a lid is fine. Might be sensible to put some fly mesh over the ventilation holes.

[@heatleynoble]

you can buy computer fans that power directly from a USB port.

[@hereticschild420]

Or a 120v to 12v DC transformer.

[@Mailmartinviljoen]

Its not rocket science. Power the fan with a cheap 12v psu. If you cannot find a normal screw in or bayonet lamp just go to the hardware store and buy an oven lamp some of them are 25 to 50 watt.

[@OldNavajoTricks]

When cutting screws or bolts down, put the nut on first, then unscrew it afterwards, it helps to keep the pitch of the threads correct.

[@mistral2099]

Nice work mate. Beautiful video quality too! Box is very similar to one I made about 10 yrs ago that I still use today! In this part of the world, bugs can be a problem, so I put some fly screen over both the computer fan and the ventilation holes that keeps the bugs out. I also mounted the light globe in the bottom and put a separate tray full of vent holes between the bottom and the biltong so you could put a drip tray below the biltong to catch the drip as it was drying. Works a charm. Biltong in the shops here is $100/kg and silverside is about $15/kg -- you lose some water in the dehydration but still, great value. Thanks for sharing. GREAT Instructable!

[@CuriousCreator]

Thanks man :) means a lot. Yes Biltong can be quite expensive but much cheaper to make yourself. I have a friend who makes it professionally and sells here in the UK. And his is still much better than mine! But it's nice to be able to make your own still. Thanks. It would be really great if you can Vote for me in the Box Competition on Instructables.

[@mistral2099]

Voted! :-)

[@عبددالقادرهادي]

mistral2099 The lamp how many watt thank you regard

[@jmannUSMC]

Your video production and dehydrator design are infinitely better than the house fire in a box The King of Random scrapped together.

[@juaan4849]

How many milliamps have the lamp? Good video :D

[@nathanw5747]

What temperature does the box / room need to stay at I'm going to build this same box!.

[@OPTIMUSPR1M8]

Nice build. Although, I would add a tray at the bottom to catch any liquid that falls down during the drying process.

[@saleemin27]

Good job. Have you checked inside temperature? What if 100 watt bulb is used?

[@townsend96]

How did you keep the the tight against the wood? How did you attach it? Thanks for your help.

[@snuggledog5050]

Which is the right way for the fan..? blowing in or extracting out.?

[@CuriousCreator]

Sorry super slow reply! Blowing air in. So it pulls the air in, and goes out the top holes making air flow.

[@thomas6244]

Great production quality, very enjoyable (and weirdly relaxing :) ) to watch !

[@CuriousCreator]

Thanks for watching! Hopefully nice relaxing, not put you to sleep relaxing ;)

[@SnifterRoux]

Other than cost, is there any advantage using wood rather than glass or acrylic? (Whether it effects the humidity) I'm just thinking of making it easier to clean.

[@CuriousCreator]

I went with wood as it was easy to work with and I liked the look, but acrylic I think would work just as well. From what I understand as long as you get the air flow right you should be fine. First ever one I made and lots of other DIY ones just use a plastic storage box. And they work great, So I think an acrylic one would look really cool actually! Let me know if you do make it, would love to see.

[@TheOpelkoenjas]

@@AH-sc8jt Not to mention that the wood absorbs the released moister/humidity, which helps in the curing process.

[@G33v3s]

Nice one, this is very high on my list of projects to attempt!

[@CuriousCreator]

Definitely give it a go! You can make it any size you want. My original one was a big plastic storage box. But it didn't look as nice as this one :)

[@mousumibarman290]

Which wood you used? Can the box be made of pine wood?

[@thomasclapham7388]

Hearing from no reply for 11 months have you found out which wood is okay to use? I’m looking for the same answer

[@denisahmed3030]

Any dry grade / CLS Grade will be fine as a pine,spruce which are widely available or Oak which is more premium

[@geerax3394]

Did you use direct current from the power source​ to connect your fun or used a step down transformer?

[@katlman]

silly question for you-how did you power the fan as it is low voltage (I assume). Nice job overall - thank-you for posting your video.

[@Cl-vg3dg]

Use a soldering iron and a psu (power supply unit

[@leongt1954]

I would have used a PC power supply lots of plugs to power things

[@panikkosloizou1302]

Can also make salami in there? From Cyprus

[@RayanKhan]

I was.thinking, why not have two fans, one at the bottom to draw air in and one at the top to draw air out? Wouldnt that create a far drier environment and dry out the biltong a lot faster?

[@shaunchildren]

Amazing ...Thank you very much for sharing this build...and for the pdf ...all very generous...I hope my one comes out as nicely

[@ramazanbaris2349]

You say that you dried the chilis 3 days. So, have you ever turned off the lamp?

[@JMe14-dl5nh]

Awesome. How much

[@razza608]

Where do ya find the plans? Have followed your page and seen a few other projects that interest me too!

[@jasonmontgomery271]

How did you connect the fan up to the electric, just with a 13A plug? Thanks

[@harryjones8843]

it's a 12v fan..

[@aboashraf1417]

What is the function of the fan? Do you drive the air inside the box? Or to remove the air from the box?

[@CuriousCreator]

The fan pulls fresh air into the box, the light warms it up and creates a flow :)

[@guswanditaslim993]

really great demo! please make diy food dehydrator too!

[@CuriousCreator]

That’s a good idea. This is basically a dehydrator but I’ll look into it a bit :)

[@harryrowlands1509]

@@CuriousCreator dehydrator needs much more heat and good airflow

[@r0902716]

I read in another article that it is important to have airflow but not so much that it makes a hard crust of dried meat on the exterior. Airflow prevents mold from growing. Mr. Curious, what has been your experience with your finished product as far as the meat surface hardness? Has it been acceptable or would you prefer it more supple?

[@GetaDirtyJob]

I'm curious, does it need a plastic/aluminum tray at the bottom to collect any excess fat dripping off?

[@CuriousCreator]

Yes, You can use a tray, or I just used some Tin Foil. I also added a small 'shelf' over the bulb to protect that from getting fat dripped on it :)

[@GetaDirtyJob]

Have you got a picture of that? Curious to see how you did that.

[@GetaDirtyJob]

Did much fat drip off it btw? All in all, I think it's a great build and i can't wait to make my own! 😁

[@r0902716]

@@CuriousCreator great idea!

[@olivehillfarm7133]

What do you connect this fan to??

[@denisahmed3030]

Stepson converter 240V to 12V

[@brucebushnell]

hi do you have the measurements please

[@Kreos87]

great video, one thing I would do differently is use a hole saw on my drill for the fan hole. it would be faster making the hole, and wont need to clean it up with a dremel.

[@semperfitt356]

how strong does the light bulb have to be?

[@CuriousCreator]

I used a 40W bulb. But you don't want it too powerful, its there to just bring some air in, you don't want it to actually start to cook the meat! Thanks for watching :)

[@semperfitt356]

right on thanks

[@r0902716]

@@CuriousCreator "heat in" ?

[@Michael-je5tt]

Would like to have seen more clips of the finished product. But otherwise great video thanks

[@cristhian4160]

I know I can make it however big I want but can you send me the more or less demensions of what you did?

[@Jort32]

Where can i find the pdf for the building drawings?

[@JustifyJustin]

I wonder if there's an inexpensive alternative to the incandescent bulb as these are being phased out globally.

[@CuriousCreator]

I’ve been looking for one, some of the cheaper LED ones do get hot. I know in the UK it was sort of hard to get one.

[@anthony9thompson]

I was wondering the same thing. Luckily I found a couple of incandescent globes in the shed

[@snuggledog5050]

The better way would be to put 12volt DC transformers and use 50 watt GU10 they give off heat sufficiently get hot. And also conserve electricity.

[@TheOpelkoenjas]

Here's an idea (using it as we speak). Go to the reptile store and buy yourself a ceramic heat emitter. They are perfect for this because they a) give off A LOT of heat at low wattage (40W should be plenty enough for this size of box). They keep giving off heat for awhile when turned off and cool off slowly. b) last a lifetime when taken well care off (I have mine for almost 15 years now and still working as if it were new) c) have no problems with being switched on and off in "short bursts" for a long period of time (thermostat regulation, read down below) d) can handle humid, cold, warm and hot environments without a problem, unlike other bulbs that will give up on you pretty fast under these conditions e) don't give off any disturbing - and completely unnecessary light f) are overall more cost effective than any other electrical heat source The only thing they absolutely do require, and this is extremely important to remember, is 1) a ceramic bulb holder. Ceramic heat emitters get very hot all over and would melt a regular plastic bulb holder in a matter of minutes no matter how much wattage it can handle. These cost about 3 USD on Ebay or about 5 to 7 USD in your local hardware store. Tip: do not touch an operational one or one that has just been turned off, you'll regret it instantly. Trust me, I literally know this first hand. 2) a thermostat that regulates the temperature and/or airflow. I use this one (Ebay): "STC-1000 Digital Temperature Controller Temp Sensor Thermostat Control 220-240V". Price: around 10-15 USD, on Ebay. This one regulates both your heat source as well as your fan too (temperature hits its programmed mark, heat source turns off, fan kicks in) Hope this is useful for ya'll. :) Cheers.

[@firerooster9879]

You don't need to have the bulbs, you can use two 12v fans only in the top of your box to draw the air through this will dry your meat in approximately 3 days, depending how thick you cut your meat. mine works perfectly. quite a lot of people doing it this way far cheaper considering the amount of time its running for.

[@BruceAUlrich]

How long since you have changed your circular saw blade? That might be a huge culprit of the tearout you got. Good video!

[@CuriousCreator]

Hi, it was actually a brand new saw, I needed one quite quickly so bought this cheap one. Turns out it was VERY cheap. Hoping to just order a new blade, a decent one though, and this should solve some of the problems. Thanks for the advice though!

[@bonydax]

That's a great device

[@bertussteyn8160]

adjust the blade to the wood thickness and you wont get as many chips. the excessive stick-out at the bottom is creating the chips

[@paulsergojan1541]

How wide is that box?

[@KING_NJADAKA]

This is way too creative bro!! But how much heat can the wood contain before it breaks?

[@CPDBytes]

The link to the Plans times out.

[@llewvirtue861]

Great skills, you obviously don't have an insect problem there, those holes need mash, and mount the fan on mesh

[@Mailmartinviljoen]

you cant watch rugby without eating biltong. Recently i found a biltong shop that has a fruit and chutney sprinkle you can put over it. Its freaking awesome. Sticky mrs balls chutney biltong is just as great. Lekke man enjoy. I bet your own biltong is waaaay better than the disgusting dead dry biltong or jerky packets you can but at tesco.

[@CuriousCreator]

Oh so much better! I have a guy near but who makes it properly commercially his is just as good as any in South Africa! Can’t beat mrs Balls!

[@LesTutosdUneMinute]

Why only 2.2K subs? You deserve more!!

[@CuriousCreator]

Thanks so much :D

[@spacecaptain9188]

Glad for the tutorial, but the camera is too close to the project. There was never a time when we got a good view of what you were doing, or what the project should look like.

[@rangariraishanterozvinonet9767]

Thank you very much...

[@asherfarkash6341]

How did you put the light in with such a small hole?

[@denisahmed3030]

There is a light bulb holder budy

[@peterbishenden6175]

Fantastic work!

[@voodoonexus]

Oh. Being a South African in China I sure need to have one of those too!

[@CuriousCreator]

Awesome. Luckily there is quite a few people here in the UK that make Biltong if I don't make my own, but can't imagine it being big in China!

[@ThisGuyAd.]

Yes.

[@robbabcock_]

Hahaha! You must really love Biltong to go to all that work on the dryer box! ;-) Looks good though!

[@CuriousCreator]

Thanks. Yes pretty addicted to the stuff! Very hard to get in the UK, easier to make my own! Thanks for watching brother :)

[@raytheron]

With the price of biltong what it is just about anywhere in the world it's a worthwhile effort!

[@nellinecronje6911]

Biltong is like crack to South Africans! We'll go to crazy lengths to get our teeth into the stuff.

[@CuriousCreator]

Me to I’m hooked. It’s addictive I swear!

[@jakebarnes3054]

@@raytheron yeah, 40 quid a kilo for the good stuff.

[@danielsnell8028]

How you wired it is incomplete!

[@CuriousCreator]

Hi, sorry I left that out on purpose. It is different in each country, and if people aren’t confident with electrics i don’t want to be the one that encourages them! Thanks

[@thewalkingrob8840]

It's usually better to pull air out in a situation like this

[@gavod4585]

The circle fan cutout 😂

[@steveesti]

Good job, but not a carpenter..8/10 for effort..

[@watkinsrory]

Make it without a box it tastes much better and you really dont need it even in the UK

[@bserieshatch1]

For round cuts use a hole saw. For cleaner cuts hole saw halfway, then finish the hole from the opposite side using the pilot bit hole to align.

[@mexicanlucky]

can I dry my clothes with this? Great video btw!

[@CuriousCreator]

Might do, do you like you're clothes beefy?

[@mexicanlucky]

Curious Creator 🤣

[@dcctrain]

Aweomse!

[@عبددالقادرهادي]

The lamp how many watt give your Email or watsaap thank you regard.

[@beatbaker7420]

Jesus Christ is coming soon! great vid btw! i need a drying box for my bow seasoning - so the size needs to be quite big. do you think cardboard box can work as well?

[@denisahmed3030]

No it will collapse !

[@poodledogperson5051]

It’s better to use a dehumidifier

[@CuriousCreator]

Do you mean dehydrator? I've used one and found it dries it too quickly, part of it is that it takes a few days.

[@Grumbledookvid]

WHAT THE FUCK IS A DOWEL

[@CuriousCreator]

ITS A LONG ROUND PIECE OF WOOD :)

[@Grumbledookvid]

I CANT HANDLE THIS IM JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH ITS TOO MUCH

[@Cinemaphile7783]

Didn't you millenials take Woodshop in high school?

[@russelltalker]

It's a box. If you need instructables for building a fucking box, please don't go withing ten meters of any power tools

[@agforceteam7348]

Who else is here to make dehydrator for shrooms?😂

[@cf1080]

The insipid light bulb and pc fan brigade with their rickety plastic and wooden boxes yet again Do a proper job boet and emulate the commercial biltong makers on a smaller scale Use stainless steel /aluminium it is more hygienic and can better house the following components 1.) 200MM diameter 4 pole extractor fan.PC fans are for PC's 2.)Inlet and outlet vents with incorporated fly screen mesh(ventilation supplies in UK are useful ) 3.)UV sterilising light bulb(aquarium supplies) 4.)Airtight door and no windows as per'uv light' which should be on a separate circuit. (Oven door seals kits are prolific) Why sit and stare at drying meat/product all day.???Windows are a waste 5.)Compact oven element (Belling or equivalent) on same circuit as fan and fan speed controller. Loads of inferior clones on Amazon beware. 6.)DIN rail timer switch (optional) 7.)An effective and reliable temperature controller is critical First tried an STC 1000 standard controller then a programmable version (Arduino) the temperature fluctuations were too much and literally around like a yo yo. Setup was convoluted and tedious. Then tried an Inkbird PID controller (JUNKBIRD) which was a disappointment and returned it. Third time lucky was an Omron E5CB PID Contoller and an industrial grade thermocouple(Not cheap but more cost effective ) Connected to the element/ fan circuit via a master switch it is simple process of selecting a desired temperature .Extremely accurate and consistent temperature control. More than just biltong . Droewors,dried fruit,dried herbs,rusks Defrost meat in UK winters in same conditions as SA summers without the bother of flies and worry of harmful bacteria.

[@tormenting360]

You seem to be more knowledgeable than the rest of us. How about you step up or shut up... build what you have described and record it for everyone to see. Then we can confirm if it's actually better. It's really easy to improve things but bare in mind cost, time and experience. Yes some of the work in this video was a tad rough but actually it turned out pretty dam good. Its given me ideas to build my own. At the end of the day he had a go and turned out something nice. How about we leave it at that!

[@SnowBee]

@@tormenting360 Agreed, though I am sure the metal one is better. However the cost is much higher and more difficult to obtain all the very specific components. That is out of the scope of this DIY and many viewers pockets.

[@jonathanels3963]

Out of wood? This is raw meat. Amateur.

[@MrFuzziiWuzzii]

so many people make it out of wood, line it with foil if you're that worried

[@jonathanels3963]

@@MrFuzziiWuzzii disagree. all that woodwork effort isn't warranted for something that is going to get super gross super fast.

[@pilotvintorius6393]

Use cutting board oil. Super cheap and easy solution to protect wood. Jeez go cry more

[@wings06]

Good idea... I think your editing skills are better than your DIY.. no offence bro. Still love the idea though