Rat Slayer for under $50
Parts:
20oz CO2 Tank + first fill $24.00
GT Paintball remote line $14.49 + $3.99 shipping (eBay)
Silicone Caulk $1.47
Rubbermaid 1.1 gal tub $2.50
Air line $1.99
Total: $48.44
I picked up a 20 ounce paintball co2 tank at my local welding shop the price included the first fill. If your local shop don’t carry or fill co2 tanks most Dunhams sporting goods stores carry them and will fill them but they do run a few dollars more.
The GT paintball remote line was purchased from eBay and took 2 days to get via usps.
The remote line comes in two pieces. The end that threads onto the bottle and the quick connect end.
The quick connect is actually 2 pieces. I separated them and only used the small quick connect end. The less connections the few places to leak and also a smaller hole needed in the lid.
The silicone caulk and Rubbermaid tub were both purchased at my local Walmart. The air line can also be purchased there also in the fish section of the pet department. I used the black water line that I had left over from my rat racks water system. The tub holds 10-12 medium rats or 15-18 smalls.
I used a sharpie to outline the parts on the lid of the tub. I then used my soldering iron to melt the holes. Make sure to dry fit everything before you put the caulk on the parts.
I put the caulking on the fittings and the pushed them into the holes that I had made with the soldering iron. I allowed them to cure for 24 hours before using.
I used a glass of water to make sure I didn’t suffocate myself. The final product should look like this:
So for the test run: Make sure to open the valve very slow or the tub will over pressurize and pop the lid off. I ran the gas for 30 seconds and it was lights out for the rats before the time was up. I then waited one minute before taking the lid off.
The only down side that I found with this set up is that I have to hold down on the lid while I pump the co2 in. I figured a food storage container would seal air tight but guess I was wrong. I may make a gasket to try next time. But more than likely I will just find a better tub to use.
All packed up and ready for storage:
Thanks for looking and if you have any questions or if I forgot anything feel free to pm me with any questions and I will be happy to answer them.