Biltong Maker

A very easy way & cost effective way to make a Biltong Maker:

My eldest brother Willie gave this Biltong Maker to me many years ago.

The Biltong Maker works on the principle of hot air rising. The bulb at the bottom heats the air which comes in from the holes on the side. The air rises past the hanging Biltong and escapes thru the vents in the top.

We have used it extensively & can testify to it working very well.

If you keep your strips of meat not too thick you should get Biltong within 5 days or so.

The small pieces (2cm x 10cm) you should have within 24-48 hours.

Keep checking!... (and testing!)

This is what it looks like...

(The size of this Apple box (closed) is 500x350x270mm

What you will need:

1 cardboard Apple box (Lid & bottom)

Extra cardboard pieces for reinforcing

2 cupboard knobs

4 welding rods

1 bulb & socket

1metre electrical flex (depending on the distance to the electrical socket)

1 plug

PVC paint (for reinforcing)

Strong cardboard Glue

Paper clips

Boxes apart with a knob in the centre of each one to pull the two apart quickly to get to the Biltong!

Boxes fitting together.

Note the additional slits cut in the sides at the bottom of the Brown box, & the 3 holes cut into the white one.

First we will look at the Holder.

The bigger box of the 2 we'll call the "Lid" (The white part on the photo)

The smaller of the 2 we'll call the "Holder" (The brown part on the photo)

At the top a square has been cut out. The welding rods have been cut to the exact inside of the box. Then extra strips of cardboard were cut, the 4 welding rods pushed thru the strips & then pasted to the inside of the box.

(See separate photo WR)

In the middle of the box a square piece was pasted for extra reinforcement. The cupboard knob has a thread with a large washer that screws into the back of the knob.

(See separate photo CKW)

At the bottom there is a U shaped piece of Aluminium fixed to box. This Aluminium sheet(400X1300.5mm) doubles as a washer for the bulb socket as well as shielding the cardboard from the heat of the bulb. (See separate photos BS1 BS2 &BS3 & AUS1)

Photo WR

Photo CWK

The screw is screwed into the knob with the two large washers stopping the knob from tearing thru the cardboard. The smaller washer is to stop the head of the screw slipping thru the bigger opening in the big washer.

PhotoBS1

This is the bulb socket that fits into the back

of the box & that holds the Aluminium in place.

Photo BS2

The box & Aluminium is screws tight between the

collar & the loose ring

Photo BS3

I tightened the bulb socket onto the box to show

how it will hold the box & the aluminium in place.

AUS1

Note the sticker material on the bottom for the drips from the Biltong.

Maybe the trickiest of all is this "made to fit piece of cardboard box that was clearly cut from another box. I cannot give exact dimensions because I don't know if your box is going to be exactly the same, so I hop the photos will show you what you need.

Here I have turned it around & am busy sliding it over the Aluminium cover.

It fits snugly into the box. That is plastic sticker material again to stop the drippings from seeping into the box.

Now we look at the "Lid"

Not much to see here excepting holes in the side at the bottom

& the handle slit was closed up with a cardboard

insert & tape, then painted over.

The 4 holes in the top & the handle lid was closed up with a cardboard

insert & tape, then painted over.

and a piece of reinforcing cardboard pasted in the middle

with the knob fitted as discussed before.

Also the whole lid was painted with what seems like PVA paint to give it a little more rigidty.

AS FOR THE FIRE HAZARD OF THIS BOX I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO TEST IT THOROUGHLY OVER LONG PERIODS TO SEE IF YOUR FITTING OF THE BULB WAS OK.

SETTING IT UP AWAY FROM FLAMMABLE THINGS IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A TILE FLOOR SHOULD WORK WELL.

"WHAT ABOUT THE PAPER CLIPS?" I hear you say...

Well they are to hook thru your biltong & onto the welding rods at the top!

enjooooooy!!!!