Can anyone recommend a half decent compressed air (or electric) gun for home rolling? I haven't seriously rolled bait for a while and I cant face gunning out loads of bait by hand anymore. I would be looking for a complete setup (gun, hoses, compressor etc) and don't really want to be spending a fortune. A quiet compressor would be a bonus 
In reply to Post #1
I'm watching this thread with interest as I'm in the same boat. I'm currently home rolling with a hand gun and it's hard work to do anything more than a kilo!
I'm watching this thread with interest as I'm in the same boat. I'm currently home rolling with a hand gun and it's hard work to do anything more than a kilo!
In reply to Post #3
Thanks mate that's helpful
Thanks mate that's helpful
In reply to Post #3
Very tempted by that gun myself
Very tempted by that gun myself
I use a 2kg Italian gun from ebay, get about 1.5kg in it
No complaints at all, its quality
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pneumatic-Boilie-gun-kg-2-3-nozzles-/124512729149?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
I picket up a bambi silent compressor for about 100 from fb marketplace
No complaints at all, its quality
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pneumatic-Boilie-gun-kg-2-3-nozzles-/124512729149?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292
I picket up a bambi silent compressor for about 100 from fb marketplace
When my battery gun arrives I will knock up a quick mix and pop it on YouTube so you can see if it's the sort of thing you want.
When I used to roll my own bait about twenty years ago I used the cox air gun and compressor but I can't put up with the noise these days.
When I used to roll my own bait about twenty years ago I used the cox air gun and compressor but I can't put up with the noise these days.
Take a look at the Lithium Ion battery thread above this one, v. Helpful.
I really wouldn't bother with one of those battery guns unless you're just knocking up some pop-ups. Absolute waste of time and money.
If you're going to get into bait making at home, buy one of the tubes that the Italian guy makes that's already been linked to. I've got one of the 4kg ones and it's great, very well made and reliable. I did get rid of the pressure gauge and replaced it with a simple on/ off valve so it just sits flat so to speak - I have since made a frame up for it so it's all very neat -- funny thing is, I keep bulk buying ready mades as it all gets on my tits rolling bait.
If you're going to get into bait making at home, buy one of the tubes that the Italian guy makes that's already been linked to. I've got one of the 4kg ones and it's great, very well made and reliable. I did get rid of the pressure gauge and replaced it with a simple on/ off valve so it just sits flat so to speak - I have since made a frame up for it so it's all very neat -- funny thing is, I keep bulk buying ready mades as it all gets on my tits rolling bait.
In reply to Post #9
I started out with a electric ryobi..soon got boring refilling it constantly. Just use it for popups and wafters now
I started out with a electric ryobi..soon got boring refilling it constantly. Just use it for popups and wafters now
In reply to Post #9
I've seen a few videos over the years of what seems to be a fairly larger extruder, with what looks like a handle that you crank on the back. Looks completely manual, as in no compressor, but I've never managed to find any info out about them. Have you ever come across them? I seem to remember they were Eastern European but I'm not 100% sure.
I've seen a few videos over the years of what seems to be a fairly larger extruder, with what looks like a handle that you crank on the back. Looks completely manual, as in no compressor, but I've never managed to find any info out about them. Have you ever come across them? I seem to remember they were Eastern European but I'm not 100% sure.
In reply to Post #9
Did you not get on with battery gun then? What did you find the problem with it?
I've been putting 3-4kg through mine every couple of weeks and it still works fine. I do have a decent pneumatic gun (xl from 5mix, takes about a kilo each load) but digging out the compressor for just a few kg is a pain. I will use it for bigger batches only now
Did you not get on with battery gun then? What did you find the problem with it?
I've been putting 3-4kg through mine every couple of weeks and it still works fine. I do have a decent pneumatic gun (xl from 5mix, takes about a kilo each load) but digging out the compressor for just a few kg is a pain. I will use it for bigger batches only now
In reply to Post #11
Yeah, I remember those. Was it boilie boilie or something? The guy also made some reasonably trick rolling machines too. I'm sure if you look on eBay you'll find the bloke, failing that, a search on the web?
This is the bloke... Boilie Roller
Yeah, I remember those. Was it boilie boilie or something? The guy also made some reasonably trick rolling machines too. I'm sure if you look on eBay you'll find the bloke, failing that, a search on the web?
This is the bloke... Boilie Roller
In reply to Post #12
Nah, not really. Like I said, the battery guns are ok for small batches like hardened hook baits or pop ups, but having to keep loading up the thing is a chore for large amounts of bait.
Mine does 4kg in one go, so just rolling out 5 sausages ready to go is around 20kg of bait. I have my compressor in my conservatory ready to rock 'n' roll, so it's not the agg like you've got, even so, as satisfying as it is to catch fish on your own bait and as slick as my setup is (no machine, just various different extra large tables on a DIY stand I made), add the time/ effort, electric costs and ingredients, getting bulk deals on large quantities of a proven bait is the way I'm going just for now, I'm sure it might change mind.
Nah, not really. Like I said, the battery guns are ok for small batches like hardened hook baits or pop ups, but having to keep loading up the thing is a chore for large amounts of bait.
Mine does 4kg in one go, so just rolling out 5 sausages ready to go is around 20kg of bait. I have my compressor in my conservatory ready to rock 'n' roll, so it's not the agg like you've got, even so, as satisfying as it is to catch fish on your own bait and as slick as my setup is (no machine, just various different extra large tables on a DIY stand I made), add the time/ effort, electric costs and ingredients, getting bulk deals on large quantities of a proven bait is the way I'm going just for now, I'm sure it might change mind.
Apologies for.a slight deviation, but thought I'd share this guys auto machine for €1200 (whatever that works out in real money).
>>slick machine<<
>>slick machine<<
In reply to Post #15
That's a nice bit of kit
That's a nice bit of kit
In reply to Post #15
bit expensive for a 50/50 mix
bit expensive for a 50/50 mix
In reply to Post #14
The OP was not on about doing big batches.
You don't need big guns for lots of bait. I used to make (and sell) 45-50kg batches in half a day with ease using a the 1kg pneumatic gun. You get in a rhythm (mix, load, roll, boil, mix, load, roll, boil...) quite quickly.
I setup production lines at work and its all about balancing each process, if I had a 4kg gun I would mess up the rhythm and honestly would produce bait no quicker.
Having used, and still own, both pneumatic and battery guns I would recommend 100% the battery gun for the OP.
I honestly don't see how some of the rolling machines at such money are worth it even on a small business level. The outlay to return on investment is huge. However if you want a big gun and auto-rollers for fun then go for it, this is a hobby and supposed to be fun after all
The OP was not on about doing big batches.
You don't need big guns for lots of bait. I used to make (and sell) 45-50kg batches in half a day with ease using a the 1kg pneumatic gun. You get in a rhythm (mix, load, roll, boil, mix, load, roll, boil...) quite quickly.
I setup production lines at work and its all about balancing each process, if I had a 4kg gun I would mess up the rhythm and honestly would produce bait no quicker.
Having used, and still own, both pneumatic and battery guns I would recommend 100% the battery gun for the OP.
I honestly don't see how some of the rolling machines at such money are worth it even on a small business level. The outlay to return on investment is huge. However if you want a big gun and auto-rollers for fun then go for it, this is a hobby and supposed to be fun after all
In reply to Post #18
Knocking up 40 to 50kg with a 1kg baitgun, in half a day...? What is this half a day, 12 hours, 8 hours, 5 hours? Is everything pre prepared the night before, are you knocking up eggs whilst gunning, rolling and boiling all by yourself?
If you take a look at the OP, it wasn't specific about amount of bait, although there was a mention of "loads of bait". Seems to me you're spoiling for an argument? I'm offering advice from my own experience, take it or leave it.
If you've not used a large gun, how would you possibly know if it would knock you out of your rhythm? Surely a larger gun means less loading + time saved/ less agg = happy angler?
Knocking up 40 to 50kg with a 1kg baitgun, in half a day...? What is this half a day, 12 hours, 8 hours, 5 hours? Is everything pre prepared the night before, are you knocking up eggs whilst gunning, rolling and boiling all by yourself?
If you take a look at the OP, it wasn't specific about amount of bait, although there was a mention of "loads of bait". Seems to me you're spoiling for an argument? I'm offering advice from my own experience, take it or leave it.
If you've not used a large gun, how would you possibly know if it would knock you out of your rhythm? Surely a larger gun means less loading + time saved/ less agg = happy angler?
In reply to Post #19
Smurf did used to make bait commercially, so knows his stuff, time is money, I get that bait making rhythm is a very personal thing.
What suits one person, may not be ideal for another bait maker. Try all variables, and pick your best one.
Smurf did used to make bait commercially, so knows his stuff, time is money, I get that bait making rhythm is a very personal thing.
What suits one person, may not be ideal for another bait maker. Try all variables, and pick your best one.
In reply to Post #20
Fair play mate 👍
Fair play mate 👍
In reply to Post #21
Takes me 2hrs with a air comp and 2kg gun to do 5kg lol
In reply to Post #19
Half day is half a working day so 4-5hrs, simples
yes my eggs came in 1lt bags already broken (my only cheat) , everything is weighed as I go including liquids if you want to do it properly (100ml on a hot day is different on a cold day, 30grams is consistent)
You said 'offering advice from my own experience' which is fine but you also said not to bother with a battery gun based on what experience?
I'm not looking for an argument, I know what is possible when you run a line better and productively with balanced equipment. A bigger gun would be no quicker if it just creates a bottleneck at another stage i.e. boiling. Yes you can get bigger boilers but you are just moving the bottleneck around. Production lines are all about the 'tic' rate
Half day is half a working day so 4-5hrs, simples
yes my eggs came in 1lt bags already broken (my only cheat) , everything is weighed as I go including liquids if you want to do it properly (100ml on a hot day is different on a cold day, 30grams is consistent) You said 'offering advice from my own experience' which is fine but you also said not to bother with a battery gun based on what experience?
I'm not looking for an argument, I know what is possible when you run a line better and productively with balanced equipment. A bigger gun would be no quicker if it just creates a bottleneck at another stage i.e. boiling. Yes you can get bigger boilers but you are just moving the bottleneck around. Production lines are all about the 'tic' rate
In reply to Post #24
"You said 'offering advice from my own experience' which is fine but you also said not to bother with a battery gun based on what experience?"
Because I had one and binned it because it was annoying only to pump out a small amount of bait at a time and have to keep reloading gun/ changing batteries whereas you don't have to with a large tube attached to a compressor = more efficient.
"You said 'offering advice from my own experience' which is fine but you also said not to bother with a battery gun based on what experience?"
Because I had one and binned it because it was annoying only to pump out a small amount of bait at a time and have to keep reloading gun/ changing batteries whereas you don't have to with a large tube attached to a compressor = more efficient.
In reply to Post #25
Thank you for the clarification.
How much did you get out of one charge of the battery?
Thank you for the clarification.
How much did you get out of one charge of the battery?
In reply to Post #26
Thanks for all the feedback gents. For my requirements (at present) it looks like an electric gun will suffice. If and when needed I will look in to the Italian guns and compressors
Thanks for all the feedback gents. For my requirements (at present) it looks like an electric gun will suffice. If and when needed I will look in to the Italian guns and compressors
In reply to Post #27
I tend to lean towards the way smurf does his bait. When I was rolling a lot I used the cox air gun that I think was 1.5lt maybe? Anyway I always got into a position where I had more baits rolled than I could boil. The bottleneck was always boiling for me. I bought a burco in the end but it took absolutely fecking ages to get to boiling point. In the end it was quicker to just use a big saucepan on a gas ring in the garage. The trouble I found was that in a burco although you had the ability to boil a lot in one go, it would then lose a load of heat and I'd be waiting in between batches. So in the end the faster way was to keep rolling in smaller batches, as the water would be ready by the time I'd gunned out and rolled a kilo. A smaller workflow actually created less waiting time.
After a few years away from it I'm going back to rolling this year and I've decided on the battery gun that turned up yesterday and a couple of cheap deep fat fryers. One can be coming back up to temperature whilst I'm using the other. I'm gonna build a frame so I can gun out the sausages at the top, have the rolling table at steep angle underneath with room to slide in a cat litter tray in underneath to catch them.
I tend to lean towards the way smurf does his bait. When I was rolling a lot I used the cox air gun that I think was 1.5lt maybe? Anyway I always got into a position where I had more baits rolled than I could boil. The bottleneck was always boiling for me. I bought a burco in the end but it took absolutely fecking ages to get to boiling point. In the end it was quicker to just use a big saucepan on a gas ring in the garage. The trouble I found was that in a burco although you had the ability to boil a lot in one go, it would then lose a load of heat and I'd be waiting in between batches. So in the end the faster way was to keep rolling in smaller batches, as the water would be ready by the time I'd gunned out and rolled a kilo. A smaller workflow actually created less waiting time.
After a few years away from it I'm going back to rolling this year and I've decided on the battery gun that turned up yesterday and a couple of cheap deep fat fryers. One can be coming back up to temperature whilst I'm using the other. I'm gonna build a frame so I can gun out the sausages at the top, have the rolling table at steep angle underneath with room to slide in a cat litter tray in underneath to catch them.
In reply to Post #28
My biggest batch in the last 2-3 years has been 3-4 kg I think so I don't need, or want. to rush anymore. Depending on how this year pans out I might do a few 5-10kg batches this spring.
I got one of the cheap deep fat fryers last year and retired my large stock pot and wok burner (well the wok burner is still attached to my kitchen hob but not used for bait anymore). The fryer is great, maintains a boil much better than the wok burner ever could. If I was really doing loads again I would get two of them I think to balance things out.
My biggest batch in the last 2-3 years has been 3-4 kg I think so I don't need, or want. to rush anymore. Depending on how this year pans out I might do a few 5-10kg batches this spring.
I got one of the cheap deep fat fryers last year and retired my large stock pot and wok burner (well the wok burner is still attached to my kitchen hob but not used for bait anymore). The fryer is great, maintains a boil much better than the wok burner ever could. If I was really doing loads again I would get two of them I think to balance things out.
In reply to Post #26
For the life of me I can't remember. Think it was some Ryobi number from memory.
For the life of me I can't remember. Think it was some Ryobi number from memory.
Used to make a lot of bait with my mate, he had Profi Boiliebenz machines in 2 different sizes with auto cutter then a 2,4 and 8kg pneumatic air guns, 2x 50ltr stock pots and double tar burner for boiling process Crypto Peerless mixer that could knock up 10kg of paste (if you wanted to), generally only used the 2Kg gun as the 4kg guns the 8kg only got used very rarely as they would bottle neck the boiling process the mixer and machines were capable of turning out a lot of boilies in quick time but then you had trays of them drying out before you could boil them, making enough paste at a time and the 2kg gun kept a control on things otherwise you would of needed a couple of bath sized stock pots to keep up, didn't like the idea of the trays of bait sitting around for hours before getting them boiled, the other annoying thing to factor was the noise of the compressor when it kicked in.
Aside from this I had my own little rolling station at home with the gardner sized tables large and small for many years with a kenwood for smaller paste quantities and the deluxe Gardner hand gun which hold 600ml I could in an evening say 3 to 4 hours and in a rhythm could quite easily at a nice steady controlled pace produce between 3.5 to 5Kg boiled and on air dry trays.
Now being bored in lockdown and having sorted the garage out and been right through my fishing kit about half a dozen times I have recently dragged all the rolling kit back out and set up a station again in the garage, I'm not going back to making bait as I haven't the time or inclination so I have been tinkering with small hookbait batches of bait to keep myself occupied but the Gardner gun has my arm pumped up with lactic acid in no time so for the 90 quid the battery gun that was mentioned I ordered one and used it for the first time Sunday night,I did a little four egg mix with liquid feeds/powders/flavour filled the gun up pinged all the sausages out in no time or effort weighed the bait this morning before work and there was 750g of finished bait, was all done in less than an hour from weighing it all out mixing, rolling, boiled and washed up the utensils and equipment and sat back down having a coffee.
I was impressed with the small battery gun wish I had one 20 odd years ago same sized cylinder as the Gardner which I just screwed the Gardner plastic end straight onto it as that has the end that takes the screw in cox nozzles that I had all precut from years before, If its a few kilos here and there it is more than adequate and cheap on the pocket, if you want to get into larger scale rolling I guess you have to weigh it up as in time over cost do you have somewhere to do it as in not living in a block of flats, are you going to roll 20/30 kilo a season for yourself over a few evenings a month/every other week then a battery gun will suffice or are you rolling 50+ kilo in a season spread over quite a few evenings then still potentially a battery gun or air gun whatever suits.
Aside from this I had my own little rolling station at home with the gardner sized tables large and small for many years with a kenwood for smaller paste quantities and the deluxe Gardner hand gun which hold 600ml I could in an evening say 3 to 4 hours and in a rhythm could quite easily at a nice steady controlled pace produce between 3.5 to 5Kg boiled and on air dry trays.
Now being bored in lockdown and having sorted the garage out and been right through my fishing kit about half a dozen times I have recently dragged all the rolling kit back out and set up a station again in the garage, I'm not going back to making bait as I haven't the time or inclination so I have been tinkering with small hookbait batches of bait to keep myself occupied but the Gardner gun has my arm pumped up with lactic acid in no time so for the 90 quid the battery gun that was mentioned I ordered one and used it for the first time Sunday night,I did a little four egg mix with liquid feeds/powders/flavour filled the gun up pinged all the sausages out in no time or effort weighed the bait this morning before work and there was 750g of finished bait, was all done in less than an hour from weighing it all out mixing, rolling, boiled and washed up the utensils and equipment and sat back down having a coffee.
I was impressed with the small battery gun wish I had one 20 odd years ago same sized cylinder as the Gardner which I just screwed the Gardner plastic end straight onto it as that has the end that takes the screw in cox nozzles that I had all precut from years before, If its a few kilos here and there it is more than adequate and cheap on the pocket, if you want to get into larger scale rolling I guess you have to weigh it up as in time over cost do you have somewhere to do it as in not living in a block of flats, are you going to roll 20/30 kilo a season for yourself over a few evenings a month/every other week then a battery gun will suffice or are you rolling 50+ kilo in a season spread over quite a few evenings then still potentially a battery gun or air gun whatever suits.
In reply to Post #30
Ryobi one+ system I guess. Great for DIY/car building but not for bait making then
Ryobi one+ system I guess. Great for DIY/car building but not for bait making then
In reply to Post #31
The other evening I did find myself sketching out a new barrel and plunger design for these cheap electric guns that would take circa 2kg loads. I reckon it would/could work but I got over that silly idea and threw the sketch away after I got it out my system
The other evening I did find myself sketching out a new barrel and plunger design for these cheap electric guns that would take circa 2kg loads. I reckon it would/could work but I got over that silly idea and threw the sketch away after I got it out my system
In reply to Post #32
I have a ryobi, literally cant remember the last time i charged the batt, only use for popups etc now tho but even when i started using it for a few kg charge would last forever. Just got fed up of it only taking about 300g mix at a time
I have a ryobi, literally cant remember the last time i charged the batt, only use for popups etc now tho but even when i started using it for a few kg charge would last forever. Just got fed up of it only taking about 300g mix at a time
In reply to Post #28
I like your approach Wayne, regarding the cat litter tray I got a tray from a local garden centre, it's about 2ft square x 2 inches high, fit's nicely under my Gardner rolling table's they come in all shapes and sizes, just a thought, it may help, or not.
I like your approach Wayne, regarding the cat litter tray I got a tray from a local garden centre, it's about 2ft square x 2 inches high, fit's nicely under my Gardner rolling table's they come in all shapes and sizes, just a thought, it may help, or not.
In reply to Post #35
My large roller tables mount on a slopped board with a slot for a seed tray under it. One gun load is rolled out, then the try is emptied in the boiler and whilst they boil I load the gun up ready to start the next load. Out the boiler and onto the drying rack and then I roll out the next gun load.
A bit like this but I find a shallow angle more comfortable to use with a big old wallpaper brush to flick off any baits that don't roll off. https://youtu.be/BgplP7DjZ9U
My large roller tables mount on a slopped board with a slot for a seed tray under it. One gun load is rolled out, then the try is emptied in the boiler and whilst they boil I load the gun up ready to start the next load. Out the boiler and onto the drying rack and then I roll out the next gun load.
A bit like this but I find a shallow angle more comfortable to use with a big old wallpaper brush to flick off any baits that don't roll off. https://youtu.be/BgplP7DjZ9U
500
In reply to Post #37
That's the kiddy. Do you find that angle a bit steep. I had mine set shallower than that years ago. Doesn't that make your arms ache?
That's the kiddy. Do you find that angle a bit steep. I had mine set shallower than that years ago. Doesn't that make your arms ache?
In reply to Post #32
I have Ryobi in my head, it might have been something different. I don't know, was quite a while back. What I do remember, it really got on my nerves...did I mention it got on my nerves before
I have Ryobi in my head, it might have been something different. I don't know, was quite a while back. What I do remember, it really got on my nerves...did I mention it got on my nerves before
In reply to Post #27
Even a manual gun would be fine. I don't roll big batches, preferring to roll fresh for each session, and can do 2.5kg of mixed sizes plus dumbbells using manual gun, standard width rolling table, small Bosch dough mixer and a small chip pan in around 2hours start to finish including boiling. Like smurf says a little production line is key. I mix in small 4 egg batches, while the first is being rolled and boiled a second is resting and a third is in the mixer. A big gun is basically useless unless every bit of you equipment is equally as capable
Even a manual gun would be fine. I don't roll big batches, preferring to roll fresh for each session, and can do 2.5kg of mixed sizes plus dumbbells using manual gun, standard width rolling table, small Bosch dough mixer and a small chip pan in around 2hours start to finish including boiling. Like smurf says a little production line is key. I mix in small 4 egg batches, while the first is being rolled and boiled a second is resting and a third is in the mixer. A big gun is basically useless unless every bit of you equipment is equally as capable
In reply to Post #38
No not at all Wayne but then 3 to 5 kilo was about the maximum I ever used to make, at the angle its set and because I regularly oil the table 95% of the time when I lift the bottom of the table after rolling they just drop out saves having to brush them out everytime.
No not at all Wayne but then 3 to 5 kilo was about the maximum I ever used to make, at the angle its set and because I regularly oil the table 95% of the time when I lift the bottom of the table after rolling they just drop out saves having to brush them out everytime.
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