Trap Prep
 

I picked up a few Bridger 330's the other day and am looking for the best way to prep them. I've been given advice from several people including 1, sitting in water/vinegar solution for a couple days, dry, let rust then paint or dye. 2, boil w/dawn dish soap then dry, let rust and paint or dye. From those who have more experience, what do you think is the best way to get them cleaned and prepped?

There’s more than one way to do them, I’m sure of that, but here’s what I do.

I dye mine because paint gets scratched, rusts and painted traps have to be touched up every year anyway. I find that dye gets into hinges, etc better and dipping is quick and easy to do.

- Put the new traps in the dishwasher on sanitize to remove the oil on them.
- Spray straight vinegar on them so they are saturated and hang them up.
- Wait a couple of days and spray with vinegar again (if required).
- After a couple more days put them through the dishwasher again.

- Get a Rubbermaid container large enough for the 330’s to sit fairly flat in.
- Add one gallon of camp fuel or napha and stir in a well shaken can of Formula One Trap Dye.
- Dip your traps and hang them to dry.
- Use a funnel and save leftover dye mix in the camp fuel can for next time.

At the end of the season power wash your traps clean and hang them outside all summer. Prior to using them next season re-dip using the left over trap dye that you saved and hang them to dry.

We cut a barrel in half and fill it with water
Put a large propane burner underneath and get the water boiling

Add baking soda and spruce bows to the boiling water

Boil the traps for 5 minutes

Dip the hot trap into gas/speed dye solution

Hang to dry, then put them in a Rubbermaid bin

Put the gas / speed dye solution into a Gerry can and keep it for next time

Using this method we only dye once every 3 seasons or so and have used the same speed dye for 2 dips so far (6 years) and plan on using it again in 3 years time

Having the trap hot makes the dye stick way better when you dip in we have found

I’m amazed with how much oil is in these traps when you buy them. They take on a totally different appearance when you boil them. Thanks for the advice all.