Automatic Dog Feeder








I was going out of town for a few days, I had no one to watch my dog
so I built an automatic dog food dispenser. Trouble is I used 1-1/2” PVC pipe
for the outlet, so you had to shake the bucket to dispense the food. Luckily I
found someone to check on her every day after work. Anyways it wasn't to
automatic.
This is my second version and it works quite well.

This is my first Instructable, so mistakes are possible (or not I hope)

Materials needed:
1 – Plastic 5 gal. Bucket (can be obtained at most fast food places for free or some will
charge a buck or two.)

1 – 12” piece of PVC pipe (length depends on the height you mount your feeder at,
bottom of pipe has to reach the bottom of the dog bowl.)

4 – ½/x/2” x1/8 thk aluminum strips or 4 pieces 1”aluminum angle 1/2” wide.

1 – 3/8 piece of plywood large enough to cut a circle out of to fit in the bottom of the
bucket.

4 – 10-24 screws ¾” long

4 – 10-24 screws 1-1/2” long

8 – 10-24 nuts



Step 1:





Cut the PVC pipe in half to a depth you want the dog food to be, then cut that section off.
Step 2:

Cut the plywood disk to fit the bottom of the bucket. Now cut a hole about 3/4” from the edge the size of the 3” pipe.



Step 3:





Cut a hole in the bottom of the bucket to match





Step 4:





Bend the strips of aluminum so that they are 1” angles or just use pieces of aluminum
angle in the first place. I didn't have any angle so I had to use strips
.
Put them across from each other on the inside of the upper lip of the pipe with the
tabs pointing out, and drill through the pipe and angle for the 3/4” Long 10-24 screws.
Bolt together.

Put pipe through the hole in the plywood and drill through the tabs and the plywood for the longer screws.





Step 5:

Take apart, place disk upside down on bottom of bucket and drill though holes, I had to grind away part of the bottom edge of the bucket case there was a rim where the screw went through. (no pic for step 5, I forgot to take one.)



Step 6:





Put plywood disk back in bucket, insert pipe and bolt all together. I filled in the gaps I had with hot melt glue.
















Step 7: Take out and set up and fill with dog food.

Enjoy