Alright, so I finally got around to tackling this fish cleaning machine project I've been kicking around for ages. You know, the kind that takes the ick factor out of prepping fish? Here's the lowdown:

The Idea: Basically, I wanted something that could scale and gut a fish with minimal effort on my part. Sick of getting fish scales everywhere!

The Start: I started by sketching out some rough ideas. Think car wash meets fish processing plant. It was pretty ambitious, I'll admit. I spent a good chunk of time just staring at fish, trying to figure out the best way to hold them steady while blades did their thing.

Sourcing Parts: Next, I went scrounging for parts. Found an old conveyor belt motor from a busted treadmill – that was gonna be my main power source. Picked up some stainless steel sheets from a salvage yard (food safety, gotta think about that!). Scored some cheap nylon brushes online, thinking they'd be good for scrubbing scales.

Building the Frame: This was the messy part. Lots of cutting, welding, and grinding. I built a basic frame out of steel tubing to house the conveyor belt and all the cleaning gadgets. My welding skills are… rusty, let's say, but it held together (mostly).

Conveyor System: Getting the conveyor belt working smoothly was a pain. The old treadmill motor was powerful, but speed control was tricky. I ended up using a potentiometer to dial it down to a reasonable pace. The belt itself was a bit wobbly, so I added some guides to keep the fish from sliding off.

Scaling Mechanism: This is where things got interesting. I experimented with a bunch of different brush configurations. The nylon brushes worked okay on some fish, but not so great on others. I ended up adding a small water spray system to help loosen the scales – that made a huge difference.

Gutting Setup: Gutting was the trickiest part. I tried a few different blade designs, but nothing worked perfectly. I finally settled on a small rotating blade that could make a shallow cut along the belly of the fish. It wasn't perfect, but it got the job done with minimal mess.

Testing and Tweaking: Of course, the first few tests were a disaster. Fish flying everywhere, scales clogging the system, blades getting stuck. I spent a lot of time tweaking the design, adjusting the water pressure, and sharpening the blades.

The Result: After a ton of tinkering, I finally got something that worked pretty well. It's not exactly a commercial-grade machine, but it definitely cleans fish faster and cleaner than I ever could by hand. Plus, it's kinda fun to watch.

Lessons Learned:

• Stainless steel is your friend. Easy to clean and doesn't rust.
• Water is key. Helps loosen scales and wash away debris.
• Don't underestimate the power of a good potentiometer for speed control.
• Welding is hard. Take your time and wear safety glasses.

Overall, this was a super fun project. Definitely learned a lot about mechanics, materials, and the anatomy of a fish. Maybe I'll build a version 2.0 someday, but for now, I'm happy with my fish cleaning contraption!