Build A Better Mousetrap V3

Catch more mice with version 3 of this famous mousetrap. This new design uses a 5 gallon bucket to hold multiple mice, and gives you the option to catch them live or add water to create a kill trap. As was the spirit of the original mousetrap, I prefer to catch them live and release them elsewhere.

History

The original Build A Better Mousetrap was an over-engineered, overpriced, hastily-built project, made from random parts from my parts bins. I designed and built a prototype one day, then built the actual project the next day. The mousetrap was effective and fun to use, but was left in NY when I moved to CA.

Version 2 was a more streamlined design to bring the project back and simplify it. While the original version used a BASIC Stamp 2 MCU, the newer versions are designed around the less-expensive Arduino Nano, which can be purchased on Amazon. At the time of this article, you could get three for $10.00 with FREE shipping for Prime members.

Improving the Design…Again

The original versions were designed to catch one mouse at a time. This version is designed to catch multiple mice. This is done by using a standard 5 gallon bucket to hold the mice, while keeping the main part of the trap similar to the previous style. The overall design is similar to the V2 mousetrap, except that the trap now sits atop the 5 gallon bucket and adds a dunk-tank style trap door.

The mouse enters a clear box to get the treat like before, but the main difference is that once the entry door closes, a trap door opens under the clear box, dropping the mouse into the 5 gallon bucket, at which point the trap resets. In this manner, the trap should be able to catch a couple of dozen mice or more. Of course, once there are a certain number of mice in the bucket, it may turn into a free-for-all arena. I don’t anticipate catching that many mice at once, but some people may have a larger mouse problem.

It will be interesting to find someone who can test this trap for maximum captures. Perhaps Shawn Woods (Mousetrap Monday)? I do live in Western NY, so there’s no shortage of mice in many households. There are a lot of farms around here, so perhaps I will find a farm with a mouse problem. The initial prototype is powered by a 12V sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery and can be set to charge from a solar panel with the addition of a single part. This is for barn / shed use where the trap may be in the dark, but the panel could be mounted outside.

Building V3

You don’t need to use the exact parts that I used, but measurements and other details are based on those parts. Like any DIY project, this one can be adjusted for size, availability, etc.

Using the enclosure I chose, we need to cut out a x” x x” hole in the lid, as shown.

The base of this trap is a 5 gallon bucket and lid, available from Lowe’s or Home Depot (I prefer Lowe’s). The base doesn’t require any modification. The lid needs to have a hole cut into it.

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Resources

[DOWNLOAD]

Build A Better Mousetrap – Project

Build A Better Mousetrap V2 – Project

Build A Better Mousetrap V3 by Chris Savage is licensed under CC BY 4.0