Why not tan yourself

[Desert View]

This may have been addressed previously, but I have a question about tanning. With all the talk about pressure tanning now vaccum tanning and the time it takes to do these steps why would one send it off to a commercial tannery? I know these steps are not a cure all for taxidermy they do have their pro's and con's I'm sure. Can anyone say why they send their stuff off and why they wouldn't use these specific tools or what methods you use for mounting your own animals?

[Ted Befus]

If you are a beginner and trying to learn it make more sense to leave the tanning to a professional.  Also, some of the one man shops can just be too busy to flesh and tan everything that comes in.

[cook taxidermy]

to answer your question a auto tanner cost quite a bit of money i like to tan my own (i do not own auto tanner) i use a pickle but for a guy who does a lot of bear rugs which requires the cape or hide to be dry tanned then put in a tumbler to make soft theres lots of time and effort in a dry tanning and also when i tan my own i control how long it takes to tan vs a tannery which may take months to get back from the tannery i do ship to tannery if needed to be a dry tan for rug or garment mount but ive since made a tumbler and starting using tru bond tanning supplies so i can do my own small garment mounts a tannery is good for the guy or woman who does not have time to wet tan capes for his business so he ships em out but then you have shipping fees and ect. i still learning myself hope this helps~Cook

[cook taxidermy]

If you are a beginner and trying to learn it make more sense to leave the tanning to a professional.  Also, some of the one man shops can just be too busy to flesh and tan everything that comes in.

2x

[Desert View]

thanks just curious on why and what everyone chooses to do.

[3bears]

Sending them out doesn't cost that much. I feel it is money well spent. I can spend my time mounting many other pieces in the time it would take me to pickle, shave and tan capes just to get ready to mount them up. I don't get the argument about shipping cost. You still have to pay shipping on most of the tanning supplies as well don't you?  3bears

[cook taxidermy]

Sending them out doesn't cost that much. I feel it is money well spent. I can spend my time mounting many other pieces in the time it would take me to pickle, shave and tan capes just to get ready to mount them up. I don't get the argument about shipping cost. You still have to pay shipping on most of the tanning supplies as well don't you?  3bears

that you do 3bears a taxidermist dont really rarely get breaks in this occupation(shipping cost price of forms people who dont pay ect ect) it really just depends on the person i like a to do the tanning myself even thought it takes work~Cook

[mr.T aka mr. friendly]

If you have it priced high enough, the customer pays for the tanning, not you. That way, they pay to have it tanned for you, what could be better than that? You tanning it and taking up a lot of your mounting time is a slow cash flow.

[bullwhacker]

I figure I pay $55 or so to ship it, have it tanned, and get it shipped back. I have about an hour of time in one to tan it myself, so I figure the cost is a wash. I go back an forth with it. Some years I send them out and some years I do my own. This year I am doing half and half because the turnaround time is what kills me. I only do about 30 heads a year and I can have them all done by spring by doing it that way. If I spent February and March waiting for hides I would be doing it all summer, which I hate to do.

[phoenix-cry]

I send my stuff to a professional tanner so I don't end up screwing up the tan.  Tanning is an ART as well as a science.  Plus as just a hobbiest I don't have the time, space, and desire to work with chemicals.  I tried one 'tan at home' kit, far more mess, and hassle than it was worth...and the hide slipped.  So I tried soaking what hadn't slipped in Slip Stop and turned it into kevlar leather that I couldn't get a needle through.  I ruined a nice hide to save a few bucks.  Won't make that mistake again. 

[3bears]

The turn around time is a fairly good argument. You are put in line at the tannery along with many others so it may be a couple months at least. I don't mind it gives me time get caught up on fish and birds. To each their own. 3bears

[memorymakertaxi]

Keep in mind the cost of salt tanning chemical,etc.Also what to do with all the salt was A PROBLEM FOR ME.I have been sending out for seversal years and azgree with 3bears I can get alot of birds mounted while my hide are being tanned.

[joeym]

I send stuff out to be tanned because professional tanneries do a much better job than me.  I don't care to spend hours shaving a heavy elk or buffalo hide, or slicing and dicing a thin skinned antelope myself.  I flesh, salt, dry and ship everything but deer.  Deer get a combination of Stop Rot and DP.  Then there is the problem of pickle disposal.  I don't have anywhere good to get rid of something that will sterilize the soil for eternity.  As the great philosopher of our time "Mr T" says, "If you have it priced high enough, the customer pays for the tanning, not you."  I agree with him 100% on this!

[insane1]

we use auto tanner love it wouldn't do it any other way cost me 3 dollars for tanning crystals and a little more work. What it takes to do i would rather put that money in my pocket and if something goes wrong theres nobody to blame but my self.We start doing deer as soon as they come in and i don't have to rely on shippers and tanners to get the job done.I've dealt with shippers on perishables before i don't trust it.

[Old Fart]

Dry salted skins and capes are hardly what I would consider a "perishable". I'm a taxidermist, not a tanner. I do what I do well and I charge for it. I let the tanners do what they do well and my clients pay for it.  Win-Win, in my book!