I'm just starting out and don't want to invest in expensive equipment until I know if this is something I really want to get into. I dry preserved a squirrel, and tanned a raccoon using Rittel's EZ-100 tanning kit. Neither one of them were "fluffy" when they dried. I used a towel to damp dry the fur because of not having a tumbler. Is there another way to get close to the same results as what a tumbler would provide? If not, what kind of tumbler is recommened for starting out? Any advice would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks!
Dawn
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You have a couple of choices here:
1 Towel dry first, then use a hair dryer set on cool. You can use warm but don't use hot. The use of hot can and will destroy a hide.
2 You can use a clothes dryer. Use some old clean towels and place them in the dryer. Place you hide in there and let them tumble for about 10 - 15 min. Make sure it's set on no heat.
3 If you have an air compressor just blow the hiar from the tail to the nose. Use air pressure at 35 psi and it will be fine.
As you see you don't need a tumbler at all. I will say this towel dry first and then use what ever you like to dry the fur.