I have a questionabout fleshing deer hides with a wire wheel.I've read the archives about people useing benchgrinders but that kind of scares me cause i don't want my hand or arm ripped offwith a wrap around. I am wondering if anyone has ever tried useing a small hand held grinder with a wire brush attachment.?thanks for any responses Tony
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Hi Tony,
Many have tried to beat the odds. Very few have succeded. Usualy you get your moneys worth or less. If you are seriously thinking of doing taxidermy work get a good start with an experienced taxidermist, second get good tools. Fleshing machines are an investment for the serious bigginer. You can't cut corners and expect to make a profit at the end of the year.
Check the arkives, then go to our web site: www.fleshing.ca if you still have questions, call me: 1-800-567-5080 I would be pleased to share my 30 some years experience with you and explaine what our Quebec Machines can do for you.
Gerry
If you are not very careful too much heat will be generated and slippage will occur. If your on a budget or just starting out mini flesher is a good tool to try out. I used a necker knife for a long time gets the job done also. I keep my fleshing knife super sharp, others like it dull, just personal preference. Good luck hope this helped.
i use a wire wheel for turning lips but have not found it to be very god for fleshing - it dried out the skins very fast (wheel spinning) and you must keep hydrating - doesn't do a very good job either
gossard@gtelco.net
There are ways to flesh with a grinder that work. you have to do things different. Gerry is a good man to get set up with a flesher machine although he does not like me and will not answer my e-mails.
A fleshing maching is a better flesher and hide thinner. If you are going to buy a fleshing machine I would recomend the quebec brand for the customer service for a new beginner. No other flesher seller offers the info that Gerry does.
I can help you do a little work with a grinder. I have used one for a long time now with very good results.
gossard@gtelco.net
There are ways to flesh with a grinder that work. you have to do things different. Gerry is a good man to get set up with a flesher machine although he does not like me and will not answer my e-mails.
A fleshing maching is a better flesher and hide thinner. If you are going to buy a fleshing machine I would recomend the quebec brand for the customer service for a new beginner. No other flesher seller offers the info that Gerry does.
I can help you do a little work with a grinder. I have used one for a long time now with very good results.
Ok another dumb question of mine. isnt the wire wheel bird flesher the same concept? I;ve seen them advertised in WASCO. and Research Mannikins catalogs? could you not use that flesher to do bigger mamal hides also.? I;m just currious i neeed to know so i dont go blow a bunch of money on something stupid.?
I KNOW, I KNOW. The grinder will work and so will the wire wheel, but windshielf wipers on a cats ass is still a dumb idea. If you can't afford the low, medium, or high priced fleshing machines built and marketed for that purpose, don't juryrig the idea. Go use a fleshing beam. Whitetail deer don't HAVE to be shaved to be mounted properly, though they certainly mount better, stretch more, and hold more detail, but I'd much rather chance NOT using the make believe equipment than having my hide slip because of the heat produced by them.
A bird flesher DOES NOT SHAVE and DOES NOT FLESH. It is designed to break down the cell structure of fat and wisk it away from the bird. It WILL remove subcutaneous flesh and will work on small game with tender flesh, but it's still designed to defat birds. Even birds skins heat up under this process which aids the fat removal. Luckily, their feathers are imbedded a little better than hair on a mammal. Listen to what Gerry is trying to tell you.
It will work, just don't go crazy with it, and you'll be OK. When I've used one, Iput it on a drill and limited the speed, and i put the cape on a good beam. George is right, you don't need to get it super thin to mount, and thats what you need to keep in mind. If you let the wheel grind on any one spot too long, your asking for trouble. Keep it slow and keep it moving, and you should be OK.
Tony, I use a fleashing machine for the neck and shoulders. I use the rough wheel on a bench grinder for around the nose pad, the lips, and around the eyes! You can get them really thin. To be on the safe side, do it after ya have pickeled it! leave the guard on it and take the side cover off the wheel so the fleash can fling out the side instead of in your face! Just try it if ya have a bench grinder!
The wire wheel works great for foxes, coons and cats, and yotes.
I hope ya try it!I didn't have much money to invest in Taxidermy when I started, and didn't know if I liked it or not. After I mounted a few things and got some desent results, then I was ready to invest, and start buying tools and such. Who wants to spend $1200 on a tool thats good for nothing but Taxidermy, that is if you are not sure if you will stick with it or not? I hear the Quebec is a great model, and there people are there for ya when ya need them! I hope this helped ya ! Tony J.