I am just beggining so I will not need to much yet, but just wondering as I get full time taxidermy work, how much freezer space do you think I will need. As long as I can turn stuff out with no longer then a 6 month wait time, would the 3 freezers I have (total of 125 cubic feet)be enough?
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Realistically, how much backlog would 3 freezers full put you? Probably 2 years. Al Holmes remark years ago still rings true: "Having your freezers full never earned you a cent. Having your freezers EMPTY is where you make your money." He went on to say that you should never need any more than a single large freezer, though I have two.
I buy a lot of raw stock capes every fall that I re-sell and I also will soak up tanned capes and then freeze them after measuring; esp. the African work. I also fall behind fleshing capes in the fall and have a hard time every year finding a good part time helper who will NOT cut up capes and or quit after they find out how much hard work this business can be after a week, so I use my freezers to cut me slack for time on fleshing. The three you have should be more than enough.
One large upright for my birds and like Jim, I have the other two full of customer and stock wet tanned capes ready to prep and mount.
IF Al Holmes "doesn't need more than 1 freezer" (a large chest freezer, that is), then I assure you that he has plenty of "extra hands" to help with the caping and mounting duties involved in a taxidermy shop.I KNOW Al has a full staff to help process his incoming/out going taxidermy business-he has a very large scale & diversified Taxidermy business.
My husband is a full-time Taxidermist, and I am a college student(by morning-5 dayz a week) and a part-time Taxidermist/Habitat Specialist/advertiser/chief cook/errand runner/go-fer/do-fer/maid/& babysitter(5 grandkids) during the rest of my week.
We have a "small" taxidermy studio that gets in a large bulk of our work during the first few weeks of Deer Season(whitetail-full,1/2, and shoulder mounts). A specimen seldom goes into the freezer without being caped-unless it comes in already frozen. We work with FIVE freezers(at times wished for more freezer space)...and have always had all our mounts out in a reasonable amount of time(from the check-in dates). Our freezers have always been emptied in time for the next season though, I'm proud to say.We strive to give our customers a mount that we ourselves would be proud to have on our own wall.
Yes, we both put in long days, but we love to practice our craft. Seemingly-"Burn out" can show it's ugly head at times(sometimes we use it as an excuse); but that's what the pontoon(for fishing),4X4(setting-up & maintaining our hunting property), and the Honda Goldwing w/a pull behind trailer(short getaways) are for...you know..."Stress Reduction" therapy.
And I'm not forgetting my own special place to get-away...we remodeled our kitchen last June. Whenever we're feeling sorta' run down and weary,we invade the kitchen to put on a bunch of deer jerky to cure-and go to cooking up our favorite buffet. The kids come over and help REALLY mess-up all the dishes in the kitchen(cooking or eating). There's nothing like a family gathering(or pig-out) to help give you a sense of renewal and rejuvenation of the soul.[Let's not leave out the homemade ice cream].
If you will keep an eye on your freezers as you fill them & add one if you need it(provided you have the extra space) you'll be fine with what you have for now. But I'd find a place-local-that carries the size freezers you like on a continuous basis, just so you will have that option open if you need it. Hope this has helped.
P.S. NOPE we ain't "teenagers" either!-Both are in our 40's...Ha..Ha...Ha... Have fun ya'll111-Susan
How did you find time to write that long message with all of the other stuff you do? Just teasing,
Don't be "breakin' training" now! I have an hour between a couple of my classes and if I have spare time(home work already done), I get on here and 'jaw' a little...it's only fair...ya'll guys do it all the time-just gettin' in some time myself! Have fun ya'll-Susan