How do you guys card your wings on ducks and geese? What materials do you use to do it with and how do you do it?
dp
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good ol cheap cardboard!
Just about everybody has access to cardboard! Cut up the boxes you get your supplies in, pick up empties at the grocery store etc.
Double strips, sandwhich the wings and either staple or use "t" pins to secure the two pieces of cardboard together.
A buddy of mine cuts up his cereal boxes! I've even used those poster board political signs that clutter the roadsides during election time!
I'm sure you were looking for a better solution, but hey it works for me!
just tape it and wire
Ive seen people use magnet strips from craft stores. I use poster board and T pins though.
Wire to position the trailing edge, masking tape (stropped on jeans first) to space the feathers, and folded brown paper (from grocery bag) w/pins to smooth out the leading edge if needed.
Occasionally a bird may need to have the feathers sandwiched between strips of cardboard if they are twisting for some reason. For those I use 3/4" strips of corrugated cardboard and pins.
Nancy M.
I keep a sheet of 1" foam insulation around the shop for this. I cut 1/4' thick strips, thicker if necessary, pin it on both sides of the wing using T pins. If you have a special curve that you need just cut it out of the foam and pin the wing to it.
I cut up pepsi boxes and staple them to the primary and seconddary feathers. For the scapular feathers and feathers under the wing I use masking tape. Works good for me!
Later
Gman
I found a pretty good solution. I took some of the plastic corrogated yard signs and cut them in different sizes and lengths. I take one 3" wide and match the length to the wing length as needed. Run a wire through one of the holes in the plastic and into the bird body,it goes under the wing to support it. You can then form the curve you want for your wing by bending the plastic and wire together and with a stiff enough wire it will hold any shape you want. I then use clear packing tape to tape the feathers down to the plastic. I use them for the wings and tail. It is simple to use and get your wing shape just how you want it. I have showed 2 other taxidermist this idea and they now employ it also. You can usually gets these signs for nothing after an election or go to city hall, they always have tons of them they collect for illegal posting on public properety.