I've looked through the orange button and have not located or missed it. Taping a duck wing. How do you start and where do you place the tape. I use carding but some say it is easier to tape. When I card I mess up the feathers on the back of the duck when I put the pin through the card and put pressure on them. Any Ideals. Thanks
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I know lots of folks who card and would never change - they are comfortable with the process and it works for them. I tape the wings - it works better for me. I insert a support wire underneath the wing in the side pocket and bend it to the general shape and attitude I am looking for. The wire supports the wing feathers. I bend the end of the wire that is away from the body in an "L" shape to allow the extension of the primarys. I tape them to the extended wire. The remainder of the wing feathers are then approximated and I tape them in place. Then I tape from the flight web back to prevent "drumming". Use only what you need. I do the same thing on the underside of the wing to hold the feathers where I want them. Just try and not stick the tape on top of the wing to the tape on the bottom of the wing - it is a bummer to get apart. Using tape on a standing mount also works. Keep in mind that neither tape or cards are the total answer to getting the feathers to look or lay correctly. The anatomy has to be correct as well as the insertion point of the wings. Also, remember that you will need to pull and pin the flight web forward to the head of the humerous. Tape is more expensive that cards. I used to have an huge collection of cards for different birds - I suspect that I still do, but taping is faster for me at this point. As far as tape goes, I use clear packaging tape of different widths depending on the application. Wide for geese and turkeys and less wide for teal and quail. You can also use masking tape or blue painters tape or other brands. Each brand of tape will have a little different adhesive. Some folks have experienced that the adhesive leaves a residue on the feathers - I have not experienced this. Some folks have also experienced difficulty in taking the tape off is - again, I have not experienced this - just make sure you remove the tape with the feathers, not against them. You mentioned that carding messes up the feathers on the back of the duck. The feathers on the back of ducks are customarily not carded. Hope this helps. Goos luck.
when clewis stated what type of tape he uses, he mentioned "clear packing tape" when i think of that tape i picture the type i use to tape boxes before i ship them. i dont think that is what he is actually referring to. If you stuck that to some feathers, you would be seriously screwed. maybe he could clarify.
You would understand both methods and then could see in the pictures how it works.
Masking tape works great. The blue easy release seems that it would be the most feather friendly tape but I havent tried that yet. I use both tape and carding.
depending on the species and how much trouble a wing is giving me. I usually always tape the tail. Find out what works best for you and do that.
I do use regular packaging tape. The adhesive looses most of its grip over a period of a week and removes very easily. It is not necessary to use great pressure to stick the tape to the feathers, only enough to hold them where you want. Has not caused me a problem yet.