I would like to get your everyone's take on putting birds in gas or coleman fuel. Is it really necessary if I do a very good wash and rinse routine with Dawn? I've heard many people say that all the fuel does is displace the water, so if that is true, why not just wash and rinse it very well, and then throw it into the tumbler? Or better yet, wash/rinse, and then spin dry in a washing machine, and then blow it dry? I'm sure this topic has been brought up many times, but I'm very new to this forum, so any advice would be appreciated.Thanks.
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If anyone can answer - what IS coleman fuel. (so i know what to use here as its equivalent).
Click that SEARCH icon and then type in "using gas on birds". We've beaten that one to death here.
Coleman fuel is what we once called "white gas". Before unleaded gas was all you could get, regular gas had lead additives that stopped the engines from knocking. It was RED in color and couldn't be used for this incidious practice. However, with refinement, eliminating lead, and higher octanes, the gas you get at the pump now will work just fine if you can't be convinced to wise up (for safety sake if nothing else), and it will cost only about half what Coleman fuel does.
You didn't answer the question. Coleman Fuel was sold by the Coleman Mfg Co. for use in their lanterns and stoves. It does not have any coloration added. Wal-Mart sells the same fuel under name "Camp Fuel".
just mounted a pheasant yesterday. we did the wash with dawn dish soap,than soaked it in coleman fuel (which is used for lanturns and or cooking stoves). you need to do this to take the oil out of the feathers.only about 5 minutes , very lightly scubbing use gloves ,killer on hands.than ring out most of fuel, and lightly shake.Than put in your corn cob grit or whatever you do. Hope this helps Mark
Why is it so hard to understand that GASOLINE IS A SOLVENT AND NOT A DEGREASER? It may infact "wash" some grease out of the feathers, but if you actually used SOAP and did what the big guys tell you to do about using a toothbrush or handbrush to scrub your feather tracts, you wouldn't HAVE any grease left to be DISSOLVED WITH SOLVENT (which leaves its own residue on the feathers). Gasoline, turpentine, acetone, toluene, lacquer thinner, MEK, mineral spirits, et.al., just displace the water on the feathers, but ALL OF THEM are hazardous, flammable chemicals that pose real dangers that aren't necessary to the process.
After reading posts here I did some comparative studies. I found that the colmen fuel was dulling the shine on the feathers. And I was blaming the shine loss on borax. It will take much longer to fluff dry bird skins but you will get a glossier skin with way more work time as it will stay moist longer. The Colmen fuel does dewater the feathers well. Next I am going to try squirting the underdown feathers only with a squirt bottle of Colmen and see if I can speed up the fluff dry time. I like to get 2 to 3 birds put together a day.
I have found it, (coleman fuel) is sold here.
I can see by reading the archs that to use or not to use it is a huge debate.
Some of the bird guys think I'm anal at this issue, but I've been doing taxidermy for 47 years. In that time, I've lost a lot of peers to lacquer painting without respirators and other stupid endeavors just "trying to push the envelope". Whether or not you decide to use Coleman fuel(or any of those solvents) or not, just take a minute and ask yourself, "Which is most important to me: long life and the safety of myself and my family, or having a bird win a blue ribbon." After you answer that question for yourself, the "debate" won't amount to much. Good luck.
What do you do with the gas when you are done with it?
George this was my first bird. I am traing with a guy you has won many World and National AND State Championships. This is how he does it. Any other help would be greatly appreiciated. You could email me directly Thanks. Mark
But I'm 60 years old. How old is he? How old is he going to get? Because someone else puts their head in a guillotine doesn't mean it's smart. I know several guys who still insist on doing it because "that's the way we always did it." Still, every year birds win that haven't be douched with toxic fluids. Ask Nancy Mulligan or even Jon on here what they do.
Im sorry but to get the bird clean you have to put it in coleman fuel,white gas etc. no-one wants a greasy bird. Besides coleman fuel says it for its self when you pull your bird out and all the fatty oils are left behind. Ive been doing birds for about twelve years 150+ ducks a year and and never lost a bit of shine in feather. I think it works best after washing it in dawn first. do some reseach its not that harmful, its not like its a lacquer.
PLEASE read the MSDS (Material safety data sheet) for standard ordinary gasoline. Paste this in your address and READ IT.
http://www.brownoil.com/msdsgasoline.htm
While Gasoline is primaily an 8 carbon hydrocarbon, the impurities are the most dangerous portion. Any loose chlorine molecules in the mixture, or other free ions within the mix can allow double bonds between carbon molecules, or chlorinated hydrocarbons, both of which can cause PERMANENT liver and kidney damage and also lead to cancer. Read the list of dangerous chemical potentially in gasoline. READ the health hazard info and think about your post recommending gasoline to be safe!
You have my permission to continue to risk your body to various ravages of chemical damage. But know this, young people read these forums and get conflicting information about use of gasoline so they think it is safe. I wouldn't sleep as good knowing that some 16 year old, or 24 year old with two new children, considers using gasoline a necessity in doing taxidermy on birds. It is NOT necessary. I also don't recommend smoking, using drugs, driving fast without a seat belt, or skydiving without backup parachutes. They all have risk associated. Please reconsider use of gasoline or you may be a winner of a Darwin Award in the Taxidermy community.
But as Robin Williams said, " Ma'am, I don't know WHY we dropped the baby on its head." Thank you.
Sam I think you are from Australia,yes thay do sell coleman fuel here at Ray,s and other camping supply shops.But you do not need it, a good soap is what you need to use and some elbow grease to clean the feather tracts,a bit like doing the dishes with out the hot water the Ducks here are not real fat at all, and are easy to get clean.
coleman fuel, unleaded gas, paint thinner it does the same thing degreases, kills the smell, and make the feathers shine. It all works. Good luck don't get to confussed.
try using baby shampoo after you wash with dawn. works very well.