I have been using the auto tanner and out of the 9 deer I've done I've had 3 that have slipped in various places....
I rough flesh...meaning I get all the meat off and try to remove most of the membrane...split lips and eye, nose....then tan with crystals from Steve.....set timer for 12hrs....remove cape, and flesh somemore and clean up any areas in the eyes ears and nose....put 1/4 cup of rittles oil in the tanner and set timer for 12 hrs.
So why are 1/3 of my capes slipping...please help....I've looked at the archives and see many diffrent ways to use the tanner...is the way I was taught wrong?
Also the auto tanner instructions say you can leave the capes in that solution for up to a month is that true?
Luca
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Not sure why you are tanning them for 12 hours. We have been using the auto tanner for about 3 years now. We rough flesh, tan for 2 hours, shave, then tan for another 2-3 hours. Not a problem. We have even been able to save capes when they were slipping before we tanned them. They will get twisted in the tanner causing the chemicals not to reach the entire cape. And after 12 hours of being twisted like that, maybe that is causing the hair to slip.
Hmmmm....the 12 hours is what I was taught at the taxidermy school I went to....we were putting more capes in at the school that I do at home....I usually do 1 cape at a time ....
Any other problems you might see with hte way I'm doing it?
Thanks
I with Kim on this one,.....12 Hrs.? Too long. The instructions that come with the tanner is what steve sends with it.
I split everything and just open ears up the middle. Knock big chunks off and throw it in the tank. I run it for 2 hrs. pull it out, shave and thin everything finish turning ears to edge (which can be done by hand - easy) then put it back in the tank for about an hr and a half. Take it out, drain, pat it down with a towel and oil. Fold up and leave it on bench to sweat overnight. The next day, I drum about 15 minutes, prep cape and mount it.
1 Lb. of crystals per 1 gallon of water. 50 psi is what I do.
How are you cleaning the oil off hair after running it with oil in tank?
I wash in cold water with dawn liguid.....
I used 1 # crytals also..
If I put it in the crystals for 2 hrs...then shave..then put it back in for another 1 1/2...are you putting oil in the tank?
If not what oil are you using after the last tumble in the tanner? and how do you tumble it in the tanner or in another way....
Thank for all your help...I apperciate it ...I am willing to try any new methods and suggestions
BTW 1 of the capes is just slipping a bit about the ear area...the other cape had slippiage bad enough to trash it mostly around the neck area and some in the ear area....Gonna try to mount the other cape....see how it goes...!
Luca
Ok, Try this on a couple of capes. Here is how I do it exactly.
1. Thaw frozen cape.
2. Split lips, nose, eyes and turn ears they don't have to be all the way to the edge.
3. Flesh big chunks of red meat off
4. I wash cape now, using either dawn or era, rinse, drain and squeeze out good.
5. I put 2 gallons of hot water in the tank, then 2lbs. of crystals in tank, then with my foot I rock the tank to kinda mix it.
6. Put capes in tank and make sure there is enough water/tan to cover them good.
7. Put lid on and air up to 50 psi and run for 2 hours.
8. Pull cape out and drain/squeeze out.
9. Now shave cape on machine (I like my capes wet when I shave)
10. I finish thinning lips, eyes nose by hand on a small bench beam. Then I turn ears all the way to edge (a little past the edge), take cartlidge out of ear.
11. Put cape back in tank, air up to 50 lbs.
12. Run for about 1 1/2 hrs.
13. Pull out of tank drain/squeeze/pat down with a towel.
14. Lay it out on bench and oil well, ( I use a tanning oil and don't even know what kind it is and I DO NOT put oil in the tank. I don't like it that way.) make sure you get eyes, nose and lips good. Fold up skin side in and place on a towel on bench and let sweat overnight.
15. The next morning, I open it up (hair out) and throw it in drum.(I have a 6.5 foot fur drum but an ole dryer or 30, 55 gallon tumbler works fine. Tumble it in sawdust, or whatever you use, I have shavings in mine with a cup or so of mineral spirits, that keeps the sawdust from completly gobbibg up on oiled skin and cleans oil from hair.
16. After about 15 - 20 minutes in drum, pull it out, shake the sawdust from it. If there is some sawdust stuck to the skin side I just hold it up and use a wire brush to sweep it off.
17. Prep the cape, sew up any holes, and mount it.
18. Groom it and hang it to dry. Watching it and adjusting for a few days.
19. When dry, do finish work, call customer and collect the Benjamins!
If you have any questions feel free to email me. I DO NOT wash capes after the tan.....I hear to much about washing the tan out then you have slippage problems. Also you don't have to use sawdust, cob, shavings etc... I have a buddy that uses old towels in an ole dryer (with the heat element dis-connected of course)
Brent