I have read countless messages about which flesher to buy. Well now I am thinking of getting one. Many people are not listing how many deer, or mammals they are doing a year. I am a complete beginner, and just beginning deer. I have sent a coyote, and a deer to the tannery. I have 2 more deer to send. I have had a few people tell me to send it to a tannery, or flesh it myself. I rather send it to a tannery where I will have a better job done, but I want the turn over time faster! I would rather do all the work myself and know I did the animal 100%. Whether or not, I do commercial work is yet to be seen in the coming years. I enjoy taxidermy very much, but the wait to get my skins back is killing me!
I have bugged my husband enough to break down and let me buy one (lol) since he knows I am 100% in effort for taxidermy. In the future I do not know where I will be, but I was thinking of getting the Dakota IV. I know people say it is slow, but I will be doing 10-20 deer a year. I am not in a rush (since the work is all for me), and in the future I may upgrade, but I would like to hear from taxidermists who have had experience with many different fleshers (Dakota, Quebec, mini), and your arguments on what flesher is best for a certain amount of deer per year.
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I have just began using a quebec lite for the first time ever. I did a lot of reading and decided to spend the extra money and get the quebec. I have to say it is a breaze to run this machine and the results are great. I can thin a hide as thin as I want no waiting and you know what your getting. I highly recomend geting a fleshing machine. I always figure buy something that will last not something thats cheap and replace it.
just my thoughts.
Though I have neither I have folks who have bought the Dakota and have had major problems but that's their opinion. I have heard more good about the Quebec for all phases.
I on the other hand have the Eager Beaver and enjoy a machine that can do what I want it to do with less time spent trying to set it up. I do well over 50 heads and that's all I take in (don't want any more) plus all the dogs, foxes and bear I do with it.
It doesn't matter how many you really do cause that can be an ego thing for many. The tannery I know (East Coast Tannery)has the frontier flesher and they use it day in and day out. Keith can do a deer in 3 minutes no holes and done nicely. It's going to be your choice but personally stay away from the Dakota.
If you're near Louisville, plan on attending the NTA convention this summer. We have both the Van Dyke's Dakota Flesher and the Raw Hide Fur Dressing Machine being demonstrated. I'm not sure if Gerrard is coming with the Quebec or not. You really NEED to see the spectrum of differences in the machines. The low end machines work fine, but are NOT very flexible or forgiving. The high end machines, if not set properly can cause difficulty, but tend to be more forgiving though certainly not meant for a limited budget.
I thought it was amusing in your complaint of having to wait on professional service. Most tanneries wet tan hides and return them in less than a month. That's entirely TOO QUICK for me as the backlog doesn't need to occupy more freezer space than it already does.
I had a mini-flesher, I did not like it much. It was loud, spit material, and ran the compressor almost constantly.
I have a Q.L. and like it. I am not as fast as others, it takes me 30min-45min to shave a hide, but since it costs about $35 +shipping to send one to the tannery, I feel I'm making a good savings doing it myself. If I was only doing a few deer a year though, I would probably let the tannery do it for me.
is this one of those guys who doesnt shave around the eyes, or the lip liners. If it is three minutes, it damn sure a northern deer!
not a northern
I am one of those doing this for the fun of it. My other half gets no many deer, plus the son, the friends that we bring up and grandson on the way to hunting, (his first comment when he comes in it "I want to see the deer!)
If your arms can handle it, the mini was OK, but the compressor is "forever" running if you get the hang of it. I got the one recomended and it is not enough. And it all is loud! and you do decorate the ceilings and walls.
For a few dollars more you can get a flesher, rotary knife, and be better off. I just got my Quebec Lite in and they sent the wrong video with it. No problem, I figured it out within 30 minutes.
I also have friend that has the one from Edgar, can't remember the name and he says he really likes it and has had it for over 3 years. He does commercial work. Deer, mammals, birds the works.
If I had known what I know now, I would have gone ahead and bought the Quebec 3 years ago.
And! Gerry will not be at the World. Least that is what he said when I last talked to him.
Good luck and enjoy!
Lets see 3 minutes per cape equals 20 capes per hour or 160 capes per 8 hour day, If he shaves a w.t. cape complete in 3 times that amount of time he is a shaving god from tannery heaven,With that kind of blinding speed why would he have Ainsley around?
Whatever you do don't purchase an air controlled mini-flesher that thing will drive you crazy,you have to approach it with full body armor.I remember one night last summer I was out in the shop useing mine and I decided to go in the house to get something to drink I figured I would run in and out pretty quickly (thought the wife was asleep) I was burning midnight oil anyway I'm standing at the refrigetator and my wife walks up and when she seen me needless to say I got out to the shop pretty quickly I was covered in meat blood etc that thing made me look like I was the one getting fleshed I never realized it was that bad I absolutly hate that thing buy you a table mounted one I haven't yet but I am going too! Take care God Bless Michael
3 minutes is a posibility, on a small, thin, and well cleaned wt cape. Keeping up this pace all day long is not possible. As far as 9 minutes, that aint nothing at all. I can shave a 60" black bear in that amount of time. The statement of a skin shaved nicely and with no holes should be a given for a good shaver. A good shaver should be able to count his damages on both hands that he makes in a 4-6 month period! That is what helps to seperate the great tanneries from the jacklegs.(along with a great tan)
I have decided to get the Quebec Lite. It does cost some money, but I make the money on it within 18 deer heads sent to the tannery. Even though I am not doing taxidermy commercially, it is still saving me in the long run....Thanks for all your opinions.