I have never used a commercial tannery before. I think that I found one that I will try. The question is... Is your mount only as good as your tannery? What problems can I expect using a commercial tannery? I have always done my own fleshing/shaving but want to save time by sending them out. I plan on raising the price of my mounts to accomidate the price of the tannery. Speaking with customers, they do not seem to mind the additional price that might be included. I guess the main question is, what problems can I expect? I would like to hear from tannerys and taxidermist who have and do use commercial tans.
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You are a virgin entering the realm of tannery roulette. I suggest you send a couple of capes only to each of the companys of your choice. You can then compare the quality of each against each other. KEEP written notes of your findings so you don't forget, example stretch or lack of it , skin memory or lack of , thickness or thinness
of cape--shaving, how it dries after mounted--drums or not, ease of or difficulty of removing ear cartlidge, cleanliness, odor,how it takes the finish work--paint and putty. Get rehydrating instructions from each company as to how they recomend "their" product be rehydrated.
Your major problem will probably be return delivery.
Don't forget to figure in the shipping charges to and from the tannery.Have fun, let us all know down the road how you made out.
I'll still send my wild sheep/goats and large game to them but I have serious reservations any more. I'd just as soon keep them in my shop. I expected to save time, but when a hide leaves my shop and takes 6 to 8 months to return, that's hardly a bargain. Then when I found that my wet tans had been dry tanned and every ear was blown out, I decided I could do without that kind of help. Until he tanneries can have less than a 3 month turnaround, I'd just as soon continue to do it myself. It really is roulette too. You ship and hope. I don't need any more anxiety than I already have.
You deal with tanneries and you WILL get burned. I have tried nearly all of them. They do good most of the time. But, 25 good hides does not make up for one bad one. The really hard to replace stuff is what seems to get messed up the most often. Or it will be your best customer's hide. I have NEVER in 30 years in this business had a tanner except fault. It's ALWAYS somebody else. I could tell some really sad stories about ruined capes and hides, capes torn in half, whole ears missing, all 4 legs cut off a lifesize bear, hair beat off BH sheep cape, lost capes, 1 year turnaround times. You name it and I seen it. In past situations, I have thought tanners were EVIL. But, in reality THEY'ER WORSE!
The sad reality is that if you run a taxidermy business of any size, you will have to use a tannery sometimes. I just recommend that you don't use them any more than is necessary. Tan everything you can yourself. Some tanneries are better at some things than others, try them out and only use them for what they are good at, furs, leather, capes, flat hides, etc. Quite a few of the tanneries were started by prior taxidermist. I think the reason is, they weren't satisfied with tanneries themselves. I guess I paint a sad picture, but it's all true. I could go on, but I won't. I wish you luck!
Don't let these guys scare you off from using (trying) tanneries. It is like shopping for a taxidermist. Ask around, try a few and see what you like. There are some small family businesses that offer personal service, probably like your studio. Even if you tan all your capes, hides yourself, you will come across some that go bad, slip or YOU SCREWED up, period.
I used to tan myself. Went full-time and did not have the space or time to do the tanning anymore, Plus it was hard on my back. 16 years of tanneries and not one problem.
Put your price up to justify the added costs of tanning, shipping etc.
I have found out the newer or updated tanneries using EZ-100 or liqua-tan have a very user friendly end product.
I can suggest a hand full of tanneries if you e-mail me.
Chris
We are a commercial tannery located in PA. We have a 20,000 sq ft facility with state of the art equipment. We also us Bruce Rittel's EZ-100. We are running on a 6 to 10 week turnaround time. Our facility has 3 licensed taxidermists to answers any questions you may have on the tanning process. Problems can occur if proper care is not taken with the hides before we receive them. We have no minimum charge so if you just want to send 1 hide you can. So give us a call,
717-677-4553 or check us out on the web www.keystonefurdressing.com
......Use a tanner with a 4-8 month delivery time than someone with 30 day delivery. Why? They are backlogged for a reason, they are good enough to have a lot of business. I haven't tanned anything "in house" for aver 25 years, and I hope I never will. I currently use three different tanners, they each have some things that they do better than the others. The majority of my work goes an hour away and takes under 90 days, normally. I usually can't get to it that soon anyway so I end up having it sit here until I can get at it. The other two do certain things better than anyone else and they get those jobs and they do take longer.
I like the tanner being close, from the shipping aspect, but he wouldn't get my work if his product wasn't up to snuff.
Chris, when you ask a question about something like tanning and then don't give a location, it is hard to give you specific information. Shipping will kill you if you live in Washington state and you want to use Carolina Fur, but if you are anywhere close I highly recommend them. I would recommend my local tanner, if you were close, but since I don't have any idea where you are........
Tan all your own capes, make your own forms, your own panels, do all the bookkeeping and taxes yourself; Do it all then charge as little as can to get all the work in possible. Then die a poor, worn out taxidermist that would of, should of, and could of. Your widowed wife, if she hadn't already left you because she was paying all the household bills and the over extended credit cards and because you didn't have time for her or the family will still be answering the phone about your prices on mounts and the "where are my antlers" at least two years after your gone. This has and is happening and will continue to happen in this business. Do what you do best, taxidermy, and let the tanneries tan, ETC. Charge what you have to to make a profit and wages you would be proud of, and be willing to let that big buck Joe Blow shot be mounted by some other fool. Or get a real job or career and live happy.
You seem depressed ,call me I can help. It could be worse ,you could be Frank.
Jim Depression is Anger without enthusiasm.
Thats my line! I am not depressed, life is good. I just got a new commission to sculpt a life-size eagle bronze monument for a housing development in Mississippi; the money will pay off my tannery bill. Of course first I have to finish these deer feet lamps, but I think I'll just put them out of my mind or else just wholesale them like I should of months ago.
You seem to be like other tanneries, your never at fault! I quote your response to Chris: Problems can occur if proper care is not taken with the hides before we receive them. So, if there are problems, it happened before you recieved them? ALWAYS? Sure, I know lots of capes are not taken proper care of, and those associated problems are not the tannery's fault, but so much else seems to go wrong, Why don't you tanneries make good when you do screw up. The taxidermist are the ones who have to face the hunter to tell him the ears are missing from his XXL white colored coyote! Your the only tannery person with the nerve to answer here and I don't pick on you, you may have a completely perfect record for all I know, but most tanneries don't, but will never admit it. Yes, i have screwed up as a taxidermist, but I face my customer, and replace or make up for my mistake by what ever it takes. I rarely have problems with tanneries, but when it happens, I lose sleep about what to do. I work so hard to have 100% happy customers, and then something completely out of my hands, goes sour. I use to send everything out to be tanned, now I only send the big stuff and rugs. No one else with bad tannery experiences may comment here, but I know they are out there and there are lots of them! I will go now, I must get a hanky to wipe the tears :-(
Get a AUTO-TANNER and do it in-shop. Do the math and comparison in time saved and shipping costs, and turnaround. Scheesh...do I gotta teech you kids evrythin?
~ ETCC
In response to your comments. Everyone makes mistakes, that is part of the learning process and we are always willing to learn more. If we receive something that we feel is damaged or unable to tan to a customer satisfaction we will call and discuss the matter. If I offended you or any readers with my comments I apologize. I believe in the work we do here and I will always do what I can to promote it.
How long have your shavers been shaving? Short timers make alot of mistakes! That is why there is so many people responding-tan your own skins! Too many Jacklegs out there.