I wanted to thank all of you who submitted their advice on "TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD" a flesher. We have invested alot of money in this business. My husband is the only one who works. We have four small children. I was just hoping there was some good ideas on homemade fleshers. We can't afford the machine BUT we cannot afford not too get one if we are going to be successful. I think by the sound of everyone's opinion; which machines are worth the money...so thanks again. I'm sure I'll be posting shortly again with questions!
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Before Roofster jumps me about, it will work you must keep the hide moving so that no burn through happens.
I use my bird flesher for fleshing coyotes and smaller.
I also use my 1/2 hp bench grinder to flesh turkeys, about 15 minutes and you are done.
Anyhow there are several methods to flesh NONTYPICAL WAYS.
You can flesh very well with a Curriers knife, it can also be very faster.
Hope this helps.
I hafe to throw in my 2 cents on this 1.I am useing a benchgrinder myself a 3/4horsepower 3,500rpms and i have fully fleshed and shaved 3 deer hides with it thus far this bow season in Pa. and i can honestly say i can turn out a hide fleshed and shaved with this piece of equipment in 50 minutes. I;m sure the more i do the faster obviously. but the gentelman that introduced this benchgrinder method to me was steve gossard and he;s been using the wire wheel on the grinder method for years.I't deffenetly does work. takes a little bit of practice like anything else but i can say that i can now flesh n shave a deer hide with out spending 600bucks$$$$\.Also what i have done was took off all my guards on both sides of the grinder, a wire wheel 8inch and a rough stone wheel on the other side 8 inch also.
Then i took a large plastic tote box and built a simple shroud and set in behind the grinder because you will get a bit of meterial fling out from time to time , but it deffenetly does work. also if ever you get worried about the hide drying because of the speed of the wheel a simple spray bottle with a little water . Best of luck.
Ray
Thank you! Thank you! I was hoping there was an alternative. I'll definately tell him. Thanks for the tip. I really appreciate it. You two have been a life saver. Let you know how it goes.