Adjustable fur stretcher
- Thread starter mtinaz
- Start date
Mason_Jarr
New member
Fox
2 5/8" 2 inches from the tip
3 1/2" 4 inches from the tip
4 1/4" 6 inches from the tip
5 1/8" 12 inches from the tip
5 1/4" at the base which is 60 inches
Red Fox
Mediums and Smalls (M&S) will be less than 28 inches
Larges are 28-32 inches
XL are over 32 inches
Grey Fox
M&S are under 28 inches
L&XL are over28 inches
Bobcat
3" 2 inches from the tip
5" 6 inches from the tip
6 1/2" 12 inches from the tip
6 3/4" 24 inches from the tip
7 1/2" 40 inches from the tip
8" at the base which is 72 inches
M&S are under 32 inches
Larges are 32-36 inches
XL are over 36 inches
Coyote
3" 2 inches from the tip
5" 6 inches from the tip
6 3/4" 12 inches from the tip
8 3/8" 24 inches from the tip
9 1/4" 34 inches from the tip
10" 48 inches from the tip
11 1/4" at the base which is 72 inches
M&S are under 36 inches
Larges are 36-42 inches
XL are over 42 inches
Not all pelts will fit standard stretchers so you might need to make additional sizes if you have one that is too tight or too loose. You can get other dimensions from the Fur Harvesters Auction Inc. website, which is where I got these.
Good luck!
I just noticed you also asked for directions on building them. I take some good quality 1x4 pine boards and plane them to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut them to length according to the base dimesion I listed. Lay two of them on a table and then stretch them out to the width of the base and screw a shorter board across the two of them. Then go back and measure your widths at the points I listed. I then take a narrow piece of 1/8" hardboard and bend it to the arc of the measured points and trace a pencil line down it. Unscrew the short board holding the bases together and then cut the arc on the pencil line on a band saw. I round over the outside edges with a router, but you don't have to do that. If this isn't clear, let me know and I'll take some pictures of some of mine and post them.
2 5/8" 2 inches from the tip
3 1/2" 4 inches from the tip
4 1/4" 6 inches from the tip
5 1/8" 12 inches from the tip
5 1/4" at the base which is 60 inches
Red Fox
Mediums and Smalls (M&S) will be less than 28 inches
Larges are 28-32 inches
XL are over 32 inches
Grey Fox
M&S are under 28 inches
L&XL are over28 inches
Bobcat
3" 2 inches from the tip
5" 6 inches from the tip
6 1/2" 12 inches from the tip
6 3/4" 24 inches from the tip
7 1/2" 40 inches from the tip
8" at the base which is 72 inches
M&S are under 32 inches
Larges are 32-36 inches
XL are over 36 inches
Coyote
3" 2 inches from the tip
5" 6 inches from the tip
6 3/4" 12 inches from the tip
8 3/8" 24 inches from the tip
9 1/4" 34 inches from the tip
10" 48 inches from the tip
11 1/4" at the base which is 72 inches
M&S are under 36 inches
Larges are 36-42 inches
XL are over 42 inches
Not all pelts will fit standard stretchers so you might need to make additional sizes if you have one that is too tight or too loose. You can get other dimensions from the Fur Harvesters Auction Inc. website, which is where I got these.
Good luck!
I just noticed you also asked for directions on building them. I take some good quality 1x4 pine boards and plane them to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut them to length according to the base dimesion I listed. Lay two of them on a table and then stretch them out to the width of the base and screw a shorter board across the two of them. Then go back and measure your widths at the points I listed. I then take a narrow piece of 1/8" hardboard and bend it to the arc of the measured points and trace a pencil line down it. Unscrew the short board holding the bases together and then cut the arc on the pencil line on a band saw. I round over the outside edges with a router, but you don't have to do that. If this isn't clear, let me know and I'll take some pictures of some of mine and post them.
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I keep hearing about belly wedges when using wood boards. I have just made some of my own boards so I could try to start putting up some furs this year myself. Could you describe this wedge or post a pic?
Jburgert
p.s. Loving those olive wood calls I bought from you last year!!
Jburgert
p.s. Loving those olive wood calls I bought from you last year!!
Mason_Jarr
New member
A belly wedge is just a piece of stock that is approximately the same length as the stretcher. It tapers from nothing on one end to about an inch or so thick on the other end. It would look like a ramp if you laid it on it's side. The wedge, when inserted between the pelt and stretcher will keep a little gap when the pelt is dry. Pull out the wedge and the pelt will be easier to get off the stretcher. If you're using two part stretchers like the one I described above, you won't need a wedge. I'll put up some pictures later on today because I have difficulty explaining with words.
Glad those calls are still working for you. I hope to get back to making them soon.
Mike
Glad those calls are still working for you. I hope to get back to making them soon.
Mike
Mason_Jarr
New member
OK. Here's some pictures I took this morning. This first one shows a full length coyote stretcher.
Here's a close-up where the two boards meet. You don't have to wire these together. The pressure from the pelt will hold them together, but I just prefer to have mine attached.
Here's how I have them attached at the bottom. The nylon insert nut is permanently attached to the tailboard. The other two are attached to the side boards with wing nuts so I can loosen them up if the pelt is hard to get off the board.
Mark the lengths on your board where the pelt will go up...or down in size. Furs are graded by size from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. If the pelt is within an inch of grading up to another size you can often stretch it enough to get the extra length. Don't over stretch though because you'll cause the flanks to look thin and that'll cost you $$.
Some red fox and pine marten boards. These will need belly wedges because they're solid boards. If the pelt gets stuck it'll be a booger to get off.
Belly wedges are just tapered boards that slide between the pelt and the stretcher. I make mine from the scraps I have left over after making the stretchers.
I think this should pretty much get you started. You did mention "adjustable" stretchers in your original post. I would recommend you use these standard type stretchers. As I said above furs are graded by size and most buyers want the widths to be pretty standard. Sometimes you'll have an animal that just doesn't fit on these standard boards and you might have to make another one just for that size. I have bobcat boards in four different sizes just for that reason.
If you still want to make them adjustable, don't make the tail boards as wide as I have in the above picture and instead of using bolts and washers on the side boards at the bottom use dry wall screws so you can adjust them easily or you can stick with the bolts and nuts and cut slots in the board so they'll slide to the width you want and then you can tighten the wing nuts.
Mike
Here's a close-up where the two boards meet. You don't have to wire these together. The pressure from the pelt will hold them together, but I just prefer to have mine attached.
Here's how I have them attached at the bottom. The nylon insert nut is permanently attached to the tailboard. The other two are attached to the side boards with wing nuts so I can loosen them up if the pelt is hard to get off the board.
Mark the lengths on your board where the pelt will go up...or down in size. Furs are graded by size from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. If the pelt is within an inch of grading up to another size you can often stretch it enough to get the extra length. Don't over stretch though because you'll cause the flanks to look thin and that'll cost you $$.
Some red fox and pine marten boards. These will need belly wedges because they're solid boards. If the pelt gets stuck it'll be a booger to get off.
Belly wedges are just tapered boards that slide between the pelt and the stretcher. I make mine from the scraps I have left over after making the stretchers.
I think this should pretty much get you started. You did mention "adjustable" stretchers in your original post. I would recommend you use these standard type stretchers. As I said above furs are graded by size and most buyers want the widths to be pretty standard. Sometimes you'll have an animal that just doesn't fit on these standard boards and you might have to make another one just for that size. I have bobcat boards in four different sizes just for that reason.
If you still want to make them adjustable, don't make the tail boards as wide as I have in the above picture and instead of using bolts and washers on the side boards at the bottom use dry wall screws so you can adjust them easily or you can stick with the bolts and nuts and cut slots in the board so they'll slide to the width you want and then you can tighten the wing nuts.
Mike
Mason_Jarr
New member
The inside arc is just to help with air circulation. You don't really have to make them. If you do, they don't have to be fancy. I wouldn't make them any bigger than where the side board gets thinner than 1 1/2 inches across. Drying pelts can put some pretty good pressure on a board and if the side board is too thin they can bow inwards. That's why I make my tail boards so wide to brace the side boards so they don't bow. The good thing about this style is that you can remove the two wing nuts and slide the base board and tail board out of the pelt. Then the sideboards will compress inwards and the pelt slides right off!
specializedcc
New member
Mason Jarr, I know this is in complete contradiction to your sig, but, would you consider selling a couple boards for coyotes if you have any extras?
Mason_Jarr
New member
I'd sell you some, but they really are pretty easy to make. I think the cost of shipping them would hardly make it a bargain. How close are you to Hamilton? I have a friend down here in the AF who is from Hamilton and he goes up there about once a month. I might be able to have him deliver them there if you can pick them up. If that doesn't work, I can trace one of mine on a piece of paper and send you the pattern so you can make your own.
Mason_Jarr
New member
Yep I can do it, but I'm heading up to the mountains tomorrow to get ready for our trapping season opener on Nov 1st. So, it'll be a week or so before I can send them to you. PM me your name and address when you get a chance and I'll get them to you as quicky as I can.
Mason_Jarr
New member
Nick and Vance, your patterns went out in the mail today. I think if you review these pictures along with the patterns it should be easy to make your stretchers. If not, let me know what questions you have.
Mike
Mike