making a fleshing beam

Hmmmmm, I always you the edge of a skinning knife to flesh, and taxidermists that I've seen use a spinning wheel with some kinda brush, wire maybe, on it...can you explain what you mean by fleshing beam?
 
I use a fleshing beam and a wheel. The wheel is a real thin circular blade that actually shaves off the flesh. "Dakota Flesher"

My beam is similiar to a 8" peice of PVC about 7 foot long. One end on the floor and the other end raised up to waist hieght.
You can make a temporary beam out of a 6, 8, or 10 inch board, VarmintSniper. Just round out and narrow up the raised end so that you can pull a tubed skin onto the board to flesh it.
The rounded, narrowed end allows the board to
slip into the face as you pull the skin onto it. And it holds the skin allowing you to draw your knife away from you, across the hide, skimming the flesh off.


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~River Runner~

Champion Tannery
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www.predatormasters.com
 
RiverRunner,
That's kind of what I had in mind. I'd probably use a 2x6, since I'll be doing a fox or two and maybe a bobcat. How long do you recommend the board be?
 
It kind of depends on how you want to use it. If you prefer to straddle the beam, and pull towards you, shorter is nice. But if you are like me, I like to stand behind the beam and lean into it. Therefore I like a long beam, so I don't have to lean over very far to reach the lower end. Mine extends from the floor to just above my belt buckle.

For years I used a sycamore log ripped in half, with a piece of carpet tacked over the working end. It was about 12' long and 10" in diameter. Just be sure to find something that you are comfortable with. There is not much worse than spending a few long nights hunched over a short board trying to flesh a bunch of beaver. Your back will be screaming at you for weeks after your trapping vacation.

But don't worry, by next year you will forget and be doing it all over again
smile.gif
 
Anyone want to post a pic or two of thiers? I cant seem to get the idea of what you are talkin about, I thought I had it, but then you said 12 foot, but only waist high and so I obviously dont know what you are talkin about.

If you got some pics, please post them!
 
It was 12' long. One end rested on the ground, against a post or the wall. It was supported by a short saw horse, making the end away from the wall waist high.
 
Here's a snap of what I use for a beam. Like I said it's 7 feet long. The narrowed end allows me to pull the head or face of a hide down onto the beam and it holds it in place while fleshing.
fleshbeam.jpg


This shot didn't turn out the best but this is the fleshing wheel I use. There is two brass round gaurds on the outside front of the unit, (left in the photo as you'll see). And betweem them is a real thin round blade that spins. The amount of cutting wheel that extends out past the two brass gaurds determines how thick of a cut is made with each swipe.
The user stands behind the unit (to the right in the photo) holding the hide out in front of you, stretched between both hands, sweep the hide across the two brass guards from left to right. The flesh falls through the slot in front of and dierctly below the wheel.
fleshwheel.jpg



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~River Runner~

Champion Tannery
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www.predatormasters.com
 
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