Cedar the amount Im doing somone would have to have a heck of a big laundry room Iv been putting up 50+ each week Im working for a fur buyer down here and he has over 4000 to have put up right now Iv got enough boards that if I had time I could put 90 on boards and about that many on hoops (if my drying room was big enough that is

yeah.......I'd feel bad for any guy with a laundry room big enough for that.

That's a lot of dirty socks!

Great post thanks.

really nice post look good did you make your fleshing beam or order it from somewhere?

I got that one from Gerald Schmitt last spring (made the stand myself)...and its pretty hashed up now (my fault). I did all this years fur on that one...and 3 bears....and that rig has had it.

I need a new set up for next year.

How about them metal stretchers, the pros and cons as I havent put up a beaver but getting setup to chase them.

Not sure what would be more practical for you in Alaska.

Never used the wire hoops myself. I like the boards because I know exactly where I'm at, and can bump them up into the next size sometimes too.

Good job on the fleshing, stretching and this thread.

Some of the things I've learned over the years from Canadians are:

When fleshing do not try to flesh the whole length of any pelt be it beaver, otter or coon. Do it in sections-with beaver I put the center of beaver on end of beam and flesh outwards-from back to belly. Then work my way around-this way ones fleshing stroke is only 10-15" at the most and by working from the back to belly the toughest part is always closest to you except when doing the tail.

Would like to see a more oval stretch-yours look pretty round-I've used the Canadian patterns for over 35 years. To know what pattern to use on a specific beaver hang the fleshed beaver by the nose on a nail-measure the length. Add to it 1/2 the length + 2" on smaller sizes, 3" on mid sizes and 4" on larger sizes. So if hanging it measure 30" add 15" + 2" equals 47" so use the Medium ring. If 36" add to this 18" + 3" equals 57" which is the Large ring. If it measures 45" add 22" + another 4" equals 71" which is Super Blanket or XXL ring. All this said, I understand the sizes on bottom end have changed slightly so my patterns/familiarity are from the 1970's. At a recent convention where Greg Schroeder was demoing beaver he stated that now one should stretch them even longer by using the next size larger for length and the next size smaller for width.

I understand if one has many, many beaver to do that staples are the fastest for boarding but I've always been a hammer/nail(8 penny CC) guy because I can raise the beaver halfway up the nails which helps them dry faster, makes the fur/underfur feel fluffier-more loft plus the nails will bend inwards when leather drys if initially stretched too tightly.

Thanks for the post Kelly....

I agree on the fleshing. Started doing the opening stuff down the middle, and then working from the center to the edges and my fleshing really improved.

Those are NAFA pattern boards.

wolf the metal hoops work good to me they are slower to put beaver one but they dry faster and you can put a beaver up on them with the hide totally wet I use both when i have a bunch ready to put up and in my room I can hang 3 strait up and down off each other most of the time they dry faster but its harder IMO to get the oval shape and board probly 3 to each one I put on a hoop (but iv using an air stapler on my boards also and Iv got a table i build just to board beaver on so basicly all I have to do is take a step back when I get to the corners of the boards and step back up when the corner is past me)

First I will say I have only handled a few beavers so I am still learning MNCEDAR those hides look really nice. I use a two handled fleshing knife on a beam as you do. I was advised to put a towel under the hide to give it a little cushion to protect against damaging the gaurd hairs. As I found out even with a sharpp knife the fat near the tail takes some elbow grease to get off and the first few I did I aparently got a little too agresive on the beam and damaged some gaurd hairs.

Not sure about the towel thing....sounds like that would make more problems than it helped.

But I'm not an expert. Maybe keep your beam a little wet?

Sharpen your knife more. I never push hard enough to damage the hair, even late caught beaver don't or shouldn't shed while fleshing.

All a towel would do is make you cut the skin just like hitting a burr or something in the fur

Great post...Archive Material....Thank You. Tom

Looks like you have It down pat.
You might try and start at the middle of the hide. Just center the hide over the end of the beam. Then that's all you have to do is keep turning the hide as you flesh. I find It a lot easier to control the hide with this method.
No need to to raise the hide off the board.

Nice job

Nice looking beaver put up. Thanks

Guys there was a question asked earlier regarding...would a hole in the middle of the board accelerate the drying process? Any thoughts?

Thanks for the post!

Couldnt hurt probably but its easier to lift the hide up the nails to allow air to circulate between the hide and board.

MNCedar,
Great job. Great post.
This past season I drilled a series of 3/4 inch holes around the center of one of my boards. I use staples. Pelt dried faster. I am planning to do that to the rest of my boards this year.