started making myself some new board stretchers. I cannot find any dimension for the belly wedges anywhere. Can somebody help. I made my boards 24" long.

I use cattail stems for rats, mink and marten and they work very well.

Never thought of that. Have plenty of it right out the back door.

Dried cattail stems work good for the smaller animals,I'll second tomcats recommendation.

I cut boards approximately 3/8" x 3/8" x 24" and tapered the on a bench sander, then rounded the edges with sand paper.

rendezvous do you prefer wood over wire? This will be the 1st year using wood for rats. It just seems to make better sense.

backroadsarcher, I really don't trap rats, if any at all. But, I personally do like the wood over wire on all fur, it makes for a better presentation. I like woodworking in general also, and for me it adds a lot to trapping.

I seen wrote about put rats on wire or board that it dose not really matter. The thing about wire is that alot of that use them, dose not pin the nose in place. They let the nose slid down on the wire and make the skin shorter then it would be when pin the nose.When I put my rats up I always pin the nose in place.I use wire for them.

No one should use wire on rats It's just not right. You may not believe this but wire will down grade your rats.
Reasons.

Wire Is constantly pushing against the hide as It dries when I does that It thins the leather. Then you end up with a rat that has that crinkly sound when It's graded.

Most If not all commercial rat wire Is too wide In the head and neck area. This gives you a shorter rat. And we all know that size matters.
Then of coarse you really can't pull down the skirt area to square It off on wire. This Is going to cost you since they measure from the nose to the shortest part of the hide.
Some will tell you they can hold the hide down to square It off with clothes pins. No way, as the hide dries those clothes pins aren't going to stay In place. When my hides come off the forms they are all square across the bottom. I'm betting those that use wire are always going to have some scalloping.

The other thing Is I hear guys leave their rats on the forms for weeks at a time. The longer the rat Is exposed to drying conditions the more weight you lose. And the drier that hide gets. This Is not good.

Take your rats off the forms as soon as the nose dries. Under normal conditions that's about 2 days. Then pack those rats as tight as you can In card board boxes. This will keep your hides hydrated and the will be nice and pliable when you go to sell them.

DO NOT OVVER FLESH.

AS for wedges stick them In from the nose end what good does It do to push the skinny end of the wedge Into the tightest part of the hide. All wedges should be shoved In from the mouth end It just stands to reason. And some hides need one shoved In from both ends.

I may have put up over 50,000 rats In my time and It makes a difference.

At a dollar a pelt just use a willow gad.

[quote=The Beav]No one should use wire on rats It's just not right. You may not believe this but wire will down grade your rats.
Reasons.
Wire Is constantly pushing against the hide as It dries when I does that It thins the leather. Then you end up with a rat that has that crinkly sound when It's graded.

Most If not all commercial rat wire Is too wide In the head and neck area. This gives you a shorter rat. And we all know that size matters.
Then of coarse you really can't pull down the skirt area to square It off on wire. This Is going to cost you since they measure from the nose to the shortest part of the hide.
Some will tell you they can hold the hide down to square It off with clothes pins. No way, as the hide dries those clothes pins aren't going to stay In place. When my hides come off the forms they are all square across the bottom. I'm betting those that use wire are always going to have some scalloping. [quote]

For best auction sale results, rats should be this shape which you cannot achieve with wire:

Who makes good muskrat boards? I need a couple going to try and catch a few to tan

Make your own per NAFA specs: http://www.nafa.ca/wp-content/uploads/NAFA_PeltHandlingManual_2012-02.pdf

Top Lot Stretcher Company.

X2^^^^

Every commercial rat board I have ever seen Is to wide In the neck and shoulder area. And It's costing you length. A 1/4" here and there will end up gaining you at least a Inch In length.

I have my boards made but they are made to my specs.

If you are gonna tan them yourself though no need to dry them. Just flesh, salt, pickle, and tan.

And, so what are your specs?

my boards are 24" long.

These measurements are from the nose down. The first number Is the width the second Is the distance from the nose down.



XL board

3" @ 2"

5" @ 6"

5 1/2" @ 10"

6" @ 14"

6 1/2" @ 18"

6 1/2" 2 24".

Thickness Is a 1/4" with the edges rounded off. I use a router to cut a slot at the big end of the board. Then I use a large staple driven In across the slot to hang the board.
I leave a lot of fat behind when I fleash and I don't want any grease running down on to the skirt fur.

I comb every pelt before I board them and once they come off the boards I give them a shot of air from my compressor. That just fluffs them up a bit.



My LG boards are just a bit narrower at each dimension.

I only use those 2 sizes In wood. My small rats are put on wire and I just bend them to what ever shape I need. Duke brand wire Is pretty flimsy and easy to bend. Sorry MR Bill.

Looks good to me. Anytime you can shave the head/neck area of many species boards down, without loosing the general shape desired, you can occasionally gain a size and thus increased value.