Does anyone have plans on a fleshing system that I could build? Can a guy split a log an use it? What wood would I use?

The only thing I’d do different would be I’d move the ends to the bottom rather then the very ends for more stability.

Does the angle matter or is it personal preference?0

I made mine from a aspen tree and it works but is on the soft side. It is round and about 6 inches in diameter. I have a smaller one made from oak which stands up a lot better. I use the smaller for animals like otter or fox which are a little smaller.

The angle is important will be unique to your style and or height. Form a beam much like Law Dog pictured and then build the support system so you can get the height that works for you. I am 5'7", my height would not work for persons much taller and with longer arms. That is for push type setups. If you plan to pull down on the pelt then you need to use a different approach.

Bryce

Use a 2X6 cut out in the shape of a large fox board with edges curved. This size and shaped beam will accommodate all pelts larger than mink, marten, muskrat, etc which are easily fleshed on their own shaping boards using a small pelt (stirrup) fleshing tool. Also build it to fit your height angling up to your solar plexus.

You are in Missouri so you should not have any trouble finding a piece of ash . Might as well start with the hardest wood in your area then you won’t have to do it over when you get it all scared up .

You can start with an ash log and put one end in a fire , burn it to a point and save yourself from a lot of carving..

Burn the end?? A hand saw or a skill saw would probably be a better choice.

You can move a lot of material with a chainsaw.

I find that a big belt sander is helpful after an initial shaping with a jigsaw.

Find the nearest saw mill and get a slab that was cut from the butt of a hard wood log. There will be lots of slabs as that is the cut where they start to square up the log at the base of the tree. Sort thru them and find the best one requiring the least amount of shaping to suit your needs. Take a draw knife and debark it, then sand and do the final shaping to your desires.
I'm originally from north Mo. and that's where I got my beams. Mine were usually white oak. I recommend getting the shaping and couture done before before the wood gets seasoned as it gets mighty hard and tougher to work with.

Nate i am making mine from an old treated 2x8 similar to one I had years ago and worked really well for me.
I'm just using a floppy abrasive wheel on an angle grinder to shape it. I will still work it narrower than this for coon and coyote, its not done yet, but I do like it slightly wider than others so that I can also do beaver and big coon on it. I know its not a hard wood and maybe too wide for most folks but a smooth sander for final finish then will seal it with an oil sealer. Used one like this for literally over a decade several years ago and worked very well.
I am going to also build a narrower, smaller PVC one this summer for fleshing rats and mink.

Not hard to make a perfectly good fleshing beam.
Made two at camp one year. In the spring I cut a nice straight 8 inch diameter,10 ft long white spruce,peeled it and cut it in half lengthways with the chainsaw,shaped the ends rough with the saw,then planed it smooth on the cut end.Also rasped off and planed a couple small knots on the surface.
That was about 20 years ago,still use them.
Softwood will get knicked up from the fleshing knife but easy to dress up with a scraper,small hand planer and some sandpaper.

WHY, these species are very easily fleshed on their own forming board.

'Cause I want to?

Jim

OK, go for it.

Thanks everyone I got a piece of white oak lined up I'll have it done this fall and post a picture.

Couldn’t find any ash ?

Didn't find any ash,is I better than whit oak?

Mine is a 2x8. I rounded it in several steps:
- Cut it to shape with a jig saw.
- ran it through a table saw to put a taper on both sides - at this point it was a trapezoid. \___/
- rounded the corners of the trapezoid with a powered hand planer to get it round-ish.
- used a belt sander to make it smooth.

Probably took me 30 minutes.

I tried several angles before I settled on vertical - straight up and down. I haven't seen anyone else do it this way but it's comfortable for me. No bending over, saves my back, and I can stand as close as I want. I clamp it to a big block of wood for a stand and can un-clamp to slide it up or down to work on different parts of the hide. If I was to do it again, I would make some sort of adjustable height stand instead of messing with clamps.