Read somewhere, maybe here, that part of the grading for rats at FHA involves x-rays of individual pelts. True or false? Just asking.

Don't know, but ain't likely. Why ever would they? Nothing in a pelt to show up on an X-Ray.

At one point in time, NAFA was looking into measuring rats with some sort of technology, like they do beaver. Scannngnof some sort. Not sure how FHA is measuring rats.

If you got the information third hand, details could have gotten scrambled.

According to Beav they (NAFA) used to scan (not xray) muskrat pelts for size at Stoughton. There is a possibility that FHA has acquired this equipment ( if it existed) at the NAFA "Going Out Of Business"" sale?

The machine exists Dirt, saw it with my own two eyes and ran my own rats through it. It took an image of the pelts and by measuring the pixels it was able to determine size.

Seven what was the comparison for size with the machine compared to using standard board sizes per size and putting in the appropriate size by length? For me when I shipped to NAFA I always had a higher percentage of the next size up with the machine then with my measuring. I tried to be conservative but the difference many times was 15-20% If FHA has that machine I sure hope they use it as then it is about damage and grade for the graders.

Bryce

X2 on the next size up w/NAFA

Pretty sure they showed it on marsh to mainstreet.

Boco. Where can I view marsh to main street?

Nafa gave them out a few years ago to all the shippers.
Maybe get a hold of Walleyed he got a couple extras I believe.

For God's sake don't get him started on that again!

Bryce that machine measures square inches or sq cm. Which determines true size. You apparently have a wide stretch which would hurt you on the sizing board. Some guys stretch narrow to increase length and cheat the system. They would have the opposite effect.

The reason I like the machine and the square CMs is then it takes all that BS out of the stretcher micro managing.

Bryce

I ended up with three copies, and due to all my Belly-aching,

They were FREE !!!

They're collector's items now
Check with Gibb; NAFA's chief apologist,
He may still be trafficking in NAFA trinkets !!!!

walleyed

I understand the scanner measured back and belly.

Well you know we don't all have those Horicon bruisers lol.

Frankly I didn't like the way it sized rats done on wire. If one lives in an area with marginally sized rats medium and large boards are the ticket. Thin boards like the ol boy from WI made, not half inch boards.

If I remember correctly the scanner drew a line across the ear butts and a line across the shortest part of the hide. And that showed the square centimeters between the 2 lines. They used square centimeters because of the foreign buyers. They could put a 1000 rats In container and could post the square centimeters In that container. That way the buyer would know what he had to work with.

Wood will help you If the rats are scanned. There Is no way you can square off the skirt area on a rat by using wire.

No matter how you stretch a rat you can't make It any bigger then It Is. So If you stretch It long or wide the buyer Is still getting the same square Inches.
The person doing the cheating Is the fur buyer since he Is using a sizing board and If you stretch that rat a bit to wide that will shorten that rat and he will down grade by length. If that rat grades Large It could actually grade XL If It was stretched longer. The bottom line is the buyer Is getting the same square Inches no matter what.

The closer to square something is the more square inches, per dimension of the outside measurement. 12x5 = 60 13x4=52

They're still available on the wfsc YouTube channel