How much weight do I need for a roller base on my skinning machine? I have my winch mounted above and my roller base on a plate with about 110-120 lbs on it. Last night, I was skinning a coyote, and it was picking the roller up. I was just curious how much weight you guys have used. I don't want to mount it solid unless I have to, as I don't have a lot of space. Thanks in advance!

TYT

Just anchor it solid. You have a concrete floor?

Skinning machine at your age ? You’re the machine lol

Exactly, still skining everything without a machine. But I keep telling myself I should have one after a few coyote.

Anchored solid you can easily tear coyote apart. I can’t picture how much weight it would take but has to be a lot

If your base and puller are on the same frame, you don’t need any weight. Physics. Otherwise, if your base is separate from the puller and merely weight, don’t be afraid to use a knife to loosen the hide. Never done it that way.

A 55 gallon drum full of concrete should do the job.

No concrete floor otherwise I would do it that way. It would be a lot simpler.

Work smarter not harder, trying to do everything in my power to make sure I can do this for as long as possible.

That's why I built this roller style instead of vice grips because it can't tear as easily and also the height benefit.

It's separate, I might just have to build a frame if I can't find any answers about weight or a better way to do it. I used my knife quite a bit and it still wasn't good enough.

Cut in half? thirds? How much of a 55 gallon drum?

can you get below your floor, anchor a 4x4,

Why can't you just anchor to the floor. Even if you don't have a concrete floor there must be sumthin there like maybe dirt ,try a earth anchor

Yea, lag a wood plate down or under the joists. I added a pulley to my hoist and hooked the hook back to the frame of the unit. Cut the up/down speed in half and adds extra power if required. Tried my set up last week, it’s gonna be awesome on wolf I tell ya!

I know you’ve got a wood floor, but here’s my anchor. I can remove the eye bolt in spring so I ain’t tripping on it, plug the threaded hole so it don’t fill with junk and reinstall when needed.

You're gonna have to bolt it. or make a frame for it. Most winches used for skinning machines are rated to lift 440# so your winch will lift anything under than if the hide "gets stuck". Id be curious if anyone ever put a pressure guage on a coyote hide when pullign to see how well that hide is glued to the carcass.

You can probably get a couple 2x10s to make a frame that you attach your roller too and run it to the ceiling so you can put down pressure on your base.

Good idea SniperB! I’ve always got a 660lb scale right beside the hoist. Will have to try it out.

1st thing I would do is double check you mounting system for the overhead winch. That’s no place for “that should be good enough”.

yep...i about tore down my shed with a winch trying to skin a coyote before I got one of ADC's skinners

Is it a dirt floor? If so, 2- 24" rebar stakes cross staked should be enough
Earth anchors aren't much good when pulling straight up on them