Planning on picking up some boards at the FTA. We are new to putting up fur. Should we go with adjustable or solid boards?

Both will work.
Adjustable - one common board (get ones with tail boards/corrugated sheet for pinning the tail, if you do that. No wedges required. May dry fur faster because of open center. They are more expensive/piece.

Solid boards - will require multiple sized boards. Don't forget wedges, sometimes needs multiple wedges to get fur off the board. No tail boards required if you pin tails. They are cheaper/piece, but you will need more boards to cover all sizes of coon and wedges are often extra.

Third option is the wire stretcher #23, #4 , #5 (depending on manufacture) - least expense option/ piece. Typically requires 2 sizes to cover size range. Dries fur fastest. Does not produce the best/preferred presentation favored by auction houses for uniformity. Faster fur put up. Lowest storage space volume needed.

I use wood, have both solid and adjustable boards, got solids first, adjustables became available later. I think everyone has forgotten to put in a wedge when using solid boards and you appreciate an adjustable board right then. I don't put up large volumes of coon so don't use wire.

Thank you. I was looking at Top Lot Stretchers and after buying the wedges the adjustable aren't much more so I didn't know if I should go that route? But the solids look easier to use?

I like solid boards for a uniform look

I've never had a fur buyer turn down or lower the price on raccoon because of what kind of board it was put on. I use adjustable and find them quite adequate. And further, after hearing fur buyers say about raccoon, "Tails don't matter." when someone hands over a raccoon pelt that only had part of a tail on it I made a decision. When I skin one I split the tail out about 3" and when I pull the legs down and get my fingers around the bone and the pelt pull. Where ever the skin stops I cut the tail off. I usually have about 2" of the tail left on pelt. Saves a lot of time messing around with fleshing and pinning out the tail. Never had a complaint from the buyer nor had my price cut.

I use solid boards. Very easy to use. I made all my belly wedges. Any scrap wood will work.

I use solid boards. You can't get the right shape with an adjustable board. And shape and size is an industry standard.
Not sure on the tail thing but I have been docked when a few coon tails have been missing. Coon tails are worth some money to the fur buyer.

And put your wedges through the mouth area. That head and neck area dries harder then the of the hide since it has little or no fat. A wedge in the tail area will also make removing the hide a bit easier.

Thank you all. Looks like we will be locking up some solid boards at the FTA. Looking forward to some great demos and a great convention

My tails are left whole and on. The bidders that are crafters WANT that tail on for their coonskin hats. At least at the local auctions I go to.

I use solid boards. 7 1/2" board works for my area. Also have 7" for smaller Coon.

I like the uniform look of solid boards-

I mark correct sizes on boards. This gives me a guide for pinning. I don't over stretch.

Well we picked a pile of boards up at the FTA. We started marking them last night and will have them done tonight. Can't wait to put up some fur this year. I always wanted to take one of those bags full of fur to the buyer. It should also help on freezer space.

How long does everyone keep there fur on the boards?

Till there dry enough...
Humidity, temp and air movement are factors
Also how well you got the last of the grease out of the hide
As well as wiping them down if needed

Depends on relative humidity in the drying room and how well the hides have been scraped.
Important to not board pelts with wet fur especially leather out species.
A well scraped hide at room temp and low humidity should be dry in 24-48 hrs.
If drying lots of pelts at the same time in a small area a de humidifier and a fan for air movement will get it done.
it is best to dry pelts slower (2-3 days).This can be done by lowering the temperature in the drying room while maintaining low humidity.Drying too fast using heat is not good for quality pelts and can cause grease burn in the leather.
Trying to dry in high humidity is just as bad causing possible taint (high humidity and high temps), or mold in the leather (high humidity low temps).

Heck yea! Take nine or ten bags full...

I would love too. I am really looking forward to putting up fur this year. I am even thinking about going to the Iowa or Nebraska convention just to see some more demos. I don't even know where to get the big bags I just want to do it. I always wanted a to get good enough to get a top lot award at NAFA. I just want to put up the fur and represent it the best I can and to see it the whole thing through.

I figured it was kind of an open ended question but Thank you and turtledale for the response. I was thinking about hanging it in the garage to dry with some fans and I will probably add a heater. This place had an old crappy hot tub when we bought it so I have 220 available where I could add a heater.

Next new guy question does it hurt to leave them on the board longer? I did pick up a couple of the fur hangers to store dried pelts on

sigpros, my pic of bagged Coon... they are feed bags. Not XXXXL auction house bags. Just saying.

I don't like to leave them on the board (particularly solid boards) forever, but if you don't need the boards, it isn't going to hurt to leave them on an extra few days. Garage with fan and heater will work well to dry and store hides. I like to dry without too much heat, I generally have my fur shed around sixty, I think, with a fan going when drying furs.