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Post by joanne2 on Oct 28, 2009 10:17:28 GMT -5
Well they're coming along.. The fur's still mostly attached. I'm taking these on like they're bison skins.. same concept.. I don't believe the indians pickled those so stubbornly I'm not pickling these.. not that I wouldn't if I had the stuff but I don't so I'm making the most what I have an today I'm running a little low on ambition.. but hey it's coming along. I'm not very good at machine fleshing huge grain fed cow elk..but hey I'll give myself some time. This is only project two.. project raccoon is still in the works and those may need stretching as well. anyway both elk have new smaller frames and are IN our garage.. waiting for me. I'm praying for more sun today.. it's sure slow to come out this morning. it's supposed to. This was what they were looking like late yesterday.. had to make smaller frames so they would fit in the garage. More rain this morning but it may clear yet. 1:00p the sun will be out. according to the Weather Channel app.. it's usually pretty good.. I lost the unfleshed tails. I should have skinned them before I powerwashed them but forgot! so....... oops.. then having them get rained on.. and I don't know how long the one had been really off the elk.. true challenge.. good thing for shop vacs! I know I would have pickled them if I was able but even picking skins of this size takes some effort as well these are monster skins.. if those pickles aren't just right too.. Oooops.
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Post by yotman on Oct 28, 2009 10:32:03 GMT -5
Looks like you have a lot of work in front of you but a lot of fun also. Just think of what you will have when it's all done. You do very nice work!!
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Oct 28, 2009 22:12:08 GMT -5
good luck with the elk. i know what you are going through. i had a guy bring me a bull elk he wanted tanned with the hair on. it was frozen when i got it. when it thawed out and i unrolled it from the bag it was in, the hair was slipping in large chunks. told the ole boy what was going on and come to find out, he was on a week long elk hunt somewhere in wyoming and killed this big feller his first day there. it was warm while he was there and he kept it rolled up in a garbage bag for 3 days before he got it on ice. i told him i could brain tan it and it would be just as nice and a coat could be made from it. he loved the idea. the bull weighed in at 900 pounds was a 10 pointer with 10 inch main beams and it measure out to be 39.5 square feet? this thing is freaking huge! i soaked it in a barrel of water and it was so damn heavy that i thought i was gonna have to hook it to my 4 wheeler to get it to my fleshing beam. i got it fleshed (for the most part) and grain up to the neck, when i said to myself. self, there has to be a easier way. so i laced it up in my buffalo frame and let it dry. and have been dry scrapping what was left of the grain and membrane. i have thinned it down some as well especially around the neck and shoulder area. i am ready to brain it and thought i would brain it while it was in the frame and work it like a buffalo. but the dang weather won't cooperate, it won't quite raining and my shop aint big enough for the frame. i may just have to take it out of the frame and brain it, but i'm afraid it is much to big for that. it just needs to stop raining for about a week and i can get this beast done, and get caught up on other hides i have been working for people as well. the wife has been taking pictures of my progress on this bull. i will post them when i get it closer to finished
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Post by joanne2 on Oct 29, 2009 22:45:34 GMT -5
Geez! So that's whatcha been up to! I just can't help but feel kinda giggly. Others pain I guess. Kind of like working at pounding in nails or something alongside of a friend and they whack their thumb and for some silly reason it just feels incredibly funny? Well kinda like that, anyway. Well this too shall pass. I hope you get that skin in a better state. Froze? I hate to rehydrate elk. Looking fwd to seeing your tanning pics B.
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Post by joanne2 on Nov 7, 2009 7:24:04 GMT -5
Well about time to apply my new orbital sander to these skins! Hopefully I am better with the sander than I am on large elkskins with the Dakota pro.. would just like to smooth the skin up a bit.. hope that sentiment isn't 'famous last words', lol.. probably won't take a lot of sanding..just enough to get me all full of elk skin DUST.. mask might be helpful..probably none of those around. Should have been on my list of things to buy! anyway how theyre lookin! looking pretty rough huh?? well my drywalling is much worse. How's the bull elk skin project coming along Billy? Think the skins can go in limbo awhile.. long as you got them in a frame with possibly a fan on them.. maybe even a huge fan! sometimes tanners has just got to make their OWN weather! I let a nice thin little deerskin that I needed to frame go to hell so I'm just going to scratch the HOURS I have into it and chalk it up to retardedness.. that little deerskin is going back to nature!
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Nov 7, 2009 9:11:40 GMT -5
Pards done done so many hides this year its just a blur from work to the hide rack he probly scrapes in his sleep
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Nov 8, 2009 9:13:18 GMT -5
yup i 've tanned 40 hides since march and i still got a pile of them to get done. hunting season has started here and i was on vacation last week, and i did nothing but hunt. got me a nice little spike. yesterday i skint two deer for the hides a guy in our hunting club killed a 7 pointer and my boss called me and told me he got a 3 pointer. that make 8 fresh hides for this year and i still have some left over from last year. i'm ready to start braining the elk. think i'll leave it in the frame for that, and work it the best i can in the frame. i'm sure i'll have to take it out of the frame and pre smoke it. then frame it and rebrain it. i'll be glad to be finished with this beast
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