Post by cameron2 on Feb 13, 2008 11:27:09 GMT -6
With the fox skinned and fleshed, and our glands safely set aside, its time to board our fox. That brings up the subject of stretchers. I've tried lots of different stretchers, and while there are many sizes and shapes on the market, its been my experience that the little gray fox is sort of finicky when it comes to his choice of wood. The common problem I find in stretchers is that they are too wide in the neck and front shoulder area for the grays in my area. Perhaps the big Eastern grays go well with these stretchers, but the little silky Western grays take a smaller stretcher size.
Here are three examples of various stretchers. The stretcher on the far left I built, and it works well on small grays (like young of the year, small females and so forth). The center board was made by Jerry Mueller (aka "Happy Plumber") from Wisconsin. Jerry does exceptional work and his boards are primo. I love them!!! However, I've noticed they tend to run on the large side, especially in the neck of my fox. Maybe my fox just have thinner necks than other areas, I don't know. Jerry obviously knows his craft and everyone I talk to back east and down south swears by his stuff, and so do I. (I added the little piece of panel board to Happy Plumber's stretcher).
The stretcher in the far right was one sent to me by Otis . . . Spunkmier . . . no, not Spunkmeir . . . shucks, now I'm embarrased because I don't know Otie's last name. It's Latham!! I came up with.
Anyway, he answers to Coloradocat on most trapping forums. Otie is real handy with wood and tools, and when I was bemoaning my size thing . . . well, not MY size thing (another topic), he said he could fix me up with a stretcher for my smaller Western grays, and he put together a dandy. Notice that the width of the wood is thicker than the other two models, which helps avoid warping. I also asked Otie to make a longer tail board so it would reach up to the belly area and give me something to tack that belly and/or tail to. (Otis, when you read this, we gotta put another 6 inches on the tail board.) Anyway, this is just a prototype, but if your interested, and you're out West, shoot me a pm and I can hook you up with Otis. He'll probably even make a bunch of these boards and bring to Nephi at the NTA Western Regional.
Anywhoooo. Put your fox on the stretcher, making sure the black stripe down the back is centered in the middle of the board.
I like to put a pin in the chin of the fox to keep it from flopping around, or from drying in an akward position.
Tuck the front legs inside the skin, and into the center of the stretcher. (Incidentally, this is why you want to apply the Borax to the entire skin in the fleshing process, so these leg tubes don't spoil).
Start on the belly side, and pull the back legs down as far as they will go, and tack them in a couple of places.
Turn the fox over on the back side, and pull the base of the tail down as far as it will go. I like to pin or nail once in the center of the tail (hence, Otis' center board), and once at the end of the tail. Keep the tail straight, and keep that nice black line visible to the fur buyer.
I also tack the flanks down near the base of the tail to keep them from curling up and losing length.
I also push the ears down flat against the head, pointing forward, and tack them there. This probably doesn't score me any more money from a buyer, but it does allow the bundle of fur to lie down flat, they look cool, it shows off the chesnut color to the fox's neck, and . . . well, I think it makes them look neat.
Well, there's your fox.
Now just to mess with my mind, Bottomline (aka Rodney) told me that NAFA required a 28 inch length on gray fox or some such thing. Knowing the worry wart that I am, he knew I would charge home and measure every blasted fox I owned to make sure they met the magic 28 inch number. I know he was making this up, and he's probably laughing himself silly right now, but this fox went well past 28 inches, Mr. Smarty Pants. :grin:
Now I comb the fur "against the grain" so it stands on end, with my fur brush.
Then I place the stretcher with the nose down, so the hair "sets" in the upright position as it dries.
Once the fox is boarded, I put a box fan on it for the first few days to avoid spoilage problems.
Hey Otis, I think you got a winner with that stretcher!!!
Here are three examples of various stretchers. The stretcher on the far left I built, and it works well on small grays (like young of the year, small females and so forth). The center board was made by Jerry Mueller (aka "Happy Plumber") from Wisconsin. Jerry does exceptional work and his boards are primo. I love them!!! However, I've noticed they tend to run on the large side, especially in the neck of my fox. Maybe my fox just have thinner necks than other areas, I don't know. Jerry obviously knows his craft and everyone I talk to back east and down south swears by his stuff, and so do I. (I added the little piece of panel board to Happy Plumber's stretcher).
The stretcher in the far right was one sent to me by Otis . . . Spunkmier . . . no, not Spunkmeir . . . shucks, now I'm embarrased because I don't know Otie's last name. It's Latham!! I came up with.
Anyway, he answers to Coloradocat on most trapping forums. Otie is real handy with wood and tools, and when I was bemoaning my size thing . . . well, not MY size thing (another topic), he said he could fix me up with a stretcher for my smaller Western grays, and he put together a dandy. Notice that the width of the wood is thicker than the other two models, which helps avoid warping. I also asked Otie to make a longer tail board so it would reach up to the belly area and give me something to tack that belly and/or tail to. (Otis, when you read this, we gotta put another 6 inches on the tail board.) Anyway, this is just a prototype, but if your interested, and you're out West, shoot me a pm and I can hook you up with Otis. He'll probably even make a bunch of these boards and bring to Nephi at the NTA Western Regional.
Anywhoooo. Put your fox on the stretcher, making sure the black stripe down the back is centered in the middle of the board.
I like to put a pin in the chin of the fox to keep it from flopping around, or from drying in an akward position.
Tuck the front legs inside the skin, and into the center of the stretcher. (Incidentally, this is why you want to apply the Borax to the entire skin in the fleshing process, so these leg tubes don't spoil).
Start on the belly side, and pull the back legs down as far as they will go, and tack them in a couple of places.
Turn the fox over on the back side, and pull the base of the tail down as far as it will go. I like to pin or nail once in the center of the tail (hence, Otis' center board), and once at the end of the tail. Keep the tail straight, and keep that nice black line visible to the fur buyer.
I also tack the flanks down near the base of the tail to keep them from curling up and losing length.
I also push the ears down flat against the head, pointing forward, and tack them there. This probably doesn't score me any more money from a buyer, but it does allow the bundle of fur to lie down flat, they look cool, it shows off the chesnut color to the fox's neck, and . . . well, I think it makes them look neat.
Well, there's your fox.
Now just to mess with my mind, Bottomline (aka Rodney) told me that NAFA required a 28 inch length on gray fox or some such thing. Knowing the worry wart that I am, he knew I would charge home and measure every blasted fox I owned to make sure they met the magic 28 inch number. I know he was making this up, and he's probably laughing himself silly right now, but this fox went well past 28 inches, Mr. Smarty Pants. :grin:
Now I comb the fur "against the grain" so it stands on end, with my fur brush.
Then I place the stretcher with the nose down, so the hair "sets" in the upright position as it dries.
Once the fox is boarded, I put a box fan on it for the first few days to avoid spoilage problems.
Hey Otis, I think you got a winner with that stretcher!!!
