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Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage #1147565
01/24/09 05:44 PM
01/24/09 05:44 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
H
hughesj23 Offline OP
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hughesj23  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
Can someone please explain the proper usage of adjustable stretchers? Obviously, since I'm asking this basic question, I am new to fur handling (this has been my first full year). I have been "stretching" my fur with my adjustable stretchers, basically as far as they will stretch without too much force. Ending up with varying widths in my finished fur. Reason I ask is because I read the following...

Quote from FHA website: http://www.furharvesters.com/PDF/pelthandling.pdf

"To start with, we recommend the use of only one size board. The board must be 60" long and 51/4" wide, gently tapered from shoulders to nose. The use of a properly sized board is of great importance for a uniform overall finish. The proper size board for fox will enhance the density of the fur and increase the length of the pelts. A big concern at the auction house is the different widths of the pelts coming to market. Some fur harvesters use boards as wide as racing paddles. These pelts have been improperly stretched. The buyers do not want pelts in a lot that do not look similar."

I don't have solid stretchers and I like my adjustables pretty well (no belly wedge needed), so my question is in regards to proper use of Adjustable Stretchers. Can I (or should I) make them uniform with adjustable stretchers? Am I doing wrong by 'stretching' the width of the hide?

Thanks.

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1147602
01/24/09 06:05 PM
01/24/09 06:05 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 606
Hillsdale, IN
yoteskinner Offline
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yoteskinner  Offline
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Posts: 606
Hillsdale, IN
When you put up your fox, make sure that you only spread the board to 5 1/4" so that they all remain uniforn width.

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: yoteskinner] #1147882
01/24/09 08:29 PM
01/24/09 08:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 748
Utah/Wyoming
JTM Offline
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JTM  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 748
Utah/Wyoming
I will be following this one, because I have just went to solid boards from adjustable boards. It seems that the 5 1/4 boards are great for a small fox but, just don't seem to fit a large fox. The large fox are way to bunched up on the smaller boards. Grawes has boards for sale that are not furharvesters dimensions, but I think for a Utah fox those would be perfect.


You will find the cats where they are, loCATion, loCATion, loCATion.
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: ] #1149932
01/25/09 07:45 PM
01/25/09 07:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 792
Indiana
4
4488 Offline
trapper
4488  Offline
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4

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 792
Indiana
Adjustable stretchers are wonderful in the wood stove. Give a guy a wooden stretcher and you have an instant engineer.

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1150525
01/25/09 11:01 PM
01/25/09 11:01 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
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hughesj23 Offline OP
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Posts: 33
texas
Thanks for the replies. I will mark my adjustables and try to keep the stretch more uniform.

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1150562
01/25/09 11:12 PM
01/25/09 11:12 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck Offline
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trapperkeck  Offline
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Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
Not to thieve your thread, but I just ordered 6 adjustable stretchers for cats. The problem with cats is that you get so much variation in size. I have a few solid cat boards, yet it seems that every cat I have finished did not fit on the boards properly. What are your recommendations for putting cats on adjustable boards? I have no problem with other critters. I have two sizes of fox boards and three sizes for coon boards (only use 2) and two sizes for yotes and of course two sizes for mink.


"The voice of reason!"
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: trapperkeck] #1151166
01/26/09 09:48 AM
01/26/09 09:48 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
H
hughesj23 Offline OP
trapper
hughesj23  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
Originally Posted By: trapperkeck
Not to thieve your thread, but I just ordered 6 adjustable stretchers for cats. The problem with cats is that you get so much variation in size. I have a few solid cat boards, yet it seems that every cat I have finished did not fit on the boards properly. What are your recommendations for putting cats on adjustable boards? I have no problem with other critters. I have two sizes of fox boards and three sizes for coon boards (only use 2) and two sizes for yotes and of course two sizes for mink.


trapperkeck: I wish I knew. I have the same situation with my bobcats. I marked my adjustables to FHA specs, but some of my cats "sag". Makes me want to stretch them more. Not sure if I need to.

BTT

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1151740
01/26/09 03:56 PM
01/26/09 03:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck Offline
trapper
trapperkeck  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
BobCatching, Lynxie, anyone??


"The voice of reason!"
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: trapperkeck] #1151782
01/26/09 04:13 PM
01/26/09 04:13 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck Offline
trapper
trapperkeck  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
OK, out of 296 peeks, nobody knows how to put a cat on an adjustable stretcher. That is just unbelievable????


"The voice of reason!"
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: trapperkeck] #1151916
01/26/09 05:17 PM
01/26/09 05:17 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
Dale Torma Offline
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Dale Torma  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
Adjust to the width preferred by the auction house and use them for the ability to easily remove fur without wedges etc.

I have adjustables made by sudden valley that I use for coyote, otter, fox and male fisher. I stretch each to the appropriate width and have got top lot grades for many of my furs. My adjustables have a wire head section (kind of like a heavy 'rat stretcher) and the body is 2 piece wood, so I can tweak the head shape if I like.

I use a mink board to stretch the tails and make special tapered boards to stretch the legs if appropriate.

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1169508
02/03/09 06:31 PM
02/03/09 06:31 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
H
hughesj23 Offline OP
trapper
hughesj23  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 33
texas
btt to ask...

I provided a link to FHA's recommended board sizes above. I was not able to find the same for NAFA.
Does anyone know where a guy can locate NAFA's recommended board sizes by animal?

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: hughesj23] #1169517
02/03/09 06:35 PM
02/03/09 06:35 PM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,221
Montana
grumpyoldman Offline
trapper
grumpyoldman  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,221
Montana
The trick is to catch them that are all the same size

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: grumpyoldman] #1169714
02/03/09 08:09 PM
02/03/09 08:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 792
Indiana
4
4488 Offline
trapper
4488  Offline
trapper
4

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 792
Indiana
Other than for cats and fox the best way to use adjustable wood stretchers is to stoke up the fire in the fur house. Terry

Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: 4488] #1169792
02/03/09 08:42 PM
02/03/09 08:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,437
Peachland NC
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David Underwood Offline
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David Underwood  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,437
Peachland NC
I make my own. One size does not
fit all cats. So, I pull them long
as needed, then spread to get out
slack. Some won't be tight on a
#5 wire strecher. Pull them long
as you like, still need spreading
sometimes.


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Only 4 miles from neil!
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: David Underwood] #1169980
02/03/09 09:34 PM
02/03/09 09:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 794
George Co. Mississippi
Billy303 Offline
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Billy303  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 794
George Co. Mississippi
David... That Cypress?


Wife: "What do you like most in me, my pretty face or my sexy body?" He looked at her from head to toe and replied: "I like your sense of humor!"
Re: Adjustable Stretchers - ideal usage [Re: ] #1170931
02/04/09 12:54 PM
02/04/09 12:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,437
Peachland NC
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David Underwood Offline
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David Underwood  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,437
Peachland NC
Billy, those are yellow pine.
I use cypress when I can get it.


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Only 4 miles from neil!
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