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I built a skinning machine from an electric motor off a bed and a hand crank winch. The winch is turned by the motor which raises and lowers my gambrel. I know it will work to lift and hold the critters up but for some reason as it's going up I can push down on the gambrel and stop it from going up. I have to push pretty hard to do so but I can. It can lift a cinder block but two is iffy. I was just wondering if this was enough power to use it as a skinning machine or maybe I will have to wait until next year and just buy an electric hoist or winch to use. I figured I'd ask and get some input before I went ahead and added the base and bolted it to the floor just to find out I can't use it. I will be skinning coon mostly but fox and coyotes may be a possibility. Thanks. Dan
I can't stop mine. It would lift me right off the ground. I don't think your gonna have much luck skinning with it. On a more positive note the winch I use is on sale at harbor freight cheaper than I've seen in quite some time... click here
Look at it this way... the time and energy saved skinning can be put forth in setting new traps... thus more furs... it will pay for itself the first three days of season.
BTW, if you'd bought the cheaper welder I reccomended you could of used the money you saved for this winch. LOL Just ribbing you.
I made a foot contol for mine with a three way toggle switch. I spiced into the wires inside the hand controler so I can use it either way. I use the foot contol about a 100-1 over the hand control.
This is going to sound stupid to you guys, but does the electric hoist really help that much? I skinned out some of my fur last year, but ended up selling most on the round, it took me more than an hour for a coon, and that was just to get it off the carcus.
I would rather skin them out myself, but it would take me many hours everynight.
Well a cold coyote can take me up to 30 minutes. I've seen them on electric skinners done in less then 3 minutes. Less time skinning mean more sleep and more time to set/check traps.
the difference is something akin to NIGHT AND DAY!! set up properly, the skinning machine saves time, money, muscle, sweat, foul language, tired back, sore hands, and energy.
at 57 years old, degenerative spinal disease, arthritic hands, and a little "overweight" this machine has extended the amount of time i will be trapping. i use an old "roll-around" stool thats about the same elevation as a standard bar stool, maybe a couple of inches shorter. i can set down, and move the animal, not myself, to skin the entire thing. even if i don't "pull" the skin off with the machine, it is still easier raising and lowering the animal rather than myself.
coon, once past the tail and hips, can be skinned in a matter of a few minutes. and that's without putting a rush on it. the animal stays on a semi-rigid, "vertical" plane without all of the wrestling around as is normal with a standard gambrel set up. it is well worth twice the price and effort having one than being without it. it is sooooooooo much easier.
Dont have any pictures but it could be done very easy. Would you leave it mounted all the time. If so the main pulling mast could be made to telescoped up to get the height as Charles said then be slid down for road height.
Hey thanks guys, I am affraid of tearing the fur, is it a prolbem with this machine? Instead of buying a large chest freezer to freez the coon and sell on the round, I could buy this set up and still be money ahead. Do you mind ADC if I try to build mine like yours?
All ready checked on square tubing that fits inside a bigger piece of tubing for telescoping purposes.It would be dismounted to use the truck.I thought electric would be the way to go,but that boat crank would work also.Just trying to figure out how to set it up.