I used wire for 20 years and have used wood for over 20 years. I like wood forms better, but there are things to consider
1. My wood forms are all NAFA sized and some buyers feel rats on those forms are two narrow, so find buyers that won't dock you a size or even more. I use these forms when shipping To FHA and I am not down sized.
2. Also be watchful when putting rats on wood and make sure you put your larger rats on the larger forms as that 1/8 inch at the skirt will cost you a size. I have buyers who have docked me and I have found buyers or auctions who do not.
3. When NAFA used the square meters scanning I always had more rats in the next larger size then when I measured at home. Too bad we have gone back to a more subjective form of sizing rats
4. I don't or did not narrow up my boards, but I ran them through a panner and cut them down to 1/4 inch instead of 3/8 inch and you gain some length.

Wire can be formed to be close to wood forms at the desired spots. When a rat goes on wire the form stretches the pelt, when a rat pelt goes on a board it shrinks down to fit the wood form. That can make a difference on weight, density etc. along with size.

Bryce

Wood will make you money and I‘ve sold to different buyers, Nafa,Groney,and other buyers. Nobody ever complained about using wood. Lots of good tips here about using wood.

I have thought of going this rout. Taking my wood stretchers and splitting them. I bet that works pretty good.

Leave them the way they are. I don't think It's worth the effort.

Size,like any other cased pelt is measured from the shortest part of the skirt.In other words to get optimum size dont leave big scallops between middle and edge.This goes for both scanning and measuring template.

The weight of the fur affects grade also.Graders squeeze the pelt between the shoulders with their thumb to determine Hvy,semi,etc.
So dont overstretch in the shoulder area.Tha means using correct size boards for different sized rats.(Squeeze the wire stretcher to narrow them a bit for smaller rats) Dont overdo the narrowing in the shoulder.The grader will downsize skins that stand out from the bulk that are too narrow.

Probably not much difference in the current rat market.

A dry cattail stem is enough of a key for boarded rats.Should be able to pick up plenty of those on the ratline.
Sanding the boards smooth and wiping them down at the beginning and end of season with wd40 helps to keep the rats from sticking-also dont board rats with wet fur.

So does FHA SCAN rat hides?

Dont know,most likely.

Do you build those yourself?

I take some wax and wax the edges good. The hide comes off easier. you still can't forget the wedge.

We don’t get some rain here it won’t matter what kind of stretchers you have.

Yes Ryan I made the stretchers.

spray the strechters with silcone .come right off

I don't like to put anything on my boards. I want them to soak up any grease or moisture. In my opinion most trappers leave the hides on the boards to long. With rats I take the hides off the boards after 2 days. Once the hides have dried long enough for the hide to retain It's shape your good to go. The rat hide will continue to dry just fine once It's off the board. The longer you dry your rats the more moisture you lose and then that rat becomes a paper rat and your going to lose money.
2 days on the board then I pack them In cardboard boxes. This allows hide to retain any moisture In that hide. Sometimes you will get some mold on the hides when doing this. But It's not a big deal just wipe It off before selling.

You’ve probably all seen this, but here it is anyway

Groney dosen't like wood because the trapper using wood can get a bigger rat then you can with wire. And I don't know one rat trapper that ever trims the skirt area on a rat hide.
When a person sells through the auction and that auction house scans your rats for square Inches then wood will get you a better size grade. Selling to a country buyer It probably dosen't matter.
My boards have a tapered edge that Is about the same thickness as wire.

I still feel like a lot of you are still stuck in NAFA times. Groney would prefer wire. measuring sq inches maybe a think of the past

The thing about wire Is that It creates pressure against the hide. It acts just like a spring and will thin a rat hide as It dries. That will cost you money because they also grade by weight.
Besides all fur looks better when done on wood.

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Maybe so but buyers are still buying on length. Most buyers I know of and our state auctions measure to the shortest skirt. Pinning that skirt down is huge when the price breaks on sizes start to jump. A quarter inch short because you used wire and didnt pin that skirt can cost you a lot of money when your selling hundreds or thousands of rats. You can do it on wire with clothes pins but its a lot easier with wood

Having used wire for years then switching to wood I now for a fact you will get more length with wood. Having kept good records it seemed I gained a size on my rats.

Even with NAFA out of the picture one can find buyers who will not argue that rats on wood. I too have noticed better size grading with wood. I don't get near as many of those lighter paper rats which can be more common in the early season. Average fall rat is better than a paper rat.

Bryce