I watched a guy do initial flesh this weekend at a taxidermy convention with a pressure washer. Used a turbo tip at 3800psi. No joke, entire deer was done in well under 10 minutes.
I use krowtann , shaves like butter . Plus the cape is neutralized and doesn't rust the blade and other metal parts on the machine , like a pickled hide . I also wear cut resistance gloves , they help grip the hide , once you get cut you will wear them.
Daniel, great video! I have a tip for you, roll your cape up in a towel to get rid of some of the extra moisture and it will shave better for you. Good luck see if it helps
When I started doing taxidermy 20 years ago I started with a flesh all mini flesher still do till this day takes me about 30 minutes or so to flesh the whole cape around the ears eyes nose lips and I can get them super thin I have 2 of them that I run off of my air compresser and are very noisy I'm going to get the electric version they make so I don't have to listen to that noisy compresser anymore lol you did a good job with your new fleshing machine God bless the man that gave it to you
Been using same machine for 20 plus yrs. Did some modifications ,so that i could open blade gaurd for easier blade cleaning and replacement . Love your channel. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Daniel that's a great unit !! All aluminum housing belts clog up with shavings and can stop the motor, so you don't have to stop. YOU WILL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!!
I started on same machine. Upgraded to Dakota II and now have Dakota V pro. It’s all about getting familiar with your machine. Guard quality and adjustments much better and easier on Pro and motor not in your way but with practice, you can master shaving on that machine. Thank you for the videos. Come up to East Tennessee and you can try the Dakota V Pro and Dakota II.
Thanks again for another great video. I have learned a lot from your videos and as usual you you helped a novice taxidermist. So many taxidermist play the secrets game but your the most helpful on the tube.
Nice job & gift. The gift of time saved will be the biggest blessing. Never used one either but do use a mini-flesher. It alone saves me time. I do plan on getting a Dakota this next deer season. Great video!
Awesome you finally got a machine!! Getting ready to buy a dakota v and someone is gonna give me a dakota iv! D price has some great videos on usage as well
Awesome video. I have been trying to get my hands on a fleshing machine for years. The cost to ship one to Australia on top of the extra price because of exchange rates makes them very expensive, even the old rusted machines go for big money.
It’s definitely a learning curve. My left middle finger has gotten a permanent dip on the first bend from my palm from shaving the face 😂. Get it every time
I have a Dakota Pro. Would use the same blade as yours it looks. The guards look very much the same. Of course the Dakota motor is mounted underneath.. you did very well for the first time. Get a set of sharping steels keep it sharp. Sharpen often .
Nice job for the first time, just watch those fingers LOL. Not a bad job for that machine man others just make it a little easier as far as access to the wheel and adjustments but fir a free one you hit the jackpot. You’ll alaways wonder now how did I ever make it with just that scalpel. 😂
It seemed really awkward with my thumbs up at first, but after doing about a dozen, I don't know how I was doing it with my thumbs down to begin with lol
We don't tan any hides we use dry preserve method we also have the Dakota v and we love it we get all the meat off the cape flesh it with the Dakota v apply dry preserve and start mounting easy peasy glad you got one but using one....... is set it up the way you want and run with it pretty straight forward no special techniques
Nice job for your first attempt on the fleshing machine! You will get the hang of it pretty quickly, and it will take the consistency of your hides and mounts up a few notches. I was wondering how hard it would be to mount a belt drive pulley to the wheel and the motor and drop the motor below the table like a more conventional fleshing machine? I’ve taught the fleshing process to many people and honestly it seems more natural to you than to most anyone I’ve worked with. Keep on learning and sharing! BYW, I’ve been using a relatively cheap Dakota flesher for 25+ yrs. I’ve done many modifications to it as parts broke or work out and it’s served me well. The best things I’ve done to it have been custom guards that match the blade circumference perfectly and have the slightest bit of inward flex so I can vary cutting dept by pressure.
I used meat cutting equipment for 20 years, so it actually feels like I've used one for a while because I already know the feel of slicing meat on a boneless band saw and meat slicer. Very similar pressure and actually way safer lol
Hello Daniel, I have been doing taxidermy for 35 years, i say that is a great unit.the belt drive units get clogged up with shavings and the all aluminum housing it is rust proof !!!
Are you sure you've never used a wheel before?!? Looks like a good job, especially for the first time. I've done probably 20-30 on mine and while I have gotten better they still seem to end up with some ridges yet. Pretty slick unit for being a table top set up. I have the S & S machine and love it, but, wish I could get some training on it!
I never have, but I spent 20 years in a meat department, so between band saws and slicers I'm very familiar with the feel of the machines already. Helps a lot I'm sure
This is definitely the opposite the way my fleshing machine was. I stood in front of the blade and pressed the cape against the blade. I did hundreds of capes including bison. They are definitely nice to have!
It takes me about 1 1/2 hours to flesh and thin one with a scalpel. I fleshed this one in about 20 minutes, pickled, and then took probably 30 minutes to shave. I could definitely shave one in 20 once I get used to it, and the difference in the thinness gave me 2+ inches of stretch bigger than what I measured the cape for a form. It stretches like a rubber band. Crazy different.
Anything that speeds up the process is great. I have honey bees and finally was able to get me an electric spinner from my honey sales this past year. Best investment I’ve made so far. I know honey bees and taxidermy are two different animals, but anything that speeds things up means more time for other stuff.
I'd turn that around, cover the motor with a cut away plastic bucket or barrel, and use a foot pedal to power it. Be easier to reach I would think and be right above the work to keep a good eye on it...
PS like your video about Modern day media an the outdoors man good content and oh so true. I’m 65 am suffered a stroke I haven’t deer hunted in about 4 years an this spring I did get to turkey hunt first time I miss a season since 1975 an it sucked . Now I get down an can’t get back up by myself so I didn’t go all I have right now is memories but I have a few deer heads on the wall an a couple of birds that I look at a remember!!!!
Yes you can. I don't, because I can knife flesh one about as fast as it takes me to clean up the mess it makes doing a green hide, but it does work you just have to be very careful around the face
It is called a fleshing machine. The blade on it is a fleshing blade which is similar to the blade on a meat slicer, except it has a 90 degree lip that cuts sideways rather than straight on
Hey brother. I decided to try your mythic on the European skull. I put 4 deer skull in five gal. Buckets.. how long I leave them and clean off when ready.. thanks brother..Byrd TAXIDERMY Alabama
Cape looks good. I’ve seen thinner, from professional tanners but, for doing it yourself that looks great. I thought you thinned the face well. I personally have struggled with the face and ears a lot. I’m still not where I want to be. And there are not many solid videos out there, for thinning, but then again I think it’s just a repetition thing. You asked for advantages of other models- My old Dakota Flesher may be more comfortable to shave on, motor being beneath, and it is much easier to clean out. Be sure to get a few extra blades, because once you sharpen one incorrectly you completely ruin the edge. And I could not locate anyone locally to reshape em. Some tanneries will. $50 through Mckenzies to sharpen them in SD. Plus shipping FYI.
Could you work facing the machine ? That way you are not reaching over the machine and it would be easier on your back and less chance of cutting your forearms or wrist. I've never used one and know nothing about it, just observing. Be safe !!!!
I did notice that even though I could go thinner than what I did, it was plenty thin for stretch and muscle detail. I was happy with it just how it was!
I'm not going to read through all these comments but you always shave from tail to head. You will tear up a hide shaving from head to tail. I wasn't sure if anyone shared that with you. It's been 10 months buy I hope it's working out for you.
I watched a guy do initial flesh this weekend at a taxidermy convention with a pressure washer. Used a turbo tip at 3800psi. No joke, entire deer was done in well under 10 minutes.
That's how I was taught. Still have to shave down but pressure fleshing is the way to go. I use 3500 psi with the rotary nozzle.
I use krowtann , shaves like butter . Plus the cape is neutralized and doesn't rust the blade and other metal parts on the machine , like a pickled hide . I also wear cut resistance gloves , they help grip the hide , once you get cut you will wear them.
Daniel, great video! I have a tip for you, roll your cape up in a towel to get rid of some of the extra moisture and it will shave better for you. Good luck see if it helps
When I started doing taxidermy 20 years ago I started with a flesh all mini flesher still do till this day takes me about 30 minutes or so to flesh the whole cape around the ears eyes nose lips and I can get them super thin I have 2 of them that I run off of my air compresser and are very noisy I'm going to get the electric version they make so I don't have to listen to that noisy compresser anymore lol you did a good job with your new fleshing machine God bless the man that gave it to you
Been using same machine for 20 plus yrs. Did some modifications ,so that i could open blade gaurd for easier blade cleaning and replacement . Love your channel. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Daniel that's a great unit !! All aluminum housing belts clog up with shavings and can stop the motor, so you don't have to stop. YOU WILL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE!!
I started on same machine. Upgraded to Dakota II and now have Dakota V pro. It’s all about getting familiar with your machine. Guard quality and adjustments much better and easier on Pro and motor not in your way but with practice, you can master shaving on that machine. Thank you for the videos. Come up to East Tennessee and you can try the Dakota V Pro and Dakota II.
Thanks again for another great video. I have learned a lot from your videos and as usual you you helped a novice taxidermist. So many taxidermist play the secrets game but your the most helpful on the tube.
Awesome gift man! Hopefully soon I'm gonna yank the trigger and buy one. Good job for the first time using it.
Nice job & gift. The gift of time saved will be the biggest blessing. Never used one either but do use a mini-flesher. It alone saves me time. I do plan on getting a Dakota this next deer season. Great video!
What a great gift! And to someone so deserving! I can tell you are a good human! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Well deserved! You’ve earned that! You’ve taught us a ton! Congrats on the game changer!
Thank you!!
That's sweet nice consistency I like it big improvement over scalping method!
Awesome video man!!!!
Man that thing is nice! maybe one day I'll grab me one ;) thanks for sharing!
nice work for first shave! i went smaller Mini Flesh All machine... pretty amazed too see thinner hides ha ha. yee yee
Awesome you finally got a machine!! Getting ready to buy a dakota v and someone is gonna give me a dakota iv! D price has some great videos on usage as well
Awesome video. I have been trying to get my hands on a fleshing machine for years. The cost to ship one to Australia on top of the extra price because of exchange rates makes them very expensive, even the old rusted machines go for big money.
Love it! Always learning
Great 👍 video glad u got all your fingers 👍 thanks 4 sharing Enjoy your videos
So far... 😂
Pretty cool! Reminds me of the slicer at work, lol.
That's the same thing I was thinking hahaha
It’s definitely a learning curve. My left middle finger has gotten a permanent dip on the first bend from my palm from shaving the face 😂. Get it every time
You got me wanting one now! Lol.
Pretty sweet man congrats
Great deal my friend!!
I have a Dakota Pro. Would use the same blade as yours it looks. The guards look very much the same. Of course the Dakota motor is mounted underneath.. you did very well for the first time. Get a set of sharping steels keep it sharp. Sharpen often .
Nice job for the first time, just watch those fingers LOL. Not a bad job for that machine man others just make it a little easier as far as access to the wheel and adjustments but fir a free one you hit the jackpot. You’ll alaways wonder now how did I ever make it with just that scalpel. 😂
you also can shave green hide down rub a little borax on it so you can grip it and shave it right down to saving more time
I have a rawhide fur dresser model. Just remember keep your thumbs up!!!! Thumbs up for a good time. Thumbs like you were doing for a bad time. 😂
So true i didnt notice that when I watched. Keep your thumbs up or you will cut your left thumb
It seemed really awkward with my thumbs up at first, but after doing about a dozen, I don't know how I was doing it with my thumbs down to begin with lol
Dan, awesome first try. Next time wear cut proof gloves and keep your thumbs up.
We don't tan any hides we use dry preserve method we also have the Dakota v and we love it we get all the meat off the cape flesh it with the Dakota v apply dry preserve and start mounting easy peasy glad you got one but using one....... is set it up the way you want and run with it pretty straight forward no special techniques
Nice job for your first attempt on the fleshing machine!
You will get the hang of it pretty quickly, and it will take the consistency of your hides and mounts up a few notches.
I was wondering how hard it would be to mount a belt drive pulley to the wheel and the motor and drop the motor below the table like a more conventional fleshing machine?
I’ve taught the fleshing process to many people and honestly it seems more natural to you than to most anyone I’ve worked with. Keep on learning and sharing!
BYW, I’ve been using a relatively cheap Dakota flesher for 25+ yrs. I’ve done many modifications to it as parts broke or work out and it’s served me well. The best things I’ve done to it have been custom guards that match the blade circumference perfectly and have the slightest bit of inward flex so I can vary cutting dept by pressure.
I used meat cutting equipment for 20 years, so it actually feels like I've used one for a while because I already know the feel of slicing meat on a boneless band saw and meat slicer. Very similar pressure and actually way safer lol
Hello Daniel, I have been doing taxidermy for 35 years, i say that is a great unit.the belt drive units get clogged up with shavings and the all aluminum housing it is rust proof !!!
@@frankbaker1395 so far I honestly have no reason to change. It has been awesome and works great for what I do!
Are you sure you've never used a wheel before?!? Looks like a good job, especially for the first time. I've done probably 20-30 on mine and while I have gotten better they still seem to end up with some ridges yet. Pretty slick unit for being a table top set up. I have the S & S machine and love it, but, wish I could get some training on it!
I never have, but I spent 20 years in a meat department, so between band saws and slicers I'm very familiar with the feel of the machines already. Helps a lot I'm sure
You should work from the brisket to the head so if you go deep you won't cut the hair roots, looks good though
This is definitely the opposite the way my fleshing machine was. I stood in front of the blade and pressed the cape against the blade. I did hundreds of capes including bison. They are definitely nice to have!
Compared to a scalpel how much faster was this machine. I couldn’t turn my volume up. Great video.
It takes me about 1 1/2 hours to flesh and thin one with a scalpel. I fleshed this one in about 20 minutes, pickled, and then took probably 30 minutes to shave. I could definitely shave one in 20 once I get used to it, and the difference in the thinness gave me 2+ inches of stretch bigger than what I measured the cape for a form. It stretches like a rubber band. Crazy different.
Anything that speeds up the process is great. I have honey bees and finally was able to get me an electric spinner from my honey sales this past year. Best investment I’ve made so far. I know honey bees and taxidermy are two different animals, but anything that speeds things up means more time for other stuff.
Could you make one outta a bench grinder? And change stone to a blade and make a guard for it or would it be an accident waiting to happen ?
It’s basically the same thing honestly. I would definitely have guards on it
I'd turn that around, cover the motor with a cut away plastic bucket or barrel, and use a foot pedal to power it. Be easier to reach I would think and be right above the work to keep a good eye on it...
I never use my fleshing machine without having cut resistant, Kevlar gloves on.
I thought Kevlar wasn’t cut proof or is it that it ain’t stab proof
@@TheGoffense8120 Kevlar is cut resistant. It probably saved my hands from injury several times.
@@mikeveine ok. Thank you. I was real confused
Congrats!!!! Now that you have had the flesher a little while witch do like the best by hand or flesher?
Flesher 1000%! I won't go without one now that I know the difference
Thanks!!!!!
PS like your video about Modern day media an the outdoors man good content and oh so true.
I’m 65 am suffered a stroke I haven’t deer hunted in about 4 years an this spring I did get to turkey hunt first time I miss a season since 1975 an it sucked .
Now I get down an can’t get back up by myself so I didn’t go all I have right now is memories but I have a few deer heads on the wall an a couple of birds that I look at a remember!!!!
Can or do you use this machine to flesh green hides before the tanning process? Like dual purpose flesh hide, tan, then thin?
Yes you can. I don't, because I can knife flesh one about as fast as it takes me to clean up the mess it makes doing a green hide, but it does work you just have to be very careful around the face
What did you do before? Did you thin with a fleshing knife? I've not seen you do that?
I did. Today I just cut off the meat and fat and fleshed it green. Works great as well!
Look up The Fur Dresser Hand Book by Christopher Lance Smith with Bayou Bones and Tan. Good Job.
Christopher is who I have been watching for what seems like forever to have a solid starting point. Definitely one of the best in the business!
Does it make a difference if you pull the cape across the blade from the head to the shoulder or shoulder to head ?
It doesn't. Personal preference really. I like to do the neck to the ears first now to thin it down so that the cape is more pliable to work with
@@thecedarridgechronicles Thanks
Take a look at some of the videos "The Wildlife Gallery" has on YT. This will give you a better idea of hand position when fleshing.
hi what kind of knife blade is that. and do you know what it's called on the machine :) love from Sweden
It is called a fleshing machine. The blade on it is a fleshing blade which is similar to the blade on a meat slicer, except it has a 90 degree lip that cuts sideways rather than straight on
Hey brother. I decided to try your mythic on the European skull. I put 4 deer skull in five gal. Buckets.. how long I leave them and clean off when ready.. thanks brother..Byrd TAXIDERMY Alabama
You'll know when they're ready. Everything will basically fall off of them
@@thecedarridgechronicles thanks brother
Where do you get the machine??
They don’t make this one anymore. It was given to me as a gift
You need some Kevlar gloves put them right over you rubber one...watch them thumbs!!!! 😂
Cape looks good. I’ve seen thinner, from professional tanners but, for doing it yourself that looks great. I thought you thinned the face well.
I personally have struggled with the face and ears a lot. I’m still not where I want to be. And there are not many solid videos out there, for thinning, but then again I think it’s just a repetition thing.
You asked for advantages of other models- My old Dakota Flesher may be more comfortable to shave on, motor being beneath, and it is much easier to clean out. Be sure to get a few extra blades, because once you sharpen one incorrectly you completely ruin the edge. And I could not locate anyone locally to reshape em. Some tanneries will.
$50 through Mckenzies to sharpen them in SD. Plus shipping FYI.
Could you work facing the machine ? That way you are not reaching over the machine and it would be easier on your back and less chance of cutting your forearms or wrist. I've never used one and know nothing about it, just observing. Be safe !!!!
God is great!!!!!
Watch your finger I learn the hard way lol
You better have a good BACK😂😂
😂😂
No need to get too thin. You’ll spend more time sewing holes. Just saying I’ve been doing Taxidermy for 17 years and thinner is not always better.👍👍
I did notice that even though I could go thinner than what I did, it was plenty thin for stretch and muscle detail. I was happy with it just how it was!
Not really free is it
I was given to me for free
I'm not going to read through all these comments but you always shave from tail to head. You will tear up a hide shaving from head to tail. I wasn't sure if anyone shared that with you. It's been 10 months buy I hope it's working out for you.
Love it! Always learning