Fleshing and Degreasing Duck Help|Bird Taxidermy|Forum|Taxidermy Talk

I don’t have any pictures, but if you have a variable speed drill or a regular bench grinder with a wire wheel then you can make it work. I did my first turkey and goose with a variable speed drill. Yep it took for ever, but it worked. Go at it slow and keep the bird moving or you will burn holes. Once you get it fleshed, wash it out in several washes of Dawn dish soap and hot water. I’m not a gas asser any more, but you can soak it in Colman fuel for 30 min or so, then let it hang outside to drip for another half hour. Then tumble, or dry, tumbling is not necessary. I do put Borax on the skin side first and no Borax will not hurt the feathers. Birds are fussy critters, and I don’t think a guy can wash them out too much, clean feathers and a proper fitting form will make all the difference in the world. Keep your carcass and take all the measurements you can. Page Nethercut has a sheet that work’s very well for the measurements. I have one I can email you if you’d like.
Hope this helped you out.
Good Luck, Jim

yes I do, I tumble all my birds, but you don’t have to, it just takes a little longer to dry them. I tried a different de greaser a while back, once you get into doing a lot of birds, it’s from Tru Bond, Lipa-solv 55. Give it a try works great.
Jim

You really don’t need a fleshing wheel at first , when you start doing a few it definitely helps . The way I first started out was with a scissors and a small hand held brass brush and tooth brush . Go easy and take your time . It helps to keep the inside of the skin a little damp , don’t let it dry out . As you go along apply a little borax to soak up the fatty grease . Make sure you get the meat and fat off the tail quills . As far as degreasing put some cold water in a bucket or sink with a couple of good doses of dawn dish washing soap in it . Let it soak in this for about 1/2 hour then carefully wash the skin . Gently squeeze out most of the water . Rinse the skin in clean water and repeat until you think its really clean and then do it again. A clean skin will mount and look better . Dry gently with a towel , grab your blow dryer and dry the feathers on the cool setting . Make sure its dry and fluff the skin and feathers in clean borax . That’s it , You’re good to go with mounting . Let me know if I can help . Keep at it I’ll look great !

I have always looked at Mineral Spirits and paint thinner to be the same thing. I am not sure if it is the same thing as white gas, but i assume so.

Laquer thinner works better I think, less greasy. Hell a buddy of mine was at the ITA show and the judge told him to use automotive gas. Works but stinks like hell.