We are speaking here of fleshing devices to speed up the work and increase your profit. To facilitate comparisons we will compare two different size taxidermy shops.

One that does only ten deer heads or less a year and an other that does one hundred or more.

As you all know there are many ways of fleshing. We will compare the most popular ones. Most beginners, start with a scalpel or there hunting knife. The two handed draw knife is also popular. The hand held mini has been popular in the past. Then a company produced a 7inch blade and called it "a detail flesher"

Finally the twelve inch round knife used by the tanneries for the last 60 years.

I will put an approximate time for fleshing a cape with each model. I know some of you can do it much faster or slower but for discussion purposes please bear with me. We will also give our taxidermist a salary of $10.00 an hour.

If you calculate the cost of salary for ten capes it goes from 450.00 to as little as 50.00 with the 12 inch. I know that the beginner charges much less than 10.00 an hour. I just wanted to make the point that it pays to get the right tool as soon as possible because it’s the only way to make a profit.

I’m sure most every one agrees witch machine is the best buy. What about if you don’t have that kind of cash for the investment? Most of my sales are made with a MC or Visa. If you pay it before the 30 days, good for you, no interest. But if not, it will cost you up to 23% interest. Why not go to your local bank manager. They are in the business of borrowing money, if you can convince him you are getting a tool that will help you make money, he will be pleased to lend you what it takes. Once your loan is paid back, your credentials will be that much better if ever you need to borrow in the future.

Some will still hesitate because they are not sure if it will be a good investment in the future. Again lets calculate over a period of ten years.

Because this is my article, let us suppose we buy a Quebec Lite Deluxe, fully equipped with motor and table and an extra blade. Cost: $1520.00 delivered to your door. This machine is made to give you more than twenty years of problem free satisfaction. (I guarantee that). We shall budget for a ten year period.

This means that the cost is spread out over a ten year period, or $152.00 a year.

Per month, this means $12.70 . If you can’t save that amount on your fleshing time with a good machine, either you haven’t got the work for it or you are in the wrong business.

If we refer to the cost of fleshing at the beginning, you would be saving approximately twenty dollars a cape in salary. Remember, we gave our taxidermist only ten dollars an hour, if you are in business, you should calculate 15.00 to $20,00 as a minimum salary. ten capes , 200.00 you’re a head of your budget and completely paid for in less than eight years. With a 20.00 an hour salary you are saving 40.00 a cape, for ten capes 400.00 = your machine is paid for in less than 4 years. If you take into account less repairs and sowing, better fit, better appearance, less shaving time means more mounting time, = more profit.

Now if you had one hundred capes. 100 X$ 20.00= $2,000.00 dollars saved.

You recover your machine cost in the first year.  Most big shops work at twenty dollars and some much more . At $25.00 an hour, he would save $50.00 per cape. Of course every one’s situation is different. I simply wanted to give you a reference so you could do your own calculations.

Draw your particular conclusions: tool, work load, salary and add up the "numbers". You might realize you have been loosing good profit by not investing in a good machine.

Gerry Tessier

QUEBEC FLESHING MACHINES