Okay interesting. With the flatwings isn't it a different goal? -----Original Message----- From: Byard Miller To: William Andreas; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 11/12/2003 12:06 PM Subject: RE: [VFB] It's Whiting Co-Op Time Again...
> What does this mean? >What does a plucker do? Here's the plucking instructions...;^) It's not a difficult task...but please follow along carefully. 1. Each plucking package will contain (1) Whiting Saddle, (12) Zip-Lock Bags, (12) Insert Cards, (1) addressed return envelope and a buck for postage. 2. You will need a large, flat and uncluttered table, a straight edge and a stapler. 3. I expect the whole process can be completed in an hour or two. DO NOT start the project unless you have that amount of uninterrupted time available. Otherwise you risk the dreadful consequences of the kids or cats having a field day with these lovely feathers in your absence. 4. Free the saddle from its packaging and observe the different lengths of the feathers. 5. Grasp a single feather near it's base where it is attached to the skin. Gently pull on it and it will easily come free from the pelt. Lay that feather on the table and repeat the process...again and again and again. You might be able to pluck a few at a time...but take care to not break any of the feathers. 6. Group these feathers in separate piles designated by length. You will find feathers that are 5-6" long...and 7-8" long...etc up to about 12 or 14". As a general rule, the shorter feathers will be of a smaller hackle size. The reason for first sorting by length will insure that everyone will get some of all the sizes. Four or five separate piles should suffice. 7. Continue plucking and piling until you have removed all of the dry fly feathers. These are the skinny feathers that have almost no webbiness. The wide webby feathers close to the pelt are the "pluckers' bonus" and don't have to be removed. 8. After all the dry fly hackles have been removed and sorted into piles, gather up one pile and divide equally into 12 more piles. So if you have plucked 24, 5-6" feathers, place 2 in each of the 12 new piles. Obviously if there are 23 of those 5-6 inchers...the last pile will only have one of them. Start the next size range with that 12th pile. Continue the procedure with the next size range, until you have doled out all the hackles. 9. You should now have 12 piles, each containing an equal amount of feathers. 10. On each insert card you will notice a straight line with the words "fold here" printed. Using your straight edge, crease the card at that line. Now gather up one pile of feathers and align the butts (the ends that came out of the pelt) and lay them on the card. Staple them as a pile to the card where indicated. Fold over the end at the crease and slide the whole works into a zip-lock bag. Repeat the process with the remainder of the piles. 11. Put ALL twelve of the filled zip-locks in the return envelope and mail them back to me as soon as you can. Please don't keep out one of the baggies for yourself...it will just really complicate things on this end. I think that about covers it. If you have any questions fire off an email to me. ...byard
