Flesher Question

What is the real difference between a $200 bird flesher and a $35 grinder with a wire wheel on it. Not trying to be a smart a__. My son is wanting to start mounting some ducks (he has done one all by hand) now he wants a flesher, since funds are tight I though I would just try a cheap grinder with a wire wheel. Any thoughts on that. Thanks

The 35.00 grinder with a soft wire wheel that has a box built around it (to catch all the fat,etc.) will work perfectly fine for someone just starting out. 1340 RPM is the magic number for wheeling birds, so I wouldn't go over that or it will be too fast for him. However, once he masters the wheel, he really should jump up to a Soft Touch Wire Wheel with plexiglass from Van Dykes. Good Luck to your boy.

Not positive on this, but my guess is that grinders are too fast. I don't own a $200 flesher either, I built my own for about $100, but the biggest deal for me was finding a motor that spun between 1000 and 1500 rpm and was able to be stopped by pressure without burning it up. If I press down too hard or wrap a bird up in it, I want it to stop without doing any further damage to the motor or the bird. I also like putting the whole unit into a box so I don't sling fat all over the shop and cleanup is easy and fast with a drywall putty tool. I need to find time to build a second one as I need a bigger one for Turkeys, Geese, and Swans cause they don't fit real well in my small one. If I remember one of these days I will take a picture of mine and try to figure out what motor it has on it. I think I got it at Graingers for about $75, added a $10 Arbor and a couple brushes from Lowes and stuck it in a Melanite box I built with a plexiglass top so the light can get into it.