RE: Any help on how to make a beaver hoop?
Supplies:
Tanned beaver hide
1/2" plywood or thicker (4-6 inches wider and longer than the hide)
2" screws
Screwgun or screwdriver
Pencil (For marking plywood)
1" diam vines or saplings (I use grape vines)
Rawhide lashing or twine
Leather punch or ice pick
Needle/thread strong enough to sew hide
Start by laying the tanned hide on the plywood and tracing a circle 3" larger than the outside of the hide. Set the hide aside. Screw in the screws all the way around the circle...insert 1/2", leaving 1 1/2" sticking up. Put a screw in about every 2" all the way around.
Take the vines and wrap them around the outside of the circle...if the vines are fresh this is easy, if they're dry soak them in water overnight to soften them up. Use the rawhide or twine to tie the ends of the vines together. Set aside to dry...anywhere from 2 weeks to several months depending on if the vines/saplings were very green.
Use the leather punch or ice pick to make holes around the outside edge of the hide...1/2" from the edge and 1 1/2" apart all the way around. If the leg holes in the hide are open, sew them up from the backside.
When the 'hoop' is dry remove the screws. Now lay the hide in the center of the hoop. Using the rawhide or twine center the hide by tying it at the top and bottom. Then center from side to side. You should now have the hide attached to the hoop at four points and centered. Start at any point on the hoop and tie off 4-5 feet of rawhide/twine. Start looping the twine around the hoop and through the holes in the hide. If you run short just tie off and start with another piece. Make a loop at the top and hang your 'hooped beaver' on the wall!
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