What is the best shearing machine???

[kliles1299]

I happen to come across your comments regarding shears...glad I did. I was close to ordering the Premier. I have 12 sheep, a couple of alpaca and a llama and my little will grow a little in the next couple of years. I'm new to the shearing thing and need a really good set of shears. I haven't the faintest idea of what I am looking at and reading about. I will be shearing Icelandic, Scottish Blackface and Texels and my llama & alpaca. I would appreciate your recommendation.

 

[norseofcourse]

I'm interested in this thread too, and hearing experienced people comment. I have a small flock* of Icelandics, and it's hard to find a good shearer, especially when you only have a small flock. Icelandics have a lower lanolin, less dense fleece than many wool breeds, so I'm hoping something below the $1200 type mentioned above would work.

I have an Oster Golden A5 clipper I've used for the ponies. I've thought of trying that on the sheep (which would involve running about 250' of extension cord out to the barn, tho someday I hope to have electric out there). I've also thought about getting a decent cordless, for portability and not having a cord to tangle about. I would likely spread out the shearing, doing a sheep/lamb or two at a time. I want to shear the lambs sometime in August, and the adults maybe September or so.

* Edited to add: In reading another thread, I read that TOR considers 1000 sheep to be a 'small flock by Aussie standards', so I thought I'd specify that I have 10 sheep, 5 of which are lambs that will be processed this fall, leaving my 'core' flock of 4 ewes and one ram.

 

[Roving Jacobs]

I shear about 60 head a year of sheep plus a dozen or so goats twice a year with my andis super 2 speed dog clippers and #10 blades. I wouldn't recommend someone doing commercial shearing but for a small flock clippers work just fine. They don't bother my wrists as much as the big shearers, they're quieter so I'm not ruining my hearing, and I don't have to worry about accidentally cutting even my squirmiest little goat kids.

Your horse clippers probably will work. I'm not sure a cordless would have enough power to get through dense wool unless they are made for livestock. Just get several clipper blades and change them out regularly/keep them clean.

If you need help don't hesitate to ask I'm done with all my clients now and am always happy to come by and show you how I do it or shear some for you.

 

[mikiz]

Also interested, I already know how to shear with commercial shears, are there any easier ones to use like RJ said with the dog or horse clippers? I can never find a pair of dog clippers that last longer than a couple of full clips.