Eagle Bustle Contruction HELP!

[Orangel]

Hello All! It's been a long time since I posted on here, so long that I forgot my old account info!

Ayways I been dancing for over 14 years and I made just about everything on a dancers outfit. I am not new to making fancy dance bustles but I have never made eagle bustles before. I just received 4 wings (2 left/2 right). Currently they are out drying in the sun.
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Wings:

I have a question about drying them; is it nesessary to put brax/salt/etc for the the drying process?! There is one wing that smells pretty bad and the others smell like any other normal wing (funny smellin).

What are the steps in taking them apart? I was told to take off the small feathers then the coverts, then the secondaries/primaries. Is there a good way to do this without damaging the feathers?

My uncle told me once I take them apart, I need to soak them in woolite. How long do I soak them and do I use warm or cold water?
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Bustle Contruction:

I know when I am taking apart the feathers I need ot remember the order of the feathers. As far as the size of the dowel, are they all the same? Like hackle bustles, the dowels are the same length with every feather, does this apply to eagle bustles? (Thats what gives it it's unique shape right?)

Well I know this is a lot of information, but I hope my fellow people out here in internet indian country can give me some tips, advice, suggestions.

Thanks you all ahead to time, AHO!

[sookout sh'nob]

I've never done any of this with eagle bustles, I pull them apart as soon as they arrive. You can number the feathers with a sharpie towards the bottom of the quill if you like.

Steaming your feathers with a tea kettle filled with cedar water/tea will keep the bugs off of them - you shouldn't ever need to do more than that to them.

Good luck.

[Steffan Redhawk]

Eagle Bustle

Yeah, never dry the wings out, pull the feathers ASAP while the skin is still soft, otherwise you risk too much damage to the feathers, if they're already dry, it'll be gross, nasty, and take awhile to clean up the feathers, but you can soak them in water until they are plyable again.

As far as the construction, if you want a normal bustle, yes, the dowels should all be the same size, if your going for multiple layers, bowl, round, or butterfly, you'll have to adjust accordingly, personally, 2 sets is the perfect size for a single row straight bustle, now if you go with a southern style (southern style mens northing tradish... yes, I realize how stupid that sounds) you'll only use 1.25 on the outside row, and it'll stop short (just below your tailbone instead of at your calves) and you'll have enough left for a respectable inside row, remember, the bottom of these bustles sticks out much like fancy feather.

As far as construction, its basically the same as fancy feather, only the backboard is a little bigger, and you'll have your uprights (other than two small peices of wire)

as for the small feathers and interior wing plumes especially, be gentle, the secondary feathers won't break easily, but the wing plumes (the underside) will.

P.S. - Someone is looking for some immature golden wings, (and two tails) send me a pm if your reading this and you have some (or know a guy)

Aho