There are lots of ways you can do it and loads of videos on youtube about how to prep and tan skins, i've even seen skins tanned in the washing machine though i've never tried it myself.
Salting is only a way to dry the skin and if it ever gets wet or damp it will start to rot, one of the best ways to preserve a skin is to brain tan it, messy & smelly, or you can soak it in turps for six weeks then wash it with shampoo, another way is to mix up some diesel with bicarb of soda until its the onsistancy of thin tooth paste and spread it on the skin side of the hide, brushing it off and re-applying a couple more times once it drys, you can even use beaten eggs.
The one thing you really really must do is scrape the skin to de-fat it, you can do this by hanging it over a long log and scraping it with a BLUNT knife or similar, if the skin is already salted and you want to preserve it in a more premenant way simply soak it for twenty four hours in water, then scrape it and select the tanning method of your choice.
As for finishing, buffing with a fine paper on a circular sander is very good for smoothing the skin and stretching the skin an working in some sort of oil will give you a supple skin.
some videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3__RJQyWHIc&feature=plcp&context=C4a131acVDvjVQa1PpcFOvfzkvbRCO_MNJOQK1XeAO5eje1tiR3Io%3D
Hope this helps
Cheers
Hyperion