anlter mounting?
#12
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: centerville pa. USA
CBM SC, as you can see there are a multitude of ways to do this. After taking the anlers with the necessary skull I simply put them in a container(old coffee can, old junk store pot,etc) then cover hair hide and all with clorox bleach just to the base of the anlers. Leave this for about 3-5 days and the hair hide and all is very easy to remove plus there is no meat to spoil. If the bleach should get on the antler base I polish that with old english furniture polish. I just don' t care for the hassle of boiling but then that' s just me. I am sure all of the mentioned ways works well.

#13
Typical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
From: Almost Heaven WV
Without a doubt, for the easiest way around the mess and fuss check out:
http://www.taxidermy.com/cat/12/antler.html
Scroll down to the " Reproduction European Skull Mounts" ...
http://www.taxidermy.com/cat/12/antler.html
Scroll down to the " Reproduction European Skull Mounts" ...
#14
Typical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
From: Almost Heaven WV
Oh, and don' t waste your money on that SAL SODA. It' s sodium carbonate. Just use regular baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and salt. The sodium bicarb will form sodium carbonate upon heating in solution.
#16
Cyclone...wasting money on Sal Soda???? I got 5lbs of it for $10...and I' ve had it for a few years. I' ve done pleny of skulls with it, and still have about 1/2 of it left. Man...I' m going broke fast at that rate
[:-]
I agree....those imitation skulls are the easiest way for sure. My taxidermist uses those some. The only thing I don' t like is they look a little too fake. They would be great for sheds.
[:-]I agree....those imitation skulls are the easiest way for sure. My taxidermist uses those some. The only thing I don' t like is they look a little too fake. They would be great for sheds.
#17
Typical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
From: Almost Heaven WV
1lb baking soda for less than a buck...readily available.....no shipping.....
I used the antelope repro looks great, no fuss no muss, the hard part is to get the stink out of the original horns....That' s where the baking soda came in handy again. Soaked the horns in a solution for about a week, no more smell.....
Yep, they do look a little off, the sinus cavity needs work....but when you have only a partial skull or drop offs they are the ticket...
I used the antelope repro looks great, no fuss no muss, the hard part is to get the stink out of the original horns....That' s where the baking soda came in handy again. Soaked the horns in a solution for about a week, no more smell.....
Yep, they do look a little off, the sinus cavity needs work....but when you have only a partial skull or drop offs they are the ticket...
#18
I was lucky enough to find a buck skull from a road kill buck that was killed after he had shed his antlers and I used the skull to mount a matched set of sheds to, I have found 3 years worth of matched sets of sheds from this paticular buck.
I drilled holes into the pedistals and drilled holes into the bases of the antlers to attach the antlers to the skull and used plaster to fill around the bases of the antlers( will never use plaster again, live and learn ) I then smoothed the plaster while it was still wet and then sanded, painted the skull with white acrilyic paint and sealed the skull with a polyurethane varnish,I also seal the antlers with a lite coat of varnish and decorated with deer leather, sterling silver,mink fur, eastern turkey feathersetc. It was fun
I drilled holes into the pedistals and drilled holes into the bases of the antlers to attach the antlers to the skull and used plaster to fill around the bases of the antlers( will never use plaster again, live and learn ) I then smoothed the plaster while it was still wet and then sanded, painted the skull with white acrilyic paint and sealed the skull with a polyurethane varnish,I also seal the antlers with a lite coat of varnish and decorated with deer leather, sterling silver,mink fur, eastern turkey feathersetc. It was fun

#19
Typical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
From: Almost Heaven WV
Nice job!
For filling areas like that lady, look into a product called Apoxie Sculpt. It is a two part epoxy that cures harder and stronger than rock. You can sculpt it easily and smooth it with a wet spatula/finger....It can be sanded when cured and accepts paint/stain readily....You can get it from most taxidermy supply co' s including WASCO. Now, it is expensive so only mix as much as you need....
For filling areas like that lady, look into a product called Apoxie Sculpt. It is a two part epoxy that cures harder and stronger than rock. You can sculpt it easily and smooth it with a wet spatula/finger....It can be sanded when cured and accepts paint/stain readily....You can get it from most taxidermy supply co' s including WASCO. Now, it is expensive so only mix as much as you need....



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