Maceration HELP!!! Skull seperating?

[adamR]

Two weeks ago I started macerating my buck skull.  Things were going great, I was changing about a 1/4 of the water about every 5 days, temp was at a steady 88 degrees, and I never developed any of that nasty scum on top of the water.

This was my first attempt at a euro mount so I read the thread Michelle wrote up about maceration http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,16008.0.html and started into it.  Like I said everything was going great, the skull was looking great. 

Today I took the skull out to clean it one last time and then start degreasing.  The skull seems to be falling apart!!!

I read that the teeth tend to fall out and was expecting that but I didn't read anything about the seams seperating.  The bones above the nasal cavity, the seams around the antlers, the back of the eye sockets, and literally every other joint or seam is very loose.

Is this normal?  If it's not normal is there anything I can do to change this?  I'm starting to worry that I ruined my skull some how.

[PolarBear]

It is normal.  Just remember where the parts go and super glue them back together when you are all done.  I take some of the parts off to get the bleaching mixture deeper inside.  Don't let the parts dry separate from the skull, reassemble everything before you let it dry out because the parts may warp and you might not get them back into place.   

[tjthebest]

My spike elk that im macerating is doing the same this right now as well. Im curious as to the answer to your questions. though from looking at pictures of ones that are done it looks like they are separated a little.

[92xj]

I'm no pro and my advice could be horribly wrong, but I have had this happen once and this is what I did.

The bones started to get real loose but never actually came all the way apart.  I took the skull out of the water and placed it in the sun to dry.  After a solid day and a half of drying, everything was tight again and I had no issues.  So, if yours has not come apart, just getting really loose, let it dry completely and see what happens. 

[PolarBear]

 
You can take them apart but the biggest thing is to reassemble them before drying.  Like he said, as it dries the parts and joints will firm up a bit.  You will probably have to glue some parts and most likely the teeth.

[adamR]

ok thanks guys I was pretty upset when I saw this but it seems to be ok, thanks

[jackmaster]

what does macerating mean?

[PlateauNDN]

what does macerating mean?

follow the link adam provided in his 1st post and you'll see.

[Wildsau]

I was in Germany for 29 years and, although I have hunted a number of years here in WA, I had to learn all over again, over there.

When doing the "European Mount", after removing the hide, the brains and all excess tissue, the skull is cut from the back to the front just under the eyesockets to the nasal cavety.  Then, with a sharp tipped knife, being carfull not to press too hard (knife weight usually is enough, make a cross on the skull (horizontal between the horns and vertical from the base of the back of the cut skull to the very tip of the nasal cavity.  Next you submerge the upper half, of the cut skull in boiling water(up to the very base of the horns) and leave it there until the membrane starts to peel away from the skull (normally about 30 minutes).  Take the skull out of the water and, using a sharp knife, peel the membrane off (catching the edge of the membrane with the edge of the knofe and puling it back assisted by your thumb) similare to peeling an onion, one thin layer at a time.  Once all of the membrane is off, using, as a minimum, 30% Hydregeon Peroxide (sp), and a cotton ball, dab the entire skull until it is dripping wet, ensuring not to get any on the horns themselves.  If the sun is, by some great accident, out, let the wet skull dry in the sun.  As it drys dap it wet again.  Repeat this until the skull is snow white.  Then let it completly dry out before you mount it.  I have several Rowe Deer and a Red Deer skull I did this way, and I had no problems with skull seperation.  It is tidious, but the result are well worth it.

Good Luck