How to prepare Fan, Beard, Wings and Claws to mount?

[returnofsid]

I just got my first Turkey, Saturday morning, and need advice on preserving the Fan and Beard, for mounting.  I added Wings and Claws to the post title, for future reference or for those who also need that information.  In fact, I do still have the wings and may attempt them as well.

A friend of mine says it's as easy as mixing up a bring and injecting it into any remaining flesh, injecting it into the wing bones, and pinning the fan and wings to a board to spread them, and let them dry for a few weeks.  I've read a few tutorials that weren't quite that simple at all...lol.

[returnofsid]

I've always just trimmed as much meat as I could off, then salted the hell out of them and pinned them to a piece of plywood.
Let'em dry for a few weeks.

Do you bother opening the skin of the wings, to remove flesh from around the wing bones?  I guess I'd be a bit concerned about the salt not penetrating the skin, to get to the flesh around the bones.

[270Shooter]

Cut off the little knob of meat/skin that holds the tail feathers together, always better to cut more and trim layer, cut away as much of the meat from the skin as possible and you'll have to cut the v-shaped bone out of there as well. Then spread it out on cardboard or plywood and salt the crap out of it

[returnofsid]

Cut off the little knob of meat/skin that holds the tail feathers together, always better to cut more and trim layer, cut away as much of the meat from the skin as possible and you'll have to cut the v-shaped bone out of there as well. Then spread it out on cardboard or plywood and salt the crap out of it

I did cut that knob off (popes nose) the body.  So right now, I've got the van with the knob of flesh attached.  I'd planned to remove as much of that flesh as possible but had wondered about those bones.  That helps! 

Oh, Another Question!

How many layers of feathers, in front of the fan, should I leave intact!?  I'll probably have to post a photo to make this question more understandable?

[washingtonmuley]

I would use Borax over salt.

[returnofsid]

I would use Borax over salt.

I've read that it helps to dissolve the remaining flesh?  Where would borax be purchased?

[92xj]

Cut off the little knob of meat/skin that holds the tail feathers together, always better to cut more and trim layer, cut away as much of the meat from the skin as possible and you'll have to cut the v-shaped bone out of there as well. Then spread it out only cardboard or plywood and salt the crap out of it

I did cut that knob off (popes nose) the body.  So right now, I've got the van with the knob of flesh attached.  I'd planned to remove as much of that flesh as possible but had wondered about those bones.  That helps! 

Oh, Another Question!

How many layers of feathers, in front of the fan, should I leave intact!?  I'll probably have to post a photo to make this question more understandable?

I like one layer myself. Makes for a very clean look. I also wash all my fans in hot water and soap then dry with hair dryer before pinning or hot gluing.

[92xj]

Borax for me as well.

[92xj]

Hot glue method. About an hour after a kill you can have a display fan complete. I wash the fan, dry it. Pull each feather and lay it in place then glue. Looks like this once done.

[returnofsid]

Cut off the little knob of meat/skin that holds the tail feathers together, always better to cut more and trim layer, cut away as much of the meat from the skin as possible and you'll have to cut the v-shaped bone out of there as well. Then spread it out only cardboard or plywood and salt the crap out of it

I did cut that knob off (popes nose) the body.  So right now, I've got the van with the knob of flesh attached.  I'd planned to remove as much of that flesh as possible but had wondered about those bones.  That helps! 

Oh, Another Question!

How many layers of feathers, in front of the fan, should I leave intact!?  I'll probably have to post a photo to make this question more understandable?

I like one layer myself. Makes for a very clean look. I also wash all my fans in hot water and soap then dry with hair dryer before pinning or hot gluing.

Those look great!  So, I'll remove as much flesh as possible, remove the bone from the "Pope's nose," sprinkle liberally and often, with borax.  Oh and yes, I do also plan to clean it up some, straightening some feathers that separated at the ends. Hot water and dish soap?

[returnofsid]

Hot glue method. About an hour after a kill you can have a display fan complete. I wash the fan, dry it. Pull each feather and lay it in place then glue. Looks like this once done.

That looks like a very good way to do it!  Might try that, as apposed to pinning!

[92xj]

Absolutely. In my experience the hot water with dawn soap brushed with my hands from base to feather tip puts a lot of the feathers back together and evens them all out as you see in my picture. I then blow dry aiming the dryer at the base blowing the air towards the tips.  Hope that makes sense.

[returnofsid]

Absolutely. In my experience the hot water with dawn soap brushed with my hands from base to feather tip buys slot of the feathers back together and evens them all out as you see in my picture. I then blow dry aiming the dryer at the base blowing the air towards the tips.  Hope that makes sense.

Yes, perfect sense. Thanks!

[92xj]

Absolutely. In my experience the hot water with dawn soap brushed with my hands from base to feather tip buys slot of the feathers back together and evens them all out as you see in my picture. I then blow dry aiming the dryer at the base blowing the air towards the tips.  Hope that makes sense.

Yes, perfect sense. Thanks!

Cool.
If you do the hot glue method, use your thumb as a guide.  Have the quills touching and just make a U shape like you see in my picture. 
I have been searching for 30 minutes for a past thread that had a lot of discussion about mounting fans doing both ways but I cant seem to find it.
If you have any questions let me know and I will help where I can.

[270Shooter]

That hot glue method is interesting, may have to try it next time. I usually leave 2-3 rows of feathers in front of the fan but that's just my preference.

[92xj]

That hot glue method is interesting, may have to try it next time. I usually leave 2-3 rows of feathers in front of the fan but that's just my preference.

If you do, be sure to place down a piece of wax paper under where the hot glue will be.  The glue will not stick to the wax paper and will pull off very cleanly.

The large feathers are very easy to do the hot glue method with.  As the feathers/quills get smaller it gets a little more challenging but still very doable and a good way to get an instant mount without the multi week drying period and have zero worry of any meat being left on there. 

I do half my fans with it and half the drying method.  There is no difference in appearance, it's just the amount of time you have to mess around with it. 

[returnofsid]

That hot glue method is interesting, may have to try it next time. I usually leave 2-3 rows of feathers in front of the fan but that's just my preference.

If you do, be sure to place down a piece of wax paper under where the hot glue will be.  The glue will not stick to the wax paper and will pull off very cleanly.

The large feathers are very easy to do the hot glue method with.  As the feathers/quills get smaller it gets a little more challenging but still very doable and a good way to get an instant mount without the multi week drying period and have zero worry of any meat being left on there. 

I do half my fans with it and half the drying method.  There is no difference in appearance, it's just the amount of time you have to mess around with it.

Let me see if I understand this correctly...

You're actually covering any remaining flesh with the hot glue?  You don't worry about the flesh still receiving enough air to start to decompose?

[kevinlisa06]

I have always used Borax but I used salt for the first time last year it took so long to get the tail fan done. I will use Borax from here on in.


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[270Shooter]

That hot glue method is interesting, may have to try it next time. I usually leave 2-3 rows of feathers in front of the fan but that's just my preference.

If you do, be sure to place down a piece of wax paper under where the hot glue will be.  The glue will not stick to the wax paper and will pull off very cleanly.

The large feathers are very easy to do the hot glue method with.  As the feathers/quills get smaller it gets a little more challenging but still very doable and a good way to get an instant mount without the multi week drying period and have zero worry of any meat being left on there. 

I do half my fans with it and half the drying method.  There is no difference in appearance, it's just the amount of time you have to mess around with it.

Let me see if I understand this correctly...

You're actually covering any remaining flesh with the hot glue?  You don't worry about the flesh still receiving enough air to start to decompose?

no he has actually plucked each tail feather from the bird so there is no skin or meat attached.

[92xj]

Correct.

What I do is this....
Cut the fan off of the bird.
Cut as much skin, meat and fat away as possible, while keeping enough on there to keep the fan held together.
I then fill my sink with hot water and dawn soap.
Place fan in the water and wash carefully by brushing with my hand from base to tip of feathers.
After 10 minutes I rise the rise with warm water holding the base of the fan near the foucet and having the water run to the tips.
I lay the fan on paper towels and try and soak as much water up as possible.
Then I use a hair dryer and dry the fan completely.  Blowing from base to tips of feathers.
Once it is completely dry it's in way better shape than you started.
For hot glueing I now cut each feather off of the chunk with a insanely sharp knife. 
Clean all skin, fat and meat off the quill. It will look like an old scholl feather pen when youre done with this. 
I start at one side of the fan and work one beside the other laying them out in a line in order of how they come off.
Once I have them all cut off and cleaned, I lay them out in a fan shape.
Use my thumb as a guide for the quills to go around to give the fan shape.
Once the shape is exactly how I want it I get the glue hot and start squeezing it out all over the base of the quills.
Make sure there is was paper under the quills where they will be hot glue.
Let it dry and flip it and do some on the front side.
Then start in the smaller front fans and do the same thing.  Glue as many together as you would like.
It sounds kind of hard, but its a very easy process. 
If you're close to the tricities or come this way and would like help I would be glad to help and show you or anyone else doing this for the first time.
If you dont want to do the hot glue method, do the same steps up until the cutting each feather out.
At that point lay it would on a piece of card board.
Pin the feathers in the position you want them to dry.
Coat the base in borax and lay flat for a few weeks to dry.
Both ways are easy and both produce a great product that will last longer than you will want a fan to display.
Let me know if I can help more.

[returnofsid]

Ahh! I completely understand now! Thanks for such detailed instructions!