Taxidermist help (Fix it)

[boneaddict]

I am looking for some tips or tricks from some of the local taxidermist group.  I am working on some old mounts that are teaching/learning projects of mine.  They have been hanging out in the garage, not so great of mounts, early start projects for myself etc.  Some have been waiting on paint jobs. Some need filing and wax work etc.  Anyhow, one problem at a time.  I have a mount with a bad ear. (Actually, three quarters of my problems have to do with ears.  It would be better illustrated with pictures and I'll try to get some.  This particular one had a whole or tear in the skin, and the skin is drumming off of the insert.  I think I can fix that with superglue. this particular one has a tear or whole, and it pulled away from shrinkage and has a gap between the ear liner and the skin. 

Also, Michelle posted an animal with slippage problems and a guy fixed it.  I have two mounts I need to do some minimal effort with.  Both are from around the eye and ears.  I think it was more freezer burn than from what occured with that mount, but the same.  One is an elk and its in the ear and around the eye.  The other is a muledeer and around the eye.  I really hope I can get some input here.  More the merrier.  Thanks in advance.  I'll get some pics of the problems.  Pretty embarrased about posting it actually, but I am trying to improve on my mistakes.   You don't have to fret, I'm not striving to be your competition.  No plans of being comercial.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Ok, still confused.  What exactly r you asking?

[boneaddict]

If a head came into your shop with the above problem, I'll try to get you a picture when I get home.  Might be a day or two, but anyway.  Take a head mount and the earskin has pulled away from the liner.  close to the inner ear area there is a whole or gap between the skin and the ear liner.  Do you fill it and pain it.  what are you best options to fix ear issues?  I can insert super glue closer to the ear tip to secure it to the liner.  How can you hide tears in ears.  I would say most occured early on in skinning and weren't sewn properly or something like that.  There are areas without hair, sutff like that.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Sounds like drumming to me.  Pulling out from the inside huh?  Did you mount them?  Are they tanned?  What kinda tan was used?  What kinda glue was used in the ear?

Honestly if they are real bad I recomend a re-mount. 

[boneaddict]

These were probably tanned with Research Mannikin stuff.  Larry Bollman.

Glue would have been also out of there for paper earliner.  It is drumming. 

Not worth a re-mount.  Definatley not a display model, jsut me using piss poor capes, a pair of sheds and fun learning how to fix things.  I had thought about using another poor cape , salvaging the skind and grafting a bit in over some aoxy sculpt.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Cream tan? Brush on tan?  Imersion Tan? 

Probably get a good ealiner glue.  Wrap a damp rag (not dripping) around the ear.  Leave for 24 hours.  Inject glue with syringe, work around with fingers, card, let dry.

[boneaddict]

I wondered if I could do that.  It was an brush on I guess. (Full regualr tanning process, pickle, etc. then brush on, l;et sit, tumble and good to go.

Have you ever had spots that are without hair.  I suppose similiar to that african animal.  Do you just pian over it or what? 

[Coasthunterjay]

Probably get a good ealiner glue.  Wrap a damp rag (not dripping) around the ear.  Leave for 24 hours.  Inject glue with syringe, work around with fingers, card, let dry.

hey bone i recommend this also. re-injecting the ears after you make them a little bit more flexable should work no problem......i recommend getting the rag steaming hot also....if you are interested i have a repairing old mounts video i just ordered if you would like to view it.....i should have it in a few days and will watch it and then send it your way if your want.......might be something of intrest........

also i have heard of people painting the earslip areas and flocking them with similiar colors.......might be an idea

goodluck with the mounts bone, AJ

[Hunting Cowboy]

Bone, I sent ya a PM.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Have you ever had spots that are without hair.  I suppose similiar to that african animal.  Do you just pian over it or what? 

Depends on how bad the spots are.

i recommend getting the rag steaming hot also....

Uhhhhh.  NO!!!

It does not matter how hot you get the rag it is still going to take a while for it to rehydrate enough to work with!

[boneaddict]

Here's the ear.

[boneaddict]

Here's the other side.  Turned out a bit better, but missing one chunk.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

   Thats pretty bad.  Don't realy know where to begin.

[Coasthunterjay]

michelle there are different ways of doing this.....i was not stating that i wouldnt do it your way....i have heard of people who did this and they refered to it as steaming an old leather hat....if you want to make it flexable and movable and be able to bend it then you use warmth as well as moisture........

but you are the professional...i was simply stating what i have heard and what i would do........

hey bone did the skin peel completely off the liner? it looks like it tore off in the picture.........almost like the liner was to big for the ear and when it dried it tore when it shrank.....is that what happened maybe? im not sure so just a guess...?

[boneaddict]

It did peel off the whole liner, and it probably was a bit big.  I have much better with the bondo method, but always playing.