Euro mount?

[BasinBoy]

how do you do it? Has anybody ever done it there selves? just wondering cause i wanna try. thanks

[FinsnFur]

You talking about a European Mount? The skull and a plaque?

[BasinBoy]

yes

[TookyRiverCalls]

Here's a "Do It Yourself" link for skull mounts.

http://www.hidetanning.net/SkullCleaning.html

[BasinBoy]

thanks for the link. Does anybody else have any other links?

[FinsnFur]

I can tell you how to do one....if that's what your looking for. They are pretty simple.
I dont have any links but I used to do plenty of them for customers...ran out of time and now I strictly tan.

[BasinBoy]

o ya that would be nice if ya told me how. thank ya

[FinsnFur]

Well all it really is, is a cleaned and sealed skull mounted on a plaque or pedestal.
I think the biggest hurdle for people is cleaning the skull. Keep in mind there are many many ways to do that.

May favorite way was to put the skull into a 5 gallon pail of water and let it set for  two to three weeks. The water rotted anything biodegradable on the skull and what was left intact could be hosed off.

The latest technique is to power wash the skull from the git go. A good power washer with at least 4000 / 4200 PSI will strip the hide, the flesh and everything, in about 20 minutes for you.

It will then need to be degreased. There are degreasing chemicals available for that and it really needs to be done or your skull will grow milky yellow spots where the grease begins to surface.

Once you have it degreased you do a whitening process. You can accomplish that with Pharmacy grade Hydrogen Peroxide, ( not the 3% stuff you use on cuts) or you can buy a bleaching kit from a hair salon.

After you have the skull whitened, I'd let it dry for several days in the sun and then spray it down with a good grade spray sealer. You can pick that up at almost any hardware store or from a taxidermy supply Store (VanDykes.)

Then you go ahead and mount your skull to what ever type plaque or pedestal you choose.

[BasinBoy]

Thanks Jim. how do you recomend i get out the brain?

[FinsnFur]

The brain will rot away and turn to mush just like all the meat and flesh. Stick your hose or faucet tap up to the brain cavity hole which is in that back of the skull ans wash it away.

You can flush it out again through the nasal cavity.

Your basically going to be rinsing and flushing the whole thing anyway, and flushing water into the openings kinda comes natural. You'll see a hole and know there has to be something in there and then you'll flush it out. 

[Hawks Feather]

I sure am glad to read that.  I was thinking straw.   

Jerry

[FinsnFur]

  Only you Lattamore...only you

[wv_yoter]

Jim when you say degreaser do you mean household type, engine cleaner or something else? And out of curiosity did you stain the antlers on the mount with the snakes in it?

[FinsnFur]

I dont know that a household degreaser would be strong enough to cut the grease that's in skull bone. It might be, but I've never tried it.

The ones I have done I've always bought commercial taxidermy degreaser, which in all honesty seems like nothing more then TopJob or Mr Clean.

As far as the mounts pictured wv~ none of those are mine. I hijacked all those pics right from Van Dykes Supply f I remember right.
I dont have any pics of the ones I did for customers, when I was doing them.

[BasinBoy]

i heard that if you put some dawn dishsoap in with it it that cuts the grease?

[FinsnFur]

in with what?

[BasinBoy]

just warm water

[FinsnFur]

I imagine it would help, it certainly wouldn't hurt it.
I just dont think there's enough power there to draw the grease from the bone. Surface grease yeah...