Would it... Could it work?

[PLTannery]

Pondering things outloud... And I need to bounce Ideas off someone... And the shop help(me) hasn't been helpful...

Could you.... Say for a Small (Lets say Goat) sized Critter....  For a form... Freeze the carcass in the desired position(less the skull), Wrap it in Plaster/Burlap or Fiberglass/Resin  Let it Cure.. Let the Carcass rot out, Pour Foam in the Hollow, Cut/break off the outer and then Mache or Foam or Sculpt with Clay the "Life" back into your critter? Then cast the head seprate?  Reassemble and Mount?

Would it work?  Anyone Tried it?  Any thoughts?

Obviously it would only work on critters you recieved whole, And you would have to do it for every critter..  And you only get one shot at it...and if you Flugger it up your screwed...  but for something like a two headed calf or something unique....

[reggieapfd]

If I remember right someone posted about this not to long ago.  There is  process for doing it.  It was something along those lines.  Where the animal would rot out leaving only the fur. Filling the cavity with a foam and putting in eyes.  I'll see if I can find it again.

[PLTannery]

I saw that... Same principle but Only the carcass, No skin... So you can mount the critter Traditionally...

[reggieapfd]

I would guess it would work pretty much the same way I don't see why not.

 Found the original thread its erosion molding.
 http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php?topic=254353.0

[bill@hogheaven]

Here is how you do it. Freeze the carcass in position, mold in plaster burlap in sections. Remove the carcass & save for reference. Now pack the inside of all the mold pieces with at least 1/2" of modeling clay. Reassemble the mold & strap, tape or oterwise hold it together. Now fill the mold with 2 part foam & disassemble the mold when it cures. You now have a foam manniken with a layer of clay. Sculpt all the details & make a fiberglass production mold of your sculpture.

[PLTannery]

That would be ideal Bill if you wanted multiples (and if I had any Skills laying multipart moulds in either fiberglass or plaster...)  Or you lived close enough to someone who could layup the mould.  That seems to be my major hangup....

So in theory It would work? its possible on a shoulder mount chunk of meat, once it thawed and it would  give enough you could possibly pull it out before it rots and refreeze..

[bill@hogheaven]

You are really overthinking this. If you can mold a whole, why cant you mold 2 halves?

[PLTannery]

I probably am... But I have tried the 2 halves thing... I either end up with a too large gap between my flanges, a twisted casting or I can't get the halves off the foam part because my lines are off(especially on things with legs)...

I suppose I could mould it in one piece, Take the Saw to it, And make it two.. then proceed....

[bill@hogheaven]

Fill the gaps & put a 1"layer on the entire mold with the oil based clay BEFORE you pour foam. It will come right off the positive after the foam cures. the clay wont stick to the plaster.

[Pescado]

Bones do not rot, what would you do with them?

[PLTannery]

In theory Pescado, On a shoulder form all the bones are surrounded by enough meat that once its gone the bones would simply wash out with the slime...But yes it would be an issue with the lower legs, but nothing else really.

[mike d]

Run heavy wires in legs, pose, freeze.
Remove legs with reciprocating saw, mold 5 pieces separately(body,4 legs)
Reassemble
By seperating the carcass pieces you can do all the molding with simple 2 part molds.

[PLTannery]

Mike... But What if you want to save the Skeleton?