"Raccoon Crossing" sign

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

I'm in the process of building a habitat for a raccoon mount. I have a metal "raccoon crossing" sign that I'm going to put on it.  The sign looks really shiny and new, but I think it would look better in the habitat if it looked older and more weathered, but I am not sure how to do that. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[bigbuck07]

put ya a few bullet holes in it and play around in the dirt with it it will make it look old and weathered

[RoyalOaksTaxidermy]

Id take a towel lay it over the sign, and then smack it with a hammer, kinda beat it up good, then shoot it a few times, spray it off with water, then sprinkle salt all over it letting the salt mix with the water drops that are left from hosing it off... Should make it nice and rusty real quick..

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

Ooooooooookkkkk......let's see.....definately bullet holes. Ya rarely see a sign without a bullet hole or 10.  Probably .22 cal would look good. Get you some steel wool and lightly scuff the surface to dull the paint....more in spots and edges but don't overdo it.

Hmmmm.....the towel wrap and hammer whackin sounds good too....do a bit of that.

Now ... take you some dirt (real dirt from the side of the hill not pottin soil)  mix with water and make ya some mud. Smear this on let it dry for a bit then wipe it off leaving just traces in the dents and scratches.

Oh yeah....don't forget the nail holes in the corners....hell...if ya got a rusty nail or two drive em in the corners and leave em.

Hope that gets ya off and runnin' . Post a pic when ya finish...bet it'll look cool!!

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

Thanks for all the ideas! I don't think I will go as far as the bullet holes, but I'll defintely try some of those other suggestions!

[bigbuck07]

aww man bullet holes make it good lol

[buckrub]

i agree with big buck

[AndyB]

only a .22 no no no hit it with buck shot heck even a 12 gauge slug, do you have a power washer?  if not tie it to the back of a bike and take a ride down the street hahaha

[buckrub]

lol

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

I was kinda wantin' a little of the sign to be left after the bang andy....lol

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

I didn't want to overdo the sign, because it is nailed to a wooden post that is fairly new and not weathered much. So if I beat up the sign too much, it wouldn't quite match with the not-so-beat-up post its attached to. I just made it look a little bit weathered, and rusty around the edges. I couldn't get it to rust using water and salt, so I mixed up some rusty colored paint and dabbed it on. It looks pretty realistic, actually. I'll put a picture of it on my website when the raccoon mount is finished.

[Becky P]

I'd do what Rae said along with a bullet hole or two and then bend it back around the post a little bit, like it's been hit. I'd do all that BEFORE the salt treatment so it can get into the paint cracks.

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

Here's what the mount and habitat look like so far.  Because the rest of the habitat looks fairly tidy,  thats why I didn't want to overdo the weathered effects on the sign. I think my minimal amount of dirt and rust around the edges looks fine. I also scratched up the surface of the sign with steel wool so its not as shiny.  The raccoon is still drying, and after I do the final grooming and finishing work on it, I will add a few bigger plants on the habitat.

[GrayFox]

Looks cool to me!

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

Might be nice if ya could find an old fence post and use some of the suggestions from everyone on the sign and make it rustic. But it's a nice slick lookin' piece and cool idea. Ya have to admit....ya never see a sign like that without a bullet hole or three....