Hey all,
I am just starting out here. I have done quite a bit of reading, talking to pro's, and watching some video's. Now I am ready to start practicing some mounts. I have a deer head wrapped in plastic in the freezer, a bunch of fish, and a few pheasant. What basic supplies should I start buying? I plan on doing this as a hobby/pt job eventually after much practice. Do I need to rush out & buy a bone saw, or will a normal saw work. A basic top ten list that every beginner should have would be great. As I do more & more I can expand my tool & supply inventory. How much room do most of you hobbyist use? I have a 2 stall garage I can dedicate to this if needed.
Thx For the help
Craig
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In the back of Van Dykes athey sell kits for mounting differant animals.I would buy one of those they come with everything you need and you could keep your needles and such when your done.They also carry basic feild skinmning kits and such you should pick up one of there catlogs and look in the back.I think WASCO also has some kits.Chase
I have been doing taxidermy for about 14 years or so and I still
am constantly purchasing supplies. First I suggest getting a
freezer dedicated for your specimins only, digging around
specimens looking for a frozen pizza gets old, and I have also
found that after storing a specimen after it has gone through the
skinning and chemical degreasing it tends to somehow get to food
and gives foods a strange tast no matter how well you wrap them.
I will just run down a list of things that I have in my 10x20 foot
studio. 5 plastic trays about 6-10in. deep for soaking specimens in
the degeasers and cleaners. Borax, lots of blades, spray bottles for
quick clean ups, I also do all of my work on an actual formica counter
top you can slide specimens around easy without damaging them plus
its eay to clean. pliers, plastic tape measure, calipures, a good
averhead light, A GOOD pair of scissors, storage trays for the fowling
tons of pins, paperclips, glass eyes, screws, nails, tubes of glues. I also use rubber gloves. airbrush, comressor for it, several jars,
some supply companys sell starter paint kits with a good variety of colors. lots of reference materials, staple gun, calk gun, drill,hot glue gun, sewing needles, clay (i like critter clay),tweezers, freezer bags, shears for cutting fish bones, fish skinning knif. I am probably forgetting things to add, but the longer you do taxidermy you will start seeing for yourself all of the things that are necessary to do the job, hope I was some help.