I am about to do the caribou antlers. I am going to drill up one antler with 5/8'' bit fill with bondo then put in 1/2'' square tubing, let cure, then cut off under antler burr, right. Well i'm not sure, just want to check before i go ahead. How far up the antler burr do i drill, and below the skull plate how far should the square tubing stick out, and should it go into the mannikin, or not, and finally when should i acually cut the anler off.Sorry about all the questions, but this is my first caribou and want to do a good job Thanks Tom Hall
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Caribou antlers are not real heavy, 4 or 5" should be enough.
I would recommend epoxy over bondo for holding the square stock.
Cut the tubing so that it extends into the brain cavity on the skull cap, but does not extend down to the head board of your form,
You did set the antlers already, trim everything to fit just like you were going to mount normally first.
After setting antlers, remove them from the form and drill into the antler from the underneath 4 or 5"; place your tubing in the hole and mark it for trimming on the bottom; trim so that it does not extend below the bottom of the skull cap.
Fill the hole about 1/2 way with epoxy(use a slow set type for maximum strength), put a piece of masking tape over the end of the tubing to keep the epoxy from filling it and set the tubing in the antler; you can add a bit more epoxy now to fill the antler if needed.
Let set for 2 days! Be absolutely certain that it is completely set, and then cut the antler off right under the burr.
Insert your square stock(Cut 1/2" shorter than the tubing) into the skull cap, flush with the bottom of the tubing and spot weld it with a wire welder or an arc welder at the bottom - gas welding will take too long to heat the maetal and will weaken the epoxy.
I use solid square stock. Tubing could bend. Using a carnuba based wax, coat the square stock and polish. Use additional polyester resin with the bondo for hardness and strength.
once the Bondo/resin sets, holding the stock, tap the skull plate till you get the square stock to release, remove it completly.
Do each side, then I use a fine hacksaw to cut the peducle just below the hair line.
Reassemble, mark the stock were it exits from the interior of the skull plate. remove the stock again heat and bend just below the line you marked.
This bend will allow you to fiberglass the stock inside the skull plate.
Reassemble and mount once the mount dries you can remove the antlers to hang the mount, then replace once hung on the wall.