Submitted by ron weaver on 11/13/1998. ( raw21@psu.edu )
I watched the video, mounting a whitetail deer by Sallie D. and she showed filling the ears with bondo, which seems the way to go. yet from what i read in these forums i get the feeling that taxidermist are using the liner method too. what would the pro's and con's be of either method. thanks for your help.
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This response submitted by Bill on 11/13/1998. ( yoxtax@aol.com )
to me, liners give you a much smoother edge, consistency in shape, both side to side and deer to deer, and they are durable and usually flexible. Bondo is faster and less $ for some studios, but I dont like how the edges want to curl while shaping the ear and what that does to the hair patterns. I've been told how it doesn't drum, but I KNOW it does, because I've used the method. Earliners will drum, too, if they aren't fitted properly. So, over-all, to me it's not even close, if the liners fit or can be trimmed to fit, I'd always go that way first. Any bondo-jockeys out there want to support thier side alittle better than my biased reply? Hope this will help, Bill.
This response submitted by John Bellucci on 11/13/1998. ( ArtistExpr@aol.com )
I've been using earliners for so long now, in NEARLY EVERY mount I do, that the removal of the cartilage is actually second-nature to me. Sure it takes a some practice to "master" this procedure, and yes, it does take a little time to accomplish the ear cartilage removal, but it very nearly evens-out to the total time of prepairing, filling, smoothing, and "babying" the ear to achieve that "natural" look. I also agree that "Bonded" ears can and do sometimes drum. The few times that I used this method (you know, trying to find a "shortcut"?), I had difficulty keeping the edges of the ears from curling - even a month after they were "perfect". Drumming is easily avoided while using earliners by making sure the earskins fit the earliner, a little on the "loose" side, and by using a good epoxy adhesive - something that will set before the earskin has time to dry. Only the smallest specimens: squirrels, chipmunks, weasels, mink, etc., recieve an ear lining, or "filler" actually, of an epoxy material such as Sculp-All, Apoxie Sculpt, or something similar. After the animal is on the mannikin and sewn up, I pull the inner ear "tube" to the outside, create a slit there, and insert the appropriate amount of "wetted" epoxy up into the earskin (a wetted epoxy won't stick as it is inserted). The inner ear is reinserted into place, the ear then shaped from the outside. For EVERYTHING else, I go with earliners. Either commercially available earliners, or if need be, I make my own. Well, that's two votes for earliners. Good luck to you. John B.
This response submitted by Bob C on 11/13/1998. ( bobswildlife@webtv.net )
Hey Ron how about another opinion. I use both methods and they both work well for me. With the earliners I like the McKenzie Natralook with ear butts or Brad Epplys new ones with butts. I do alot of exotic heads and for those I do like bondo. I've done quite well at competitions useing bondo ears , including 2 firsts and a second at the Nationals.Bill mentioned getting a good edge is tough to do with bondo .Well it was until I started doing something. When the bondo sets and is in its hot stage , I put the ear on a flat surface and tap the edge with a tack hammer.This will give you an edge you can shave with.As far as the drumming goes , I've also had it happen , but to be honest with you I've had more ears with earliners drum on me than with the bondo. I do clean the inner ear skin with Acetone .This seems to help.So for me its six of one half dozen of another. Bob C.
This response submitted by ron weaver on 11/13/1998. ( raw21@psu.edu )
Thanks to all for your responses, i have two deer heads in the freezer and would like to try both methods, but i never seen the process of removing the ear cartilage, can anyone suggest a video or book that would show this procedure. I think i have a good idea how to do it, but not sure if when the cartilage comes off, is the inner ear still there or do i need to recreate it with mache and use one of those tools i see in the catalogs that recreates an inner ear?
This response submitted by Bob C on 11/14/1998. ( bobswildlife@webtv.net )
Ron , The method I use to remove the cartilage is to make a cut across the cartilage from one side of the ear to the other. make sure you only cut the cartilage and not the skin underneath.Begin peeling the cartilage from this cut .Pull one side off then go to the other. When I come to the iner ear I make a cut through the cartilage arounr the iner ear leaving the iner ear attached to the skin.Then when mounting the ear I just push the iner ear into the hollow in the ear liner. Yes you do get shrinkage on the inerear detail. But I have yet have a customer notice it.Now Brad Epply has a beautiful set of ear liners with the iner ear detail casted in. Real nice!! If you're using them you can remove the iner ear from the skin and blend the skin to the ear liner with epoxy. Either way you choose , just take your time and dont rush.LOOK WHOS TALKING!!! The guys out there that know me know I cant take my time at anything!!!!! So this is one of those things, Do as I say not as I do !!!! Bob C
This response submitted by Bill, again on 11/14/1998. ( )
When I pull the cartilage, I start at the top edge which is the heavier edge, and starting at the front corner, begin peeling. I know this will raise comments but I think its a no-brainer as to whether you should use liners or bondo. The only advantage I see is speed and $ for the bondo choice. I mean, you already have the thick cartilage in there and now you add the resin and bondo mix, how can all that look and be as thin as the real thing, or even close? I feel bad for the guys that get those deer with the small ears that no earliner fits. To me, the ears are as important as the eyes in the mount for expression. BUT, I am NOT knocking those of you who use bondo with success, so dont take my words and run with them, thats not my point. My last fawn mount(I wish it was THE last,ha ha )was done with epoxie sculpt and thats even tricky.
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