Hey every one I have to do a career project for my math class and I have to explain how someone who has that job uses math so I chose Taxidermy for my project bird taxidermy to be more specific so I was wondering if any of you guys could help me out by telling me how you guys use math when you mount birds like the type of math you use?when you use it?and how you use it?well thanks in advance any help I can get will help thanks
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Shipping,
Form, eyes, head, misc. wire batting, borax, driftwood,soap washing
$20.00
NOw I am a little slow on birds
so count six hours for a duck $33.00 per hour.
Plus utilities. comes to a total of $218.00
Continuing education fund if you are young or vacation if you are old. $57.00 21% of total
for a total of
$275.00
You use weights and measures, and as John mentioned money. But you use ratios when mixing artificial water and also Rittels oil. You mix 2 parts hot water to 1 part oil (2:1 ratio)
You have to use measuremetns and ratios to establish length of bones, neck, etc..
DaveT
Jordan,
Its to bad that your note doing your report on how taxidermist's fail at running a business. From John C. post you would have a GREAT starting point.
Using math in bird taxidermy....
Here is how I price a mount... Mallard Duck Pedistal Flying Mount
Supply cost ie.. Artificial Head,eyes,form,clay,glue,wire,foam neck material, cleaning and curing agents, injection fluid "used to treat the feet", paint for finish work, ect.. $50.00
Shipping for those supplies...... $12.00
Habitat Base for this type of mount.... $75.00
This includes all materials used...glue,artifical grasses,wire,hardwood plaque, ect...
Shop utilities along with my time.... $400.00
Shop utilities include... electricity,water,phone bill,shop insurance,personal health insurance, ect....
In my state I collect 5 percent sales tax.
So the total cost for this mount would be... $563.85
As far as 6 hours to do this mount....... NOT GONNA HAPPEN ! I can't even mount the simpest of mounts in 6 hours.. It would take me around 16 to 20 hours to complete this mount from start to finish. And that would be spread out over 2 weeks. Reason for that would be to alow the mount to completly dry before doing any of the finish work "painting" and base work.
I don't slam bird mounts out like McDonald's slams burgers out.
Measurments.....
I will take 8 different measurments of the carrcass so that I can adjust the artifical foam body to fit properly.
As Todd B. posted we do use ratio's in other products to... resins, epoxy's ect...
If you have questions .... Please ask...
really charge 563.85 for a duck mount? The Birdmaster General doesn't even get that! Do you work for Boyce?
...even at Jim's high ($563) price, according to his math, is making less than $20 per hour if he's got 20 hours in a duck mount! ... My UPS driver makes more than that for driving a truck! Also, I think $50 for supplies for a duck is overly high as is the $75 materials for a pedestal (depending on size of base). But, using Jim's math: There are approximately 240 (more or less) working days per year allowing for weekends, vacation, sick, holidays, etc... and averaging 8-9 hours per day equals about 2,000 hours per year. Multiply that times the $20 per hour equals $40,000 per year income. So if you look at it that way, it comes out OK...IF... you can get customers to pay $563 for a duck mount....
I don't know why I'm back here trying to explain or justify my math and pricing... I know its like banging my head against a brick wall to most of you, but I'll do it for Jordan..
First... Hourly Wage.... I've heard and read the argument about taxidermy being considered art. Well.... what I do I consider a form of art and there is NO way in the world that I could charge by the hour. If I wanted to get a hourly wage I would get a REAL JOB and punch a time clock.
Second...and I quote.. IF...you can get customers to pay $563.00 for a duck mount.... Yes I do get that much for a duck mount as I discribed above.. Believe it or not there are clients out there that acually want there birds to look like there alive, and will pay me to do that for them. Taxidermy is a luxury item and not everyone should be able to afford it, but the ones that want good work come up with the money.
Third....Over priced supplies... Again back to running a profitable business.
Foam manikin.... $5.75
Artifical Head....$12.00
Acrylic Eyes... $5.00
Wire..including support wire in base.. $2.00
Clay.... $1.00
Neck material including soft batting...$1.50
Glue for mount and base..... $2.00
Foam for base... $2.00
Tape,screws, ect. $1.00
Driftwood on base and other habitat material.. $10.00
Hardwood plaque... $12.00
Injection fluid for feet... $1.00
Paint for head and feet including thinner for clean up.. $2.50
Soaps and degreasers..... $1.00
Shipping cost from multiple companys for all this... $12.00
So when I break it down like this it totals $70.75 ... Dang I'm going to have to raise my prices...
The $75.00 charge on the base, is my minimal price on a habitat base for this size of mount.
So if a client contacts me and says I want a Mallard Pedistal mount, I would show him a picture of this type of mount. He would say how much... I would say $450.00 for the bird and $75.00 for the base, for a sub total of $525.00 plus 5 percent sales tax which brings the GRAND TOTAL of $551.25
Client says....... MAN you do great work... I'll ship you the bird on Monday.. and I say include a 50 percent deposit with the bird and you'll have your mount back in 6 to 8 months.
So my $563.85 from above was alittle off. I never did very good in math in high school, to busy watching the birds outside the window..
The End..
There's a great lesson in there. I just hope some of these guys can appreciate it. Tough to be a great artist when you force yourself to live like a pauper.
Well ok he knows his birds. I understand the idea behind Jim's prices. Although my prices arnt as high as Jim's and my bird quality isnt at his level "yet" I feel my birds are better than most in my area and then some Im sure. I have already had the "ohh yer higher then all the others" people call and Ive told them look over their brids and then come look at mine then decide if you dont like my work then go with the others.
I just opend in June of this year and I know I will not get many people in due to my higher prices but I would rather do quality then quantity. Ohh and I could be biased Jim trained me now I just need to get my client base going and Im off and running. Its very nice to hear people even other taxidermts say "wow you do the best birds Ive seen around" All I gotta do is keep them away from Jim and Im set LOL.Welp take care all, Andy
thats great Jim can get PAID for his hard work and labor. I also agree one gets what one pays for. I also have the luxury of doing birds part time as I work full time with all the benefits associated with doing so. I raised my prices last year and SURPRIZE, the # of birds coming in as dropped big time. It's nice making a little money now on each bird instead of giving them away. Hats off to all of you full-timers who have stuck your neck out and are making a living, doing what you love. Happy Mounting.
jsut curious as to your location. highest guy in my area is 350. most are around 200. central texas.