MY SON AND I HAVE DONE A FEW BIRDS NOW AND WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE WAY WE HAVE IMPROVED BUT WE HAVE ONE PROBLEM AREA THAT ARE BOOKS AND TAPES COVER BUT NOT THAT GREAT AND (sorry about all caps)that is the leg wires .We have the getting the wire through the leg and around the bone part but when we run the wire through the body and double it back it pulls the bone up tight to the manikin but are mounts are still really wobbley and wont stand good.Llike i said this is only are fourth bird and we have learned a lot but art bookes and tapes reslly dont explain attaching the leg bone to the manikin taht great they all just say run your wires through and turn them back.do you try and glue the leg bone to the manikin?do you use more than one wire around the bone to solid it up?or will when it drys up will it stand?we did a hen malard last night and everything looks good except she wont stand and i pulled the wires as tight as i can get them.any help would be greatly apreciated for a couple of rookies.I did the orange search button and every thing says thge same thing just push them through and put them back in. thanks mac
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You most likely are using too lite of wire. I use 12 ga and sometimes ten ga. wire for a Mallard size bird. Wrap the tibio-fibula bone to the wire with the cotton and thread. Be careful not to mess with the wire so long that the hole in the body gets elongated. That will cause it to wobble, no matter what size wire. You can also make wire stapples and anchor the wire to the body once positioned.
I was the same way I made many mistakes just like you say
You need to wrap a strong body..then you need approperate
length for legs...after you have you leg wires in and anchored you can pull back and adjust afterward fill with cotton around neck wing area.Bring the belly seam together just to see were your at?That way you know where to fill out with cotton
When you fold your legs up it brings the belly seams together better for sewing!
Your better off with excellsor wrap starting out
don't try and be a expert too fast with those foam bodies
I do not advise this..then it could wobble if there is play
I have found wire from certian suppliers is stronger than others.
THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP I SOUNDS LIKE I AM USING TO LITE OF WIRE I THINK WE USED 14 GUAGE.THANKS TONY ILL TRY THE WIRE STAPLE THING AND SEE IF THAT WONT FIRM IT UP SOME.WE ARE TRYING TO READ AND DO ALL WE CAN WITH OUT HAVEING TO ASK TO MANY QUESTIONS BUT THIS SITE HAS BEEN A GREAT HELP.
I think for me foam is more solid than excellsior, it does'nt take magic to use a foam body and it may give you the strenth your looking for. also tonys advice on wire size will help you with building a stronger mount.