Getting ready to start on this years competition birds and was just wondering what the general opinion is as far as real or artificial heads. Would a judge look down more on bill shrinkage or on a weak transition from the artificial bill to the skin? I personally have always used artificial bills, but just wanted to know what other opinions are out there.
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You can use the real head, but you have to rebuild the shrinkage.. I personally prefer to use the real or cast my own. Most heads on the market are good and exceptable for out the door dollar a day work... but I wouldn't go so far as to say they are competition grade. You still have to look for shrinkage, and mold the nostrils so they are fleshy and get rid of seams.. plus you have the bill/skin marriage to worry about. The way I look at it is this.. If I'm gonna spend the time to rebuild and repair an artifical, then I might as well deal with the real bill.. plus you never have to worry about it NOT fitting.. yep sometimes those cast heads.. well they just don't work!
Honestly, there isn't that much work that needs to be done to a real skull/bill to have a competition grade product. Just get some good reference, take some pictures of the fresh bird if you are able and recreate what you see....
If you do chose to go artificial look for the above mentioned qualms as well as the molders fingerprints.. yep.. I've bought cast heads form more than one supplier that came with a set of fingerprints molded in.. Check for clean lamella, and make sure and replace the nasal posts. Get your calipers and take reference measurements from the real head and compare to the artificial.. You might be surprised at what you find. DO NOT TRUST the provided slots for the eyes.. they are seldom if ever correct, Once again check measurements for eye placement and angle. Don't forget to mold in the throat area under the head.. a birds throat isn't flat..
Anyhow.. Good Luck to ya!
Jon