I usually use artificial legs but I am going with the real legs on a turkey standing mount this time and purchased the system where you use the 1/4 threaded rod and the foam drumsticks for the first time.I have questions.What is the best way to sharpen the rod? how do you remove the tendons from the leg? and how do you insert the rod into the center of the bone correctly? Is bondo a good material to use to hold the rod in the drumsticks?
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I cut the leg off just above the joint where the feathers meet the leg skin. I don't leave any bone attached to the leg above the feather line. I take a long drill bit that I bought at Lowes and I drill down through the center of the leg. You have to be semi-careful when you are doing this, but after you've done a couple, its pretty easy. I don't allow the drill bit to exit the foot. I stop just short of where my exit will be. Then I take my threaded rod and sharpen it on the grinder (you can sharpen with bolt cutters or a grinding stone on the dremel). Then I put the rod into the chuck of my drill and drill it down through the leg and carefully exit the leg in the middle toe. I then use pliers to bend the rod so that it will go straight through the base. Oh, I don't remove the tendons.
Then, I take the leg rod and the foam drum stick (you can carve them, but I buy them from Van Dykes) and I lay the rod in the channel on the back of the drumstick. You will need to rough the foam in the channel up so that your bondo will stick. Then, I bondo the rod into the channel of the drumstick. Once the bondo sets good, I attach my drumsticks to the form with a single screw to hold them in place while I position the bird on the base. Once I have the bird secured to the base and everything looks good, I use 2 part foam to attach the drumsticks permanently to the form. I will insert a couple long drywall screws for good measure.
I hope this helps. I have seen and tried a lot of different techniques, but this one works great for me and I always get a good sturdy bird.
I use a 6 ga steel rod, and then cut my own threads with a die. I can help you with some of the rest. I, and assume everyone else, dont run the rod down the center of the leg(bone) it is run down the back of the leg, between the bone and leg tissue, just like any other bird. As far as the tendons... Some folks do not remove them. They state they geta more solid wire attchment by keeping the tendons in. Others feel the leg wires run easierif you have the tendons out. To remove:
step 1 make a cutun the foot pad, running in the same direction as the center toe. dont cut so deep as to sever the tendons.
step 2. Skin around the incision a bit to reveal the tendons.
step 3 Take a screw driver, or awl, or steel rod. Get under the tendons so you can put fingers around the tool on each side of the tendon you are pulling, like pulling a cord on a lawn mower starter.
Try pulling one tendon at a time, much easier
using the leg to leg incision for that method right?
I skin em' from leg to leg and completely remove the legs from the skin. That way, I can process each piece separately. The advantages are numerous...
The main reason I like it is because it allows me to mount the bird in stages. That really helps when you're doing them in volume. When I'm doing a batch of turkeys, I can do all my skinning and fleshing one day. Then, I can mount the legs the next day and let them set up. Then, I can do all the painting before the birds are mounted. To me, it just makes the whole process more efficient.
There is a little more sewing involved than with a breast incision...but to me, it save me time in the end. Hope I've helped.
Im going to the store to get my long drill bit and rods this weekend!