Does anyone use fin backing cream for heads and tails as described in Newmeyer? I just bought his waterfowl manual and had never seen this technique before. If so, does it bond better than caulk and does it bond to the skin even though you have borax still there? Sometimes with birds like Harlequins I have feather tracts that will not lay down evenly no matter what I do. I am now looking at the use of more caulk or other adhesives to secure the bird to the body. By the way I hand wrap most of my bodies from excelsor. Thanks
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fin backing cream was caulk? I dont believe the supply companies are trying to keep it a big secret-- especially when the label they wrap around the tube doesnt stay put.
If your feather tracts aren't laying properly and you can't get them that way with a minimum of grooming something is wrong on the inside.
Remember: bird skin is very thin and duplicates on the outside what is on the inside. If the anatomy is not right on the inside or the skin is not taxied properly you will NEVER get the feather tracts to look right no matter what you do to them.
"Adhering" the bird skin to the mannikin is a mammal taxidermist's answer to all sorts of bird problems. Fact is, it CREATES more problems than it solves. Leave your skin LOOSE on the body, get the attachment points right (neck, legs, tail, wings) and taxi the skin into place. Save the caulking for the heads, tails and flight webs.
Paul Czarnecki
www.tristatetaxidermy.com