I am a 90%+ of the time cast bill user, I kina have all the quarkes worked out in most problem areas except one major spot, glueing the skin. It almost always just looks crappy no matter how much time I take in that step, feathers get kinda bunched up and stiff out of alignment, glue getting out and etc, I 'm looking for some tips for making the bill-skin transision more smooth and realistic, it has really been a huge problem for me. Thanks
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Get a John Rinehart catalog and order a bottle of "Hot Stuff". Then buy the replacement caps. Cut the tip off the cap at the smallest opening you can get. Prior to putting the skin on, I usually take a dental tip in my Dremel and rough up the cast around the bill area so the glue will have a little tooth. Then I start, I keep the skin back and just put a very fine bead at the "U" apex of the bill. With a pair of needle point tweezers, I lift that flap and set it into the glue using the needle points to press down with. Then I turn the bird over and I do that bottom "V" flap under the bill the same way. Both sides and the small flap under the bill are saved for last. I do both small flaps and I finish with the large semicircular cheek flaps. I also use a magnifying visor while I work so I don't get too much glue and I can see exactly how close the skin gets to the bill in those tweezers.
PJD,
After painting the bill, I like to carve a small trough(approx. 1.5mm x 1.5mm) all the way around the cast skull with a foredom, right next to the bill . . . this tends to contain the adhesive reducing the chance of running and gives a clean union between the skin and bill. You might also place a small amount of your adhesive on the ‘bottom side' of an upside down paper cup. Then using a toothpick or very small disposable brush, dab into the glue and apply to the cast bill. Only apply glue where the skull meets at the bill edge; do not apply glue further onto the skull, which may take away the opportunity to work the head feathers later. Very little glue is actually needed, so matting of the feathers with glue is not likely to happen. Rotating the bird so they area you are working is horizontal to the ground also reduces the running of thin adhesives.
I typically use a longer pin to guide the skin into place immediately after applying the adhesive in a localized area. I start at the ‘V' notch and move down the bill, one side at a time, until reaching the rictus . . . then I attach the skin to the gular notch, finally doing the rictus area last. Check close up reference, or photograph your bird before skinning, for feather flow . . . particularly around the lores and rictus areas. This will help you guide the skin accurately into place. If you happen to misalign the skin, and do not over-saturate the skin with adhesive, you can often pull it up to free it from the cast skull without tearing the skin if done almost immediately.
Michael
Make sure there is no borax in the area around the bill/skin union. Borax causes cyanoacrylate(superglue, zap-a-gap, etc.) to set instantly. It will cause a crust to form. As the skin dries, the skin will not stay attached to the bill.
Try this...put a thin layer of apoxie sculpt all the way around the bill...you will actually glue the skin to the apoxie. This will allow you to still shift the skin somewhat to get it into a correct position and softens the transition. Just a thought.