I am relatively new to taxidermy and so far I've done five shoulder mounts. I was wondering how some of you finish the back of a shoulder mount on a deer. I've seen some mounts where a staple gun was used to staple the hide to the wood on the back of the mount and any excess hide was trimmed off. I've also seen some more attractive ones where felt or leather was used to completely cover the wood on the back. I think the felt or leather looks more professional. If you finish with felt or leather or some other material how do you handle any extra hide that's been stapled to the wood and might be under the felt, leather or other material? Do some of you use epoxy around the shoulder, back, and brisket as on a pedestal mount and trim the hide off right where it meets the wood so that the hair extends behind the mount (I saw this on the McKenzie web site)? Thank you in advance for any responses.
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For a regular commercial quality shoulder mount anything beyond stapling in a neat and professional manner is a waste of time! While hanging on the wall where it should be it will never be viewed as part of the mount! The only complaint would come from your wall or the paint covering it!
When finishing the back of a pedistal mount, it's several ways to do so. And I'm not overly experienced with any! Just as you spoke of above. Using a good epoxy adhesive around the last 2-3 inches of the mount. Trimming close and then covering with your choice of fabric,leather etc. I recommend using a thin layer of cotton batting between your leather and plywood.
Help or confusion, you decide!
Bryan, first off, let me assure you that I agree with your point. Over 40 years ago I was taught that leaving a backboard uncovered was a signal to your customers that if you couldn't see it, it didn't matter and the customer could assume the same held true on the backside of the hair that did show. Felt is very hard to work with and leather is rather expensive for a surface that isn't exposed, however. I use plain, blank cardboard and screw my hanger through it (AND the dorky thing McKenzie insists on shoveing through the panel). Posterboard would also work just as easily and can be trimmed to fit and attached with narrow head staples much the same way upholsterers attach the dust cloth to the bottom side of your couch.
Years ago I started staining the forms back board, even though putting it on a panel hides it. Someday it may not be on the panel and people do pay attetion to details.
Larry Blomquist wrote a 4-page article with 19 color photos showing different methods of finishing the backs of gamehead pedestal mounts. It's in Breakthrough Issue #62, (Winter 2001) on pages 36-39. The issue is still available and can be ordered at www.Breakthroughmagazine.com or by calling 1-800-783-7266. This is not a how-to technique article, but the photos a multitude of styles that are sure to help you.
......For your display. Show your customers the difference, if they want it finished add $50 to the mount. If my customers want a two sided fish to hang on the wall they have to pay for a two sided fish, I don't throw it in at no charge. I don't see this as being any different.
I have seen the finished backboard on deer heads to distract the customer from the general poor quality of the details on the mount that you do see all the time. Do you need to have this kind of selling point?
that's what I have been using for years. Works great, it's cheap and easy to work with. Looks good too. Plus it prevents the tanning oils (what ever is left in the hide) to mess up your customers walls. It is just a little extra you can point out to the customer you do for them. Gives you a good reputation and will bring those customers back to you. George I am in the same boat with you. McKenzie (or should I say I)would be better off not putting those darn hangers in those backboards.
here's a quick way to do it, buy wallpaper or shelving paper rolls (comes in a bunch of neat patterns and colors I have some in a nice grey mottled color, I have even seen some that looks like granite or marble) cut it to match the backboard and staple it in place before you mount. Mount the head, wipe it off install a hanger and there ya go. Last much longer then poster board and it is easy to clean. Keep your eye open for sales and you can pick it up cheap. You can even use the glue on the self adhesive ones with the nice sanded backboards on the Meder forms. Just a thought
Dave
........on the back of any shoulder mt. that will not be attached to a panel. the staples or brads that are used to attach the skin to the form can be sharp and uneven, not to mention the curled up edges on the hide. you finished the front, now give the back a professionsl look for pennies per mt. cut an appropriate size piece of cloth (even lowly burlap is better than nothing), spray the back of the mount with aerosol mannican prep or spray adhesive. hold the nozzle close enough that you have control. i spray right over the hide up to within a half inch of the outer edge. let the adhesive get nice and tacky, then just lay your cloth over it and start pressing and smoothing. let it set up for a while then go in and trim excess cloth, following the shoulder line/brisket line. apply hanger or cutout hole for inbedded hanger to show thru.
"I have seen the finished backboard on deer heads to distract the customer from the general poor quality of the details on the mount that you do see all the time. Do you need to have this kind of selling point?" - Old Fart
No, I don't need this as a selling point. I don't sell any mounts. All of the deer I've mounted were deer that I harvested myself. In my opinion every deer I've mounted (except for maybe the first one)are better than many commercial mounts. I think that's because I pay a lot of attention to details and I'm not in business. Taxidermy is a hobby for me and I spend as much time as I feel is necessary to make sure the mount looks like a live deer. I want my personal mounts (including the back sides) to look like they were done in a professional manner and I just wanted some input from other taxidermists on how they complete the backs of their mounts.
I tend to agree with Old Fart on this one. Here's what I do to the back of my gameheads. NEATLY trim hair on back, make sure ALL staples are not going to cause scratches. Then I neatly print the info of date, place, AND tag number of client on that backboard. Last and most important I apply one of my shop labels on the back! I put these labels on the backs or bottoms of ALL mounts because I am proud of all my work! Clients are tickled to pieces that I write their info on the back....after years you tend to forget exact date and time; and they can always double check simply by taking it down and looking!
I once read an article by Larry Goldman on finishing mount backs. I tried his method for awhile. It looked nice but after awhile I learned it really did nothing for my business. I now like to spray paint the backs of all my forms black, other than that and a hot glued on business card they are finished.