Does any body know a trick to get apoxie sculpt to set up a little quicker. I am rebuilding tines and have a hard time of getting them, not wanting to bend for a couple of hours, I do have a screw or a piece of wire into the antler. Thank you
Return to Deer Taxidermy Category Menu
I do lots of repairs like that. I drill two small holes in the broken off section. I make a "V" out of good stiff wire and super glue it in place. After the glue dries you can make minor adjustments as needed before you add the apoxie sculpt. Hope this helps ya out!
Im not sure I understand your question, the stuff is real easy to bend at first, explain it again.
After sculpting the tine by rubbing with wet fingers I get it just right, if I let it just sit there until it harderns it gets a boe or curve to it,like it sagged.
Reinforce it with something (several wires? mentioned above). So that you use less epoxy. Or put it on in layers. The epoxies weren't designed to put on in very thick coats and you found out what happens when you do - it sags...
I see what your saying. This is what works for me. I also use a screw or wire to give support. But I'll drill a hole in the broken tine and test fit the wire or screw. Then i'll pull out and sculpt the tine(not on the antler) but instead on the table. Bend the wire when you test fit to get the right curve if it needs one. Then use apoxie sculpt and make the tine. Come back the next day and using 36 grit sand paper you can get it enen closer to what your looking for. Then install the repaired tine and apoxie sculpt around the connection. Let that dry and sand some more. This is how I repair tines, The only problem with this method is that the repair is very easy to break again. Make sure to tell customer not to pick up or handle this area.
Hope this helps
Good Luck!
Then wrap those wires with a fine spool wire. That trianglation will hold the reproduced tip as strongly as the real thing. Every year at the NTA, David Hale of South Dakota makes a complete set of 200+ class antlers from scratch using heavy wire, hot glue, masking tape and Apoxie sculpt. This year they went for over $400 at our auction. They're much stonger than most of the cast reproduction antlers.
the problem with most epoxy putty is it yellows with time. You get a nice bone colored tip and two years later it is yellow. I think Epo-Grip "Seam and Repair Putty" is the best stuff I have tried. It is thin like Peanut butter, but it dries rock hard and retains the original color better.
Give him a call. This guy is amazing when it comes to repos. I've seen him build stuff a couple of times, but have yet to take the time to do it myself. He's more than helpful and has extensive knowlege about repos and tine repair. Look up Dave Hale Taxidermy for his number.
...rebar in poured concrete. Which btw, have you seen the new concrete they are starting to use? It's got some type of plastic or something mixed in with the aggragate that allows the concrete to flex w/o cracking/breaking! Pretty cool. They're actually using it for a large project in Japan right now...
I did not know about the apoxie sculpt turning yellow over time, But thanks for the tip. I clear coat my tines after I get the right shades and color, maybe that helps. And George, the three instead of one wire makes alot of sense! I tried to help someone and I learned some things myself!
Thanks guys
Todd