Just wondering what other common taxidermy supplies you guys and gals may have found at your local store. For example I thought Mod Podge was a taxidermy thing until I saw it in the hobby department. Same as borox at the supermarket. Any other ideas may help us all out.Write them down here for all to see. Thanks for the help.
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There are many "common sense" items that can be used in taxidermy, but there are just as many that sound good but won't work. Borax is fine if it's being used as bug inhibitor, but useless if it's being used as a preservative. That's not the way it works. Liquid Nails MAY hold hides to mannikins, but in some cases it will react adversely to the tan or the chemicals being used in preserving the hide. Bathtub RTV (clear silicone) can be used in many places, but it's hardly the same RTV that you buy from suppliers. Mod Podge was used in crafts LONG before we began using it in Taxidermy. It was used for decoupage work. Some people shellac their mannikins and that can be bought in the hardware store. Few will be brave enough to put any "list" on here as each person tends to find their own compatibilities while others will reject them. I'd hope you HAVE a catalog and you read the description of what it does or is intended to do before you 'save' a lot of money just to screw up your work.
Hardware stores or lowes home depo etc.Here is some stuff I get when shopping there.There is much more.I useually see something and get an idea and try it.sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.Here are some things I use on a regular basis.
Spray foam in the cans(for form repairs and bases etc)
Large jugs of elmers white glue for bases etc.
Brad nails
Threaded rod used for everything.
Lamp kits/parts
Bondo bondo and more bondo
calk
2 part 5 min epoxy(Great for bonding stuff totether as well as for Fake saliva for mouths,fake water drops etc.
plaster
Drywall screws
house insulation for shipping frozen items (capes etc)
Any more ideas?
Patrick
That spray foam (insulation) in the can is good for one use only-whether you use a dab or the whole thing at once. There have been several reports of this stuff(cans) actually exploding; I don't remember what it was due to. And in my experience with this stuff I found that it seems to 'deteriorate' or become easily crushable after a period of about two years-so I no longer use it where loadbearing could cause problems with a large base or display. I've found it a whole lot easier on my nerves to stay with the old tried and true polyeurathane foam sold by your friendly taxidermy supply.I can control the results a lot better. A lot of the other stuff comes from Lowes, Home Depot, and Walmart. Good luck -Susan
......Patrick has got my drift, George I dont intend to use everything I read, but just looking for ideas such as the Elmers glue patrick suggests,I never thought of that because I have not had a great deal of experience with bases.Exellent idea,thank you Patrick
.....any more?
Susan, the expanding foam, such as GreatStuff, does deteriorate when left exposed to the elements. But when it is used in a mount setting out of hard beating sun and snow/rain it does hold up quiet nicely. And the new formulas found today do help also.
Not just hardware stores-
Square stock for Mounting Sheds/detachables ($8 of stock does 15 antlers)
Expanding foam in a can (again)
Needles and Syringes from the vet (for injecting drummed areas, etc)
5 Minute super glue epoxy - Great for many things and ears (don't knock it if you haven't tried it)
Dremmels - Can't live without it
Plaster of Paris
Habitat - (Craft stores)
Caulking
Panty Hose - for keeping birds nice when freezing
Molding tools
Rock forms (From train stores)
Clothes Hangers - cut, to hold ears in position
Hangers - the kind you put on the back of plaques
Foam tube for bird necks. .10 a foot is better than .30-.75
Wire for birds wings and legs
Walk around in you local hobby craft store, you will see many things that you can use.
The gun foam ,if you have a gun for the large cans you can get it in any grade or density..I use the adheasive foam for lots of things,,,
As for rtv yep it aint the same BUT its works in all the same places..I do carry a backpack with molding supplies in it ..Ya never know where and when you'll find somthing cool out there..The gun foam allows me to get a quick mother mold right in the field.The nice thing about foam is IF you think its gotten to big just conform it down..Once its not tacky you can do what ya want with it..As for forms I know a person who does a lot of bear..I sold them a gun and a couple cans..They needed to adjust the form a tad..So they drilled a whole in the back of the form and injected foam in the needed area and just like I do with large birds once it swelled up they smoothed it to a exact...After a few minutes its totaly possible..The great thing of foam is it works with water..
Maybe I am behind the times, but I just found scapel blades on ebay, with shipping, for half of what I pay at Vand Dykes w/o shipping.