I bought my first wall pedistal mule deer form (Bill Lancaster), but don't know how to finish the back where the curve is? There is no wood to staple into, and also wondering how to finish it once it's dried? Do you put a decorative leather there, and how? I'd really appreciate any advice. Thank you for your help, Steve
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I trim my hide even with the back edge of the form (make sure you use a good hide paste or glue). After everything is dry I use the stick on felt or glue a piece of leather on to cover the curved section. Hope this helps.Eddie J.
I just mounted my dad's mulie on one and Bill makes a great mulie form. What I do is rough up the foam area with 60 grit sand paper. When the mount is dry and finished, I use an artificial velvet fabric from Joann's Fabric Store. You should visit one if one is near you. You'll be amazed at the variety of options you have to finish wall pedistals or full pedistals for that matter. Anyway, you can use a good glue and then trim the edge in decorative brass tacs, evenly spaced around the finished area. If you have any questions just e-mail. I mount alot of pedistals and finish them alot of different ways including rock faces with cave drawings.
use Fleck Stone (or similar product) and make it look like stone. BP
I used to do all that stuff but it never looked "finished". I took my dremel and clamped a piece of woodstock on the barrel so that it served as a guide. The bit was tipped away from me at 45 degrees. I then cut a channel all the way around the pedestal about a half inch in. I sprayed wom contact glue on the form and stuck a piece of doeskin on the form. I cut it neatly even with the edge of the form. Then I removed it and sanded the form back.
Next I mounted the deer and cut the cape about 2 inches longer than the edge of the pedestal form. With a lip tucking tool, I tucked the skin all the way around the pedestal and had a great "rounded off" look to the skin and hair.I cut a hole in a scrap piece of cardboard and used it as a shield as I sprayed the form center with the 3M heavy contact glue. Then I sprayed the suede side of the doeskin almost to the the edge.
Carefully hold the doeskin in place and gently push the center in to contact the center of the pedestal. Smooth it out to cover the back and then, with your lip tucking tool, tuck the leather into the channel alongside and over the hide and hair. You won't need any braid to cover the edge. It give a super clean and finished look.
in the foam? I'd like to see a photo or two if anyone wants to email me one. Thanks again, Steve P.S. This is a great site!
i use a variation of this method for coyote pedestals and it works great
Let about 1" of skin go past the mannikin and put a few pins in it to hold it till it dries. The skin will shrink tight around the edge of the back. Cut off the excess with a razor blade after the mount dries. Cover the back crescent with anything you like.
I cut the backing material to fit the form before mounting the deer and lay it aside. It's easier for me to get the fit right without the cape on the form.--Aaron H.