removable antlers

I mounted a caribou for customer, and was wondering if it is possible to do the detachable antlers after it was all mounted or should it have been done before. I never used them before and the customer asked me after it was mounted. any input would be appreciated. thanks ty

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i guess

you could always try, but i'd say its a little to late for that.

Why not?

This happened to me last year when a client came to pick up his elk mount and haul it 1000 miles home (in a ford ranger with a shell on it). I simply drilled two small pilot holes through the antler in to the peds. Tapped the hair down and cut them off. Drilled the correct size hole for steel dowels at the cut. Dremeled the ped down a ¼ inch or so to help hide the cut . Patched the pilot holes with apoxie and dabbed a little stain on to cover . He got his head home and the job actually looked good . With his permission don't be afraid to try. Jay

Jay, I'm not arguing with your logic, just your method

Removable antlers TO ME are a whole lot more than you described. My removables are measured and braced before they're ever cut off. Using what you describe, you could never satisfy me that the tilt and the spread ever remained the same afterwards. That's why it's so important to do this BEFORE you start the mounting process.

Having said that, they could be cut off (after tying them to braces so the spread remained and the tip to the nose was the same). I'd then drill an oversized hole in the skull plate. Go ahead and install the male connector inside the antler and EPOXY them. Do not use Bondo - it's way too soft. (You can use fiberglass resin with chop in it if you'd prefer.) Grease down the male end heavily and install the female end over it. Fill the skull cap with epoxy and set the entire assembly down into the epoxy. Secure the antlers so that your tip to nose is correct and wait for the epoxy to kick off. When it does, remove your braces and remove each antler. The male end should slide easily out of the female adapter that is imbedded in the skull now. Fill any voids with Apoxie. If you cut them cleanly, there shouldn't be much to stain or to patch.

This is still best done BEFORE the animal is mounted so that you can drill a hole through the skull and into the anlter. Then when you cut the antler off, the antler will be perfectly aligned with the skull when pinned.

thanks george

yeah I would do it the same way you explained, but its hard to do when the customer ask for it after everything was mounted. I was just wondering if it would be more a hassle or wouldn't look that great when doing it after mounted.

George

I thought measuring was a given, it only stands to reason you want them back to original. But I stopped using square tubing and square stock. It seemed that it always had a little movement in it. I went to two 1/2 " steel dowels. Sure drilling it from inside the skull cap is the best way. I now drill 2 holes per pedestal. After the cut I secure the dowels in with fiberglass resin and then I drill the female end over size to 9/16 or 17/32 . There is no movement and if it does happen to wiggle you can tap the dowels so they bind a little . I also found that in a lot of sets I did not need to glue the pins in, friction was enough. What I was trying to tell Ty was if the client was up for it, drill a couple of pilot holes from the horn into the skull, make the cut then drill for the pins. The pins only need to be large enough to support the antlers. Fill the holes and let the guy get the mount in his house .

Understand Jay

Your idea will doubtlessly work and work well. I just tend to try and "idiot proof" mine and I use the machined stock McKenzie sells. How do you keep the round dowel from spinning though? Don't you need to drill a pin hole to lock it down?

Yes

if you want them rock solid . A lot of these guys are not that picky. The big trick is to get the holes parallel. I made a guide and it seems to work so far . I guess as long as the pins aren't to long there are not alignment problems . But I always like to hear your ideas.

NO need for measuring anything if done the right way

Email me for directions on how to install removable antlers without any measureing and be done in less then 20 min. This is a fool proof method but has to be done before mounting.

THANKS

Thanks guys this is an excellent thread and the one above about detachables also.