I've been doing taxidermy, on fish, mainly salmon and steelhead and been having a few problems with small cracks forming where the skin meets the artificial head. I put the head on with bondo and then
use my two part appoxi to feather to the skin but I still get a few fish with problems, mainly salmon. Can anyone give me some tips to avoid this problem in the future.
Thanks.
Rick
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Try wiping the fish with alcohol and attach the head with epoxie.
5 or even 15 minute epoxie works good. I then use magic smooth for the junction areas. I also use magic smooth on my fish seems. I have used bondo for this and found out that the bondo has a tendency to crack whare the magic smooth does not.
Hope this helps.
Grouseman
Hi Rick,
I've used the same product Grouseman recommended, and it sure does the job. Another similar product is Smooth-Epox. You can get it from V.D. What I mean is that you can get this product from Van Dyke's! I attach artificial heads with epo-grip clear paste. It is a heavy syrup consistency and sets in less than 10 minutes. For adhesion, it beats bondo 10 times over. I will add that the cracking MIGHT be due to the skin pulling away from the head. Be sure you are using plenty of a good "hide" paste under the skin in that area, and be sure it's DRY before attaching the head.
The only cracked head around here anymore is my own from hitting the floor joists when I get down the basement and walk over to my workbench....eh?
You have a good day Rick,
Doug
But of course the skin should be thoroughly dry before sculpting in the head and skin. As someone said bondo is not an adhesive. I use minimal expanding foam in a can that is sold at the hardware store to fill in cracks etc. I know it is good as I tried to separate a head from a body once and broke the body.
I fill the head almost full and attach it to the body and hold with pins and mask off with masking tape (mask off before fitting the head). I usually wait until I have several salmonids to do and throw the can away after I'm done. I've never had any luck on reusing these cans even if I clean them religiously.After that it is apoxie sculpt and some fine sanding and the union is as smooth as a babies butt.
Cecil
But of course the skin should be thoroughly dry before sculpting in the head and skin. As someone said bondo is not an adhesive. I use minimal expanding foam in a can that is sold at the hardware store to fill in cracks etc. I know it is good as I tried to separate a head from a body once and broke the body.
I fill the head almost full and attach it to the body and hold with pins and mask off with masking tape (mask off before fitting the head). I usually wait until I have several salmonids to do and throw the can away after I'm done. I've never had any luck on reusing these cans even if I clean them religiously.After that it is apoxie sculpt and some fine sanding and the union is as smooth as a babies butt.
Cecil
When using the modeling epoxy most people use some water to smooth it out. Well that same water "can" sometimes rehydrate the skin. And sometimes that in itself will cause the junction to crack.
Hey Thanks Fella's
Im pretty sure the skins are dry so it must be the bondo and I do use the smooth out appoxi feathered over the seam. I think I'll give Doug's method, using epo-grip,to attach the heads because I'm just one of those people who can't stand to wait and that's probably most of the problem.
Thanks again
Rick