I am using Arrowhead crystals in auto tanner and doing a good job of thinning. I recently started using Techna Glue and drumming and lips pulling out of slot has become a real problem. Was previously using original crystals and Buckeye Supreme without as much shrinkage. I have been having good slack in mount expecting to have no drumming. I am using Arrowhead crystals to 1 gallon of water and oiling out of tanner. I am wondering if something in Techna Glue is reacting with the crystals and causing the skin to shrink. Seems like the places I put the most glue, the bigger the drumming and shrinking problem. Has any one had problems with this combination or with this glue? Thanks, Ken
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Seriously, go with EPO-GRIP hide adhesive. Its the best I have ever seen for game heads.
The tanning is not reacting. as far as I can find out EPO-GRIP is the only two-part adhesive that has been designed for our industry. The others have been nothing but accidental finds. Been there done that sort of thing.
with adhesives more is not better. You want as thin a layer you can get with 100 percent coverage. Typically a glue will fail when it is gobbed on.
Ken,
Just saw your post. I use 100% latex caulk for hide paste which has no holding power at all when wet. Techna glue has to be better!
I have two recommendations:
1. Slow down your drying time. This does two things:
a. At the completion of the tanning process(regardless of the agent used)there is going to be more of the tanning agent concentrated on the flesh surface than in the grain layer of the skin. Slow even drying allows the tanning agent to migrate and equalize throughout the skin cross-section. More tan=less shrink.
b. The still-wet paste is drawn somewhat into the skin and dries before the skin. The epoxy pastes do this quicker. Thus the paste is able to hold the skin in place despite some pulling from the drying skin.
I slow down the drying time by bagging a mount at night for the first few days after mounting. No pins, no shrinkage.
2. Always return the skin to the tan after shaving. Super thin shaving on the areas that you mentioned is great, but as I mentioned earlier, a large percentage of the tanning agent is in that top layer. You will have less shrinkage leaving it thicker right out of the tanning bath than if you shave it real thin without returning to the tan. Better yet, shave thin and return to the tan for an hour!
Good luck with it, hope this helps!
Got my emails crossed up. Correct address is above.
Also, one more note on Ken's post about the shrinkage being worst where the hide paste was applied thickest; those were the areas where the skin dried way before the paste. Slower drying solves it.