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What's On Your Workbench? February 2023

Discussion in 'Bird Taxidermy' started by BrookeSFD16, Feb 1, 2023.

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  1. Feb 8, 2023 #21
    oskare

    oskare Iceland

    137
    16
    i defrost them half way and inject loads of water in and freeze them again, then i hydrate them after skinning in fabric softener, soap and salt and degrease them works very well
     
  3. Feb 8, 2023 #22
    Jim McNamara

    Jim McNamara Well-Known Member

    2,018
    666
    Thanks, never tried fabric softener. Appreciate that tip.
    Jim
     

  5. Feb 8, 2023 #23
    Russell94

    Russell94 Member

    35
    12
    Mexico
    Still do not get the string thing - I have never used it or needed it to get feathers to lay correctly
     
    BrookeSFD16 likes this.
  6. Feb 9, 2023 #24
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
    9,093
    NW Louisiana
    I don't use caulk...at all. I noticed on my standing birds that my side pockets would fall or lay out as the skin dried. Once I started stringing, I found I could walk away from it without worrying about looking at it 2 or 3 days later to find a gap between my side pockets and the wing. So...for me...the string basically holds a tad of pressure preventing shifting as the skin dries. It takes me 3 minutes to string, and I don't have the issues I had trying to use caulk and getting it everywhere.
     
    Wally Gator and goosehunter1733 like this.
  7. Feb 9, 2023 #25
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
    9,093
    NW Louisiana
    PXL_20230208_142138731.jpg PXL_20230208_205920712.jpg Here's a "Blonde Mallard" that "flew in" ...I call bs, but she'll make a cool mount I think.
     
    GotHonks and Trevor Patterson like this.
  8. Feb 9, 2023 #26
    oskare

    oskare Iceland

    137
    16
    salted skins are a pain, so the string helps a lot, so not using them is no status of "skill" its just what works best for different situations :)
     
    Wally Gator and BrookeSFD16 like this.
  9. Feb 9, 2023 #27
    Crittrstuffr

    Crittrstuffr Well-Known Member

    762
    1,232
    One thing for sure string or no string the end results Brooke puts out are pretty good . . . String on :D
     
    GotHonks, Wally Gator, BrookeSFD16 and 1 other person like this.
  10. Feb 9, 2023 #28
    Russell94

    Russell94 Member

    35
    12
    Mexico
    I'd like to try the string thing, but have no experience with it and do not want to screw it up
     
  11. Feb 9, 2023 #29
    Dark Man

    Dark Man Well-Known Member

    989
    953
    Oshkosh,Wisconsin
    Not too hard.just stick the bird on a vice,put a long pin in it with said string attached,then lightly wrap around the bird til your satisfied.just don’t pull it super tight or you could f up your feather patterns,it doesn’t take much to hold them in place
     
    BrookeSFD16 likes this.
  12. Feb 10, 2023 #30
    Wildthings

    Wildthings Well-Known Member

    1,600
    2,071
    Brooke, you got them strung up through the nostrils?
     
    BrookeSFD16 likes this.
  13. Feb 10, 2023 #31
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
    9,093
    NW Louisiana
    Yes sir! If I can't get to the nostrils when it's frozen, I'll drill a hole through the bill and run my wire through there...since I use fake bills. Can't stand a juicy head when I skin! If they come in thawed, I'll put the wire in before I freeze. Makes me thaw faster, blood drops in the sink, and no juicy head!
     
    Wildthings and Wally Gator like this.
  14. Feb 10, 2023 #32
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
    9,093
    NW Louisiana
    PXL_20230209_192303341.PORTRAIT~2.jpg Here's one from yesterday... BEFORE I put the string:)):):)
     
    Nick87, GotHonks, Trevor Patterson and 5 others like this.
  15. Feb 10, 2023 #33
    Crittrstuffr

    Crittrstuffr Well-Known Member

    762
    1,232
    One of these days you need to share the secret with the crest and heads on your wood ducks Brooke. I thought I had it figured out till you said you "use no caulk".:eek: Ya know inquiring minds want to know. After all ya let the string secret out . . . :D Enjoy your week end
     
    GotHonks, BrookeSFD16 and Wildthings like this.
  16. Feb 10, 2023 #34
    3bears

    3bears Well-Known Member

    7,072
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    PXL_20230210_142007454.PORTRAIT.jpg the latest shot up pin feathered woodrow
     
    GotHonks, BrookeSFD16 and Trapper2016 like this.
  17. Feb 10, 2023 #35
    Dark Man

    Dark Man Well-Known Member

    989
    953
    Oshkosh,Wisconsin
    Don’t over think the crest on a wood duck.you don’t need caulk to make it look nice,it’s just a matter of making sure the quills are fleshed properly and moving that skin around.
     
    GotHonks, BrookeSFD16 and Jim McNamara like this.
  18. Feb 10, 2023 #36
    Tanglewood Taxidermy

    Tanglewood Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    10,825
    11,890
    dallas oregon
    I forgot to post pics of the strutting hen turkey ped form set up. So, here it is. Resized_20221230_213930_1319178036014896.jpg Resized_20221230_204043_1319229485474825.jpg
     
    Hoythunter22 and BrookeSFD16 like this.
  19. Feb 10, 2023 #37
    3bears

    3bears Well-Known Member

    7,072
    3,798
    MN
    PXL_20230210_224408655.PORTRAIT.jpg finally a pretty decent, feather wise anyway, woodrow for this afternoon
     
    GotHonks, BrookeSFD16, Wally Gator and 1 other person like this.
  20. Feb 11, 2023 #38
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
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    Just pin the ears, pull the neck skin up to where it goes and pin that, then blow air in the head ...if fleshed and clean it'll go right like it's supposed to. Then just glue the bill and set the eyes without touching the head. Once done if need be you can blow air from the front. I leave the ear pins in for awhile until the skin kinda sets, then remove. I do this on all my ducks...not just woodies. I use zero caulk on my commercial birds.
     
    Crittrstuffr, GotHonks and Hoythunter22 like this.
  21. Feb 11, 2023 #39
    BrookeSFD16

    BrookeSFD16 Well-Known Member

    2,836
    9,093
    NW Louisiana
    I'd already pulled the ear pins on this one but you can see the orange pins I used to pin the neck skin up. Same pins I use the pin the ear holes to where they go on the head.

    PXL_20230210_195437621.PORTRAIT~2.jpg
     
    Crittrstuffr, Trapper2016, Wally Gator and 3 others like this.
  22. Feb 11, 2023 #40
    Hoythunter22

    Hoythunter22 Well-Known Member

    101
    485
    It’s been about 9 years since my last wood duck. This thing kicked my butt haha 93D1129F-DC36-4EB3-BA27-29948BC9AD2B.jpeg
     
    Wildthings, Crittrstuffr, Trapper2016 and 4 others like this.
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