Need Help

Wow, sawdust fill method...what made you go this route rather than fish filler method with a fish filler type mache or carving a styrofoam body? I experimented with the sawdust method about 30 years ago when I first started into taxidermy but always left the head connected at the top. Now that you already have it off though, maybe just insert and glue (with bondo or caulking) a styrofoam block into the front of the body cavity then use 2 wires shoved through the eye sockets of the head and into the styrofam block. Once in place, bondo the connection between the top of the head and the back of the fish. Once the bondo sets sand the connection and feather out with an epoxie like epoxy sculp , sculpall,etc. Also tie in the throat latch using epoxy. Much like attaching a head to a foam body mounted fish. This is just a suggestion though, as like I said I always used to leave the head intact whne I used the sawdust or sand filled method. I would also suggest giving the fish filler mache type method a try on a couple of smaller fish. Good luck to you and have fun.

 

Well, I'm not old enough to chime in too much about these very old school methods. But, I would NOT using foam because it expands. What I would do to keep the saw dust in place instead of pulling it all out is first run a dowel or something into the length of the fish to add some support for the head. Next, I would scrape away maybe a 1/4" of the sawdust and replace that with a couple of layers of Elmers Glue, or bondo or Apoxie Sculpt or whatever. Let dry and then attach the head via bond and later Apoxie Sculpt...

 

I think what Marty is suggesting with the dowel is to have it seated inside the head to help support it. If you want maybe also put some bondo or fast set mache inside the head kind of behind where the gills were and then push the head onto the part of the dowel that Marty suggested installing that is sticking out of the front of the body. Hold in place until it sets then bondo or epoxy the joints at the top of the head and the throat latch.