flugge
Well-Known Member
First and foremost, I started to fix these two racks before I read Shovelbucks post on how to fix antlers. So as much as I wish I would have read that before, I am glad I attempted it on my own. I already know things I would have done different, and think I did a very good job with my first attempts.
So it all starts back in the fall of 2010, opening night I was hunting with a good buddy and stuck what was then, my biggest bow buck. Long story short, lost him in a standing cornfield(We are both red/green color blind). The farmer found him with a combine come mid November, and smashed up the rack.
I had tons of pictures of this deer, and with the history, my buddy being there, and then sitting here looking at it hanging on the wall, its ate at me. Well fast forward to January 2013, I found a deer dead on one of the family farms that I had many pictures of.
I recently decided I was going to start taxidermy, so I wanted to "fix" these racks. So I got my pieces made up, and really tried to decide if I had the know how to do this.
So as I sat here and stared at this rack, I decided that I had nothing to lose. So I attempted to mold them together...and this is the first major step that I wish I would have read Shovelbucks post. I did a few things "wrong". But it was a learning experience..So I got them roughed in, but not like I should have...
So, for starters, I wish I would have used more water and molded the apoxie a bit better than I did. It would have required less sanding after it set up. So again, first major mistake, but I am learning. So, sanded the racks..
Now that I had that done, I wiped them off, painted them ivory, and started the staining process.
Now, this was a bit tricky. One of the racks and apoxie took the color real well, the other one sucked. Here again, I think the best thing would be to do is use "fresh" materials. Some of the stuff I had used was a year or so old, and didnt set up as good as the fresh stuff I had.. So, second major mistake that I learned to this point. But staining was fun overall.
The third major thing I noticed, was I definately need a stronger rod to hold them together. I used a weaker rod, and I could tell there is some "softness" to it. So when I was rubbing hard on the points staining, I noticed movement, and little crack lines where the apoxie is. So overall, three big things I wish I would have done different, but I keep telling myself, not bad for the first two I have ever attempted. Now, if you dont get closer than about 6ft, you cant really tell(I am sure everyone here will be able to) the difference. From a distance, they look amazing. But again, I wish I would have "wet molded" the points together, use all fresh materials, and use a stronger rod. Other than that, It was a blast and glad I could do it... here are the final products... Thanks for reading (or at least looking at the pictures :way
So it all starts back in the fall of 2010, opening night I was hunting with a good buddy and stuck what was then, my biggest bow buck. Long story short, lost him in a standing cornfield(We are both red/green color blind). The farmer found him with a combine come mid November, and smashed up the rack.
I had tons of pictures of this deer, and with the history, my buddy being there, and then sitting here looking at it hanging on the wall, its ate at me. Well fast forward to January 2013, I found a deer dead on one of the family farms that I had many pictures of.
I recently decided I was going to start taxidermy, so I wanted to "fix" these racks. So I got my pieces made up, and really tried to decide if I had the know how to do this.
So as I sat here and stared at this rack, I decided that I had nothing to lose. So I attempted to mold them together...and this is the first major step that I wish I would have read Shovelbucks post. I did a few things "wrong". But it was a learning experience..So I got them roughed in, but not like I should have...
So, for starters, I wish I would have used more water and molded the apoxie a bit better than I did. It would have required less sanding after it set up. So again, first major mistake, but I am learning. So, sanded the racks..
Now that I had that done, I wiped them off, painted them ivory, and started the staining process.
Now, this was a bit tricky. One of the racks and apoxie took the color real well, the other one sucked. Here again, I think the best thing would be to do is use "fresh" materials. Some of the stuff I had used was a year or so old, and didnt set up as good as the fresh stuff I had.. So, second major mistake that I learned to this point. But staining was fun overall.
The third major thing I noticed, was I definately need a stronger rod to hold them together. I used a weaker rod, and I could tell there is some "softness" to it. So when I was rubbing hard on the points staining, I noticed movement, and little crack lines where the apoxie is. So overall, three big things I wish I would have done different, but I keep telling myself, not bad for the first two I have ever attempted. Now, if you dont get closer than about 6ft, you cant really tell(I am sure everyone here will be able to) the difference. From a distance, they look amazing. But again, I wish I would have "wet molded" the points together, use all fresh materials, and use a stronger rod. Other than that, It was a blast and glad I could do it... here are the final products... Thanks for reading (or at least looking at the pictures :way
