Euro mounts?
- Thread starter basco
- Start date
Backpack Hunter
New member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 364
If I could pay $45 I would have someone do the beetles. As it is I boil....well simmer mine.
Theelkhunter
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 40
Beetles. I also like to have the skulls metalized.
GameSlayer
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 85
Boil, cheep and easy.. If you have the stuff to do it. Just boil skull and pressure wash everything off, then boil again with peroxide to whiten..
I boiled it last year by myself for the first time. It wasn't to bad at all, but I wanna try finding an ant pile or something and leaving it on that for a few days and see what happens. If I do that it will be with something smaller incase a porcupine or something finds it.
Boil it....Much quicker. Exspecially if you have a pressure washer to hit it with after boiling it. For Bleaching the skull I use clairol professional BW2 with Salon Care 40 stabilizing formula..(very strong hair bleach so be very carefull not to get it on your skin).
I boild mine with a little borax in the water. it helps the scramble the brains before you boil, it will come out easier. when its clean, scrub with dawn dish soap and water. let it dry. then mix 40-50 developer and some bleaching powder(forgot the name) and coat the skull. you can put some peroxide and the solution mixed in a spray bottle and spray it into the hard to reach areas. then put the skull only in a thick black trash bag. the longer you leave it, the more white it will be. i usually do about 2 hours for the natural sun bleached color.
western_hunter
New member
- Jan 10, 2013
- 2
Boil. But if I could choose I would use beetles. Just easier to not mess any of the bones up in the scraping process.
Boil, I did a deer last year and simmered it for a few hours. I then pick the bone clean inside and out, I have a little collection of tools that include a spoon, dental picks and knife. After the bone is clean I wash it clean and apply borax while it is wet, and let it dry, then wash a final time.
This is what I do for my clients. I can get my skulls to look pretty dang close to those that use bugs. Maybe this will help some of you DIY' ers.
1.) Scrape/ Flesh the skull as clean as possible. Once you take of the lower jaw, scraping can be time consuming.
2.) Take the brains out. I use a high speed drill and some type of thick wire.
3.) Get the pot of water hot and put in some degreaser. I use the powder dish washer detergent and a few scoops of oxyclean. For a pot I actually use a 55 gal drum cut down about 12 inches in hight and a turkey burner. I do 3-4 heads at a time.
4.) When the water reaches a "SIMMER" drop in your head. Boling will actually cook the meet on to the skull and damage the some of the nasal passages and other bones.
5.) Scrape every 30 mins until clean, and let dry. take your time when getting the nasal cavity clean. The nasal passages are very brittle. I use my havalon piranta and some homade picks.
6.) Mix 40 vol. cream developer and quick white powder in a paste and apply to the entire skull with a brush in a well heated area for 24 hrs. The heat helps the bleach to do its job. The bleach can be purchased at a beauty supply store or salon.
7.) After 24 hrs, brush off the paste with a tooth brush and rinse
8.) When dry, you can clear coat the skull if you want. It helps the skull from turning yellow years later.
1.) Scrape/ Flesh the skull as clean as possible. Once you take of the lower jaw, scraping can be time consuming.
2.) Take the brains out. I use a high speed drill and some type of thick wire.
3.) Get the pot of water hot and put in some degreaser. I use the powder dish washer detergent and a few scoops of oxyclean. For a pot I actually use a 55 gal drum cut down about 12 inches in hight and a turkey burner. I do 3-4 heads at a time.
4.) When the water reaches a "SIMMER" drop in your head. Boling will actually cook the meet on to the skull and damage the some of the nasal passages and other bones.
5.) Scrape every 30 mins until clean, and let dry. take your time when getting the nasal cavity clean. The nasal passages are very brittle. I use my havalon piranta and some homade picks.
6.) Mix 40 vol. cream developer and quick white powder in a paste and apply to the entire skull with a brush in a well heated area for 24 hrs. The heat helps the bleach to do its job. The bleach can be purchased at a beauty supply store or salon.
7.) After 24 hrs, brush off the paste with a tooth brush and rinse
8.) When dry, you can clear coat the skull if you want. It helps the skull from turning yellow years later.
MuleyCrazed
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 41
I do euro mounts as a side business. I use beetles to clean most everything. I also use the simmering/boiling method when needed. Prior to putting the skull in the beetles you should remove the brain and eyes. I use a piece of 1/4' plastic tubing that has a hose attachment on it to blow out the brains with water. It works pretty well! Beetles don't typically eat the brain or eyes. They actually prefer the meat to be somewhat dry as well, so I dry the skull a few days prior to putting it in.
Even when the beetles are done with the skull it needs to be degreased. I use a combination of Dawn dish soap and baking soda in simmering water to degrease the skulls. I may do this a few times depending on the skull.
I then use the same method as basco for whitening. I get Quick White and 30 or 40 Volume cream developer from my local beauty supply company. I mix that up and brush it on the skull, working the paste into the nasal and brain cavity as much as possible. I also tape up the base of the antlers really good to reduce the risk of bleaching the antlers. I then wrap the skull with cling wrap after applying the whitener in order to keep the paste from drying out too much. Then I put them in front of a small heater to help activate the whitening agent, as basco mentioned.
This seems to work pretty well for me so far. I'm always learning new techniques as well and I try them out to figure out the best and most efficient method.
Even when the beetles are done with the skull it needs to be degreased. I use a combination of Dawn dish soap and baking soda in simmering water to degrease the skulls. I may do this a few times depending on the skull.
I then use the same method as basco for whitening. I get Quick White and 30 or 40 Volume cream developer from my local beauty supply company. I mix that up and brush it on the skull, working the paste into the nasal and brain cavity as much as possible. I also tape up the base of the antlers really good to reduce the risk of bleaching the antlers. I then wrap the skull with cling wrap after applying the whitener in order to keep the paste from drying out too much. Then I put them in front of a small heater to help activate the whitening agent, as basco mentioned.
This seems to work pretty well for me so far. I'm always learning new techniques as well and I try them out to figure out the best and most efficient method.
