Antler Plaque Ideas

get those metal straps with holes in them that they sell at hardware stores and some screws and your antlers are secured

Okay. The securing can be done many different ways, I think. . Its now a question on more of how you form the velvet or leather around the antlers, once they are on the plaque is that I'm wondering about.  I have heard of people using forms and other people that just pin it around in a circle and stuff cotton in it...

Big J

Try going fishing with me on Devils Lake and see how that works.

Enslow Said:
Try going fishing with me on Devils Lake and see how that works.

What does that have to do with anything?  Drinking already?  Nice!

Big J

 

Enslow Said:
Try going fishing with me on Devils Lake and see how that works.

Haha wrong thread?

I have a friend who does some taxidermy work, I sent a broken set of antlers to him a couple years back, the skull plate was broken, and what he did (I think) is use some sort of bracket to re-join the two halves and then attached them to the plaque using the metal straps with holes as buckmaster mentioned, he then covered the skull plate in some sort of plaster which he molded into a circular shape and fit the felt over top of that.  It's hard as cement and seems to hold to the antlers/plaque quite well.

bullheadmaster Said:

Enslow Said:
Try going fishing with me on Devils Lake and see how that works.

What does that have to do with anything?  Drinking already?  Nice!

Big J

NO big J im not drinking already.  Are you?

if your really ambitious you could make a form and set the skull plate in plaster giving it a swet tear drop shape... if you are that ambitious

Thanks WW.  That is king of what I was thinking of trying. Make some type of a plaster mold or whatever.  If you can get any more details on how he did it by chance, and you have time PM them to be. Thanks!

Big J

P.S.  Enslow needs a whikey.   Yes yes, whikey.

buckmaster81 Said:
if your really ambitious you could make a form and set the skull plate in plaster giving it a swet tear drop shape... if you are that ambitious

yeah, i have 4 of those to do, and 4 europeons ready and need to plaque them this weekend. Hopefully get it all done.

oh and then tack or staple ur cover to the back side and screw through back of plaque into plaster/ bondo

i have been lazy lately and been using Van Dykes antler mounting kit

I cut a back plate out of 1/2 inch plywood. I bolt the horns to this plate. I use paper mache to get the get the shape I want and then wrap it with buckskin. Buckskin is kinda stretchy so you can pull it tight enough to get all the wrinkles out. I use staples to fasten on the back side of that 1/2 inch plywood. Then screw it to the plaque and you are done! 

Outdoors 26, THANKS!!  I think I will give that a go and see what happens tomorrow night. 

Big J

No Problem! Good Luck!

outdoors26 Said:
No Problem! Good Luck!

I think I'll need some luck!!   Any other details on this you can offer me?  I may have a few questions if you don't mine me dropping you a PM?

Big J

bullheadmaster Said:

outdoors26 Said:
No Problem! Good Luck!

I think I'll need some luck!!   Any other details on this you can offer me?  I may have a few questions if you don't mine me dropping you a PM?

Big J

pm sent

i have been doing alot of them lately..i just get the antler form from van dykes and some fast set mache or bondo...it looks real neat if you wrap them in a crown bag and trim them out in gold..thats what ppl ask me to do...if you have any questions lemme know

greff Said:
i have been doing alot of them lately..i just get the antler form from van dykes and some fast set mache or bondo...it looks real neat if you wrap them in a crown bag and trim them out in gold..thats what ppl ask me to do...if you have any questions lemme know

Thanks! I appreciate it.

Big J

One thing that I have done is either cut a circle or teardrop shape out of plywood to mount the horns to. Use a stiff paper to make a form around the plywood and staple around the edges to create a small pool about an inch or 2 deep. Use expanding foam insulation to fill the pool, (doesn't take that much) and let dry. Once dried, use a file or sandpaper to form the contour of the head/skull. Wrap in your favorite crushed velvet or leather and staple from behind. Attatch to plaque from behind. Trying to upload photo, but no luck.

red_e_2_shoot Said:
One thing that I have done is either cut a circle or teardrop shape out of plywood to mount the horns to. Use a stiff paper to make a form around the plywood and staple around the edges to create a small pool about an inch or 2 deep. Use expanding foam insulation to fill the pool, (doesn't take that much) and let dry. Once dried, use a file or sandpaper to form the contour of the head/skull. Wrap in your favorite crushed velvet or leather and staple from behind. Attatch to plaque from behind. Trying to upload photo, but no luck.

Great ideas! That is the consensus I have been hearing about on the best way to do this.  Thanks everyone for your opinions!  What kind of error message or issues are you having that isn't allowing you to upload a photo?

Big J