So, as if I don't have enough going on with home projects, I've got a few amateur "taxidermy" projects going as well.
I've had a colony of beetles for quite a while now. A few months ago, they were finally capable of tackling larger skulls, so I started with a javelina. I've also got my buddy's first buck skull in there now and it's close to being done as well. The javelina is in the whitening process now, but after two days is already quite white. It's been a few years since I've done euro skulls, so the javelina was a nice refresher course before I get into whitening the buck.
The buck rack with the metal skull is one that my grandpa shot back in the 50s. It was his biggest buck and since he's longer here, I figured it was time for me to rejuvenate it and move it from the garage to the house. The rack is REALLY bleached thanks to years as a towel hanger for my uncles pool. Chlorine has not been nice to it, so I bought the stuff to re-stain it. Potassium Permanganate is what all the pros use. Comes in powder form and when mixed with water, turns bright purple; dries and turns brown. It's really easy to get the exact color you want because each coat darkens only by a shade or two. Makes it easy to get the exact color you want.
The shed in the picture was my test bone for the potassium. Figured I better find out exactly how many coats it takes to get it where I want it before I started on grandpa's rack.
Anyways, just thought I'd share.
I've had a colony of beetles for quite a while now. A few months ago, they were finally capable of tackling larger skulls, so I started with a javelina. I've also got my buddy's first buck skull in there now and it's close to being done as well. The javelina is in the whitening process now, but after two days is already quite white. It's been a few years since I've done euro skulls, so the javelina was a nice refresher course before I get into whitening the buck.
The buck rack with the metal skull is one that my grandpa shot back in the 50s. It was his biggest buck and since he's longer here, I figured it was time for me to rejuvenate it and move it from the garage to the house. The rack is REALLY bleached thanks to years as a towel hanger for my uncles pool. Chlorine has not been nice to it, so I bought the stuff to re-stain it. Potassium Permanganate is what all the pros use. Comes in powder form and when mixed with water, turns bright purple; dries and turns brown. It's really easy to get the exact color you want because each coat darkens only by a shade or two. Makes it easy to get the exact color you want.
The shed in the picture was my test bone for the potassium. Figured I better find out exactly how many coats it takes to get it where I want it before I started on grandpa's rack.
Anyways, just thought I'd share.
