Coloring elk sheds project

[Bill]

I’m still waiting for the MacKinsey shipment, so I did some work on the skull/base.

Drilled holes for threaded rod.



The smell of drilled bone. Anybody else old enough to remember when dentist’s drill were not water cooled?

I don’t always look this bad- I’ve been up since 4:30 looking for elk (a million tracks, but no elk).



I used construction adhesive to secure 2, 12” 3/16 threaded rods. I’ll bend when the adhesive is hard and cut to length when I decide on the plaque.

Since the 1/2 full tube was hardened in the nozzle, I cut it open. Figured what doesn’t go inside the skull goes in the garbage.




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[wytex]

I use pine tar and natural branches and dirt to color antlers. Kind of like the animal does it.
Here's a deadhead we found that I colored and the spouse boiled out after.

[Bill]

That’s really good looking. Where do you get pine tar? Is that what gives the brown color?


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[WildThings]

If you are going Miniwax, Golden Oak as the base color and Walnut as the darker color. You'll have to go in phases. Start light then go darker. You'll figure it out quickly. Get a feel for how much to wipe off, how long to let it set before wiping etc. If color isn't the way you want, use steel wool to "sand" it off and start again. If they are chalky anywhere, be aware that will soak stain in more thus more color. I know you said they weren't but just a word of caution.

I've restained dozens of antlers and what buck_wild says above is dead on. Exactly how I do it

[Bill]

Thanks again.


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[Bill]

Is waiting for Bondo to harden worse than waiting for paint to dry?




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[texan4ut]

Minwax guys are spot on. That's what I have used too. Provincial was the color

[buck_wild]

Is waiting for Bondo to harden worse than waiting for paint to dry?




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I just use more red stuff

[Bill]

Minwax guys are spot on. That's what I have used too. Provincial was the color

Do you use the provincial stain as the dark/ tar highlights or the base color? I’ve used it on wood projects and it’s really dark.


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[Bill]

Coloring elk sheds project

First, I stand corrected. This is not a shed, it’s a ‘deadhead’ I’m told.

I bondo’d the sides of the skull, then painted flat black. I didn’t like it. Then I sprayed anodized bronze, and liked it a lot more.

The McKenzie Raw Umber antler paint came yesterday.

I diluted it about 50:1 with warm water. The $15.00 4 ounce bottle is a lifetime supply. Don’t believe them saying you can dilute mineral spirit. Like oil and water after mixing a little up.

I did 3 coats, wiping as I went. Then used 60 grit sandpaper to get white highlights.

I took a look and thought the color was too uniform- so I got a clean rag moist with warm water and went over it, removing stain.

I’m not sure about adding dark/ black to areas like pine sap, I have to think about it.

Here’s where I wound up today.






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[Bill]

Lacquer thinner on a rag took off some of the excess.

Then I used the damp rag with black Kiwi shoe polish to darken snd add contrast. Tips whitened up with steel wool.

Right side darkened with shoe polish vs left not done yet.







Both sides done with black shoe polish.



Next, McKenzies recommends spraying with Krylon # 1311 matt finish. Then to figure out a plaque design.






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[JES]

Looks great, nice work.

[mzurovec]

Nice work!

[3ChordTruth]

Looking good Bill, that last “after shoe polish both sides” pic is outstanding.

[Bill]

Thanks.


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