Maceration for European Mounts

[NDSportsman]

Just wait til spring or summer. It'll still work just might take an extra week or 2 since it will need to rehydrate first.

 

[shorthairman]

I dabble in some taxidermy work and Maceration is the best way to clean any type of skull. Done correctly you get museum piece quality from it...thus why museums that display bones/skeletons use this method. Go to taxidermy.net and you will find all kinds of tips and ideas for maceration. Also you should be able to find someone on there that will respond to PM's to help you. I have never tried this method for the same reasons you stated...need a place to do it during the winter as the stink is enough to gag even the best plumber.
The problem with boiling/simmering skulls is that the temperature gets high enough that it starts to eat away and break down the bones, also, instead of drawing oils out of the skull, boiling can and often does actually set the oils in the bones only to "leak" back out over time. So a boiled skull may look great for awhile, but after a few months or up to a couple years, those oils may become evident. If you are trying to start a business of european mounts then I would try to figure out how to get maceration to work. Just my .02...good luck.

 

[Tymurrey]

I wonder if a guy could use a 1500 watt water heater element or two to keep the temp up. I built my own buck boiler with one water heater element that works great for one skull at a time, probably could have used a bigger bucket and fit more than one in. Keeps the water at a nice rolling boil and no worries about it boiling over and putting out the flame like on a propane one or constantly having to keep an eye on it. I just fill with water and soda and some dish soap and plug it in in the driveway and let my neighbors deal with the smell. check on it every so often and scrape off what I can. I think a water tank with two of the heaters in it would keep it warm enough especially if covered.

 

[wjschmaltz]

I'm doing a bear skull for a friend , I'm still oily on the back of the skull and lower jaw , would a slow simmer on the stove with a strong dawn solution help to remove the oily area ???? and I also have one more to do for his buddy would removing the brain first help with the greasy left overs ???

Soak it in warm water with Dawn. If all the flesh is removed, it wont stink at all. Just storing a 5 gallon bucket in a spare shower or utility room is warm enough. If there is visible oil on top of the bucket of water after a week, it isn't done yet. Change out water and repeat for another week until nothing appears on the surface of the water.

It can take a very long time with bears because of how fat they are. Age of the animal also plays into it. Do not warm water over 150 degrees during the de-greasing processes, it cannot be rushed. I had a 14 year old mountain goat and an old sow black bear that took 7 weeks to de-grease.

 

[Rowdie]

Just bury it bye an ant pile.

 

[ndbwhunter]

I think I'm going to give the water heater element a try. I'll build an insulated enclosure to hold a 30-50 gallon Rubbermaid tub with one or two elements in the tub. I'll have to find some way to rig it up so I can control the temperature. The wheels are spinning....thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Enslow]

Kdm has beetles that work really good.

 

[ndbwhunter]

Kdm has beetles that work really good.

I have 9 skulls to do, so unfortunately that isn't an option. I enjoy doing them myself so setting up a new system should be fun.

 

[Tymurrey]

Here is my buck head boiler not pretty but was cheap and easy and works good

 

[ItemB]

Is it possible to remove the thermostat or modify the stock tank heater to get the water up to temp? If that is possible probably the way to go.

 

[guywhofishes]

Find a 1,000 watt or lower heating element, mat, lamp, etc.

Plug it into this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I15S6OM/?tag=nodakangler10-20

Done.

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your desired temps are in the wheelhouse of aquarium heaters FYI

 

[Kurtr]

Find a 1,000 watt or lower heating element, mat, lamp, etc.

Plug it into this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I15S6OM/?tag=nodakangler10-20

Done.

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your desired temps are in the wheelhouse of aquarium heaters FYI

Guy he has 9 heads to do will need at least 2000 watts

 

[JayKay]

The thought of the stench has me a little clammy.

The oil and grease, and brain comments, along with fishing through the slop looking for teeth that fell out, is going to give me palpitations.

I am, however, interested in the end results.

 

[ndbwhunter]

Guy he has 9 heads to do will need at least 2000 watts

1500 watts should do just fine, but thanks dick....

 

[guywhofishes]

1500 watts to keep water at 90F?

you using a local swimming pool as your container?

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ther·mo·dy·nam·ics
/ˌTHərmōdīˈnamiks/
noun

• the branch of physical science that deals with the relations between heat and other forms of energy (such as mechanical, electrical, or chemical energy), and, by extension, of the relationships between all forms of energy.
  
  
  
  

 

[Wags2.0]

1500 watts should do just fine, but thanks dick....

It seems like you’re looking for some sort of affirmation not Information. Also lighten up

 

[Tymurrey]

I would think 1500 watts in a semi insulated container would do plenty fine but that’s out of my league figured it would be easier to have more power and regulate then not enough. The heating elements are dirt cheap. I think I was in $25 for mine including the bucket, glue, element. Took an extension cord that the end was shot and cut it as long as I wanted.

 

[guywhofishes]

most controllers regulate with relays

the relay is on or off - when it’s on it’s full juice

so when the controller I showed you (rated for 1000W) kicks on, a 1500 will toast it

a 1000w would just be on more often than a 1500w... but wouldnt blow the controller

I’d go with an old cooler and an aquarium heater, use bubble wrap over top and around horns to keep heat in

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if you’re in fargo I have dozens of coolers to choose from - free

 

[Kurtr]

1500 watts should do just fine, but thanks dick....

Well tell us one more time you have 9 fucking heads to do........

 

[guywhofishes]

find old fridge

put skulls in tough bags of water, zip tie around horns

put $20 heater, skulls, and a thermometer in fridge

adjust temp until your bags o’ mush reach perfect temp for putridness

enjoy