Be sure to leave the top/front portion of the skull attached which is necessary for the mounting. I think I will soak my hacksaw in bleach for awhile. 12 years ago This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. but that's just me, don't feel insulted. A small oval around the base will help everything hold together. Smaller pieces are easier to handle. Trim the skull plate of the moose to the minimum material necessary to hold the antlers together. Build it, Fix it and Do it yourself. You can paint the board if you would like. 4. 99% of the time I would be happy to allow you to use one photo with appropriate credit and link back to PrettyHandyGirl.com (preferably to the same post it was borrowed from.) Stack the antlers into a position you like, making sure that they rest flat on the table. I believe this is a style of the European mount. Materials Antlers Luan Plywood Bolt 2 Nuts Gorilla Glue Crayola Model Magic Clay (Air Dry) Cloth 1/2 Yard (your choice of color) A Plaque Wood Stain You're also going to need some basic tools like a ban saw, a sander, a staple gun and a drill with a couple different types of drill bits. Cut the antlers out of the skull. In this step you will make the piece that connects the antlers to the wooden plaque. Run the electrical wiring through the hole you just drilled [source: Deer Hunting]. Also drill a hole through the luan board that is lined up with the hole in the antlers. You might be able to get some from a hunter friend or something like that if you aren't a hunter yourself. I used a belt sander to smooth out the edges. They come in all sizes and shapes, plus you can paint them any color to match your style. Attach or make a “cover” for the skull plate; Attach the antlers to a plaque; Hang & Enjoy! I happen to be married to a successful hunter who has been willing to give me some of the smaller deer antlers. I used a 18 tooth/inch hacksaw and cut right on through the brain. If skull plate trimming is necessary, mark prior to cutting to ensure proper cut and fit as shown in the picture below. This will leave a nice, clean looking edge around the base of the antlers with the fabric. after that, just trim off all of the ecsess bone. It’s Jessica from Decor Adventures. I had to laugh at our neighbor she went to some decor store and paid 250.00 for a faux set. Wire overlapping parts of the antlers on the sides to secure the form. If the bolts are too long, you can cut them with bolt cutters or a hacksaw. All the hunters that I know carry a portable cleaning kit in their car, because they know they will eventually hit one no matter how careful they are. boil it?bury it?leave it outside for a while and hope a small animal doesn't run off with it? Use a 3/8" flat wood bit for drilling. (Along with camouflage comforters. I found a huge frozen buck (8 point) floating in the lake this weekend. Learn how your comment data is processed. With this otherwise simple tool at your disposal, you can produce the sound of two bucks butting antlers together during the rut, which is almost certain to spark the curiosity of nearby deer. How to Prepare Deer Antlers for Mounting. Step 5 Hold the antler firmly in … But for those smaller deer, the antlers are perfect for projects. You see, the male deer naturally sheds his antlers each winter. The third hole will be the same size as the second but on the back of the plaque. Thanks! She was so proud until hubby brought out a real set and gave them to her for free. Did you make this project? To make an antler lamp, you will need to drill several holes in order to connect the antlers together. Share it with us! on Introduction, I use plaster not clay, use dry wall screw not bolt and the edge of the plaque looks good with a darker color of stain, Reply Attach antlers to form: 2. Please contact me if you would like to borrow any media (photos, video or audio files), tutorials, or ideas from this blog. If the metal tube within the antler is too small, the end pieces will … Glue the antlers together in the arrangement you have chosen. There are three visual variants of the Deer Antler, that all function in the same way. See you at my blog, Decor Adventures soon! The first will be the size of the bolt so it can fit through the plaque. It should be slightly larger than the base of the antlers you’ll mount. I live to break stereotypes and empower you to take on your own DIY project. the only difference to your pair, is that the remains of the skull bones are in sight. You might be able to get some from a hunter friend or something like that if you aren't a hunter yourself. Then you screw the antlers down onto the plaque. The roadside is littered with 'em. Take your bolts and screw them through the antler and into the board, securing them in the back with the nut. A handsaw … I will post an image here when i am done. Simply slide the bolt into the hole in the skull and glue it on. Trim the excess fabric off as needed to make it easier to work. To get it done by even the smallest taxidermy shops costs about $300 dollars. The animal is already dead. I used a little container and a spray paint can for the circles and connected them to help get the nice rounded shape. Once the holes are pre-drilled, put in the screws to hold everything together. Today I am going to clean up the rack with some advice from a hunter friend. 9 years ago How To Attach Antlers To A European Mount Step 1: Rasp or cut the cleaned antler plate to fit the notch on the reproduction skull. Fill in the Antlers May want to boil/scrape a second time if there's a lot. Use a small screwdriver to press this excess fabric into the space that was left between the modeling clay and the bottom edge of the antlers. The second hole will be on the front of the plaque. If you have an entire antler rack, cut off one of the points before sawing your ring piece. Drill a hole in the center of your antlers big enough for your bolt to fit through. Do your homework beforehand. You can use a jeweler's glue or an epoxy type glue. Doing this will make a great Christmas gift. Don't want to waste a good deer. Place the antlers on the board as you’d like them positioned. Drill a hole through the antler(s), where you will place the light socket. 3 years ago. Spray paint the antlers and attach them to the wall to get a comfy storage piece. on Introduction. As it had been dead for some time and the innards were not frozen, it smelled to high heaven once I got through the bone. Cut skull plate squarely, avoiding saw contact with the antlers. 5. There you have it. I mounted two sets of antlers that I got at a yard sale. Do this for each antler if they are separate. P.S. Over time, the antlers can dry out and start to look ragged or worn. this is the most heavy handed and ugly antler mount I have ever seen..it isn't necessary to drill a hole through the centre of the skull and why do you need to cover up the bone ?? Now the antlers can be bolted to the mounting plate. Reply Once you have the look you … i actually meant something else..... my old man has a pair of antlers, cut up just like that, and he put it on some lumber piece he polished, and voila. Scrape off the grisly bits with a sharp knife. ... the wood should be at least 1 1/4 inches thick to allow deeper penetration for the screws that will attach the antlers to the plaque. 12. February 4, 2015 Decor Adventures 7 Comments. Nov 8, 2012 - Turn all of those whitetail deer antlers into a work of art for your home! Drill a hole through the parts of each antler you want to run wire through, and then secure the antlers together in your finished design. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 3. I will definitely be using your instructable for the mount. sweet i hope i get a buck to do this with! A quick online search, and you will find people who enjoy finding antler sheds and selling them. You don’t need a degree in Taxidermy or any special tools, a drill will do! Lay the fabric over the top of the "head" and begin stapling the fabric to the back of the mounting plate. Using your drill, carefully drill into the bone of the antler and through the board. The finished project. Using a drill and strong wires, attach the individual antlers to each other in the design of your choosing. A … First, prepare the board you’ll mount the antlers on. Feb 14, 2017 - In just 6 steps, you can learn how to make a deer antler ring. In this article, I will show you where to acquire deer antler, what can be made with it, and how to work with antler material.Man was using antler during o… When you go hunting often you may be left with several deer that are not suitable for shoulder mounting, but you may not want to discard the antlers. Next you need to cut out the shape. This scull was found in South Dakota on one of my first boy scout trips. If you find them second hand they may already have holes drilled in them from when they were previously mounted. thx, if you want to cut the horns out of the skull and keep them together with a peice of bone or something, you can use a sawz-all (thats what i used, its kind of like a big jigsaw) by just cutting a short wide U under the horns. Delta- I agree that there are reasons for the presented method. Reply This is the part you will attach to a board to mount them. Crafting With Deer Antler: Deer antler is an incredible renewable resource that has a myriad of uses in the craft world. If you're a nature or hunting enthusiast and have antlers from past hunting trips, or if you bought some, use them to customize an old chandelier or a chandelier kit. Always remember to follow the grain of the wood when staining. Home project tutorials. done. Be sure to leave the top/front portion of the skull attached which is necessary for the mounting. on Introduction. They can be both functional and practical. Mount the antlers. That said, make sure you follow all laws and regulations when it comes to selling antlers. Those who perform sport hunting often like to mount the antlers from deer, elk or even moose. When you have worked both sides of the fabric up the back of the mounting plate, cut a slit in the fabric at the top of "head" and wrap the cloth around the base of antlers. on Introduction. Collecting and using them for art does no harm to the deer. Collect shed deer antlers from the wild or purchase them online. A DIY Blog Empowering You to Complete Your Own Project. what is the best method for cleaning the leftover bits of meats off the bone so that it can be mounted. These antlers fall from bucks' heads each fall. Its a different style of mount. Glue the antlers together in the arrangement you have chosen. dont worry about cutting too far into the head.. the deer wont be using its head much anymore ; ). Now you can secure the hanging hardware on the back of the board and hang them up! In order to get your deer antlers it would probably be good to shoot a male deer (a buck). Use the crayola clay to shape the top of the "head." in Michigan, you just need to drive a couple of miles down the road. on Introduction. Now when you see antlers at the flea market, you can pick them up and put them up in your home in just a few minutes. Use a paper towel or a brush to apply the stain to the wood. Try to keep the actual antlers out of the water. it's basically just screwed in place. Deer antler is a wonderful and durable resource for jewelry and crafts. 2. 4. Hacksaw, Dremel, cross-cut saw, chainsaw? The silver one below already had the mounting holes drilled in it when I took this picture, but you can get an idea of the size board you need. The drilling is easy, but make sure you do it correctly for a good, clean hole. Now just go hang it up on the wall somewhere. Mike Powell said: ↑ Wet the area of the seam and around the antlers bases with a spray bottle. Cut through the skull at the base of the antlers, making sure to keep part of the skull plate as you go around it. Antlers can be found at flea markets or second hand stores if you are lucky. Hole size should be appropriate to the size of the screws provided in the kit. Then wrap some wet rags around the Antlers bases and seam area. Each deer antler mount plaque kit will vary a little bit with how to actually attach the antlers to the plaque. My family had antlers on the wall before they were considered cool. This will allow your antlers to sit flat on the wall when you hang them. However, the contractor's adhesive "Liquid Nails" is the greatest. You don’t necessarily need all of these materials to mount deer antlers on a plaque, but this is what’s needed for a … Sheds, especially big ones, do have the potential to garner some serious cash. I can be contacted via email: PrettyHandyGirl (at) gmail.com. Many hunters not only enjoy the pursuit of wild game animals for food, but also for sport. Step 1: Getting Started A hand saw or hack saw will do the trick. Attach the bowl piece to one end of the threaded metal tube. You should not take only the antlers. Materials Needed to Mount Deer Antlers. Hi, I'm Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl. Obviously, you wouldn’t do this with a big trophy buck. If you love rustic or outdoor style, this project is perfect for you. Maybe I’ll put a hand towel on them! Most seasoned hunters will agree that nothing attracts deer more than the sound of an authentic antler rattler. Make sure the tips are even and not lopsided to one side. I have a set that I painted gold in my home office and another I’ll be hanging in our basement bathroom. What is the best way to saw off the top of the skull? Click to see full answer Then, how do you put deer antlers together? He's out right now trying for #5! First I drew two overlapping circles onto the luan to make a nice teardrop shape. If the deer was beat up one might not want to see the scared head. You’ll see all kinds of animal antlers on walls or holding jewelry or scarves. Using your drill, carefully drill into the bone of the antler and through the board. Trace your antlers onto the mounting plate so they can be easily aligned for drilling. with some decent looking screws. This project shows an easy way to mount a deer scull. It may take a while to get the exact shape that you want, so be patient and work the clay until you like it. Most antlers you get will have some of the bone attached to the end of the antler. I don't have any pictures of this, but at this point I chose to use a keyhole router bit on the back of my plaque so when i hung it on the wall it would be flush and look nice. Again, cut off any excess material as needed. Hold things with your hands for a few seconds while it sets so there will be no complex clamp arrangements to make. The ends of the pipe cleaners should be looped around the entire headband, and then the pipe cleaners should be twisted around themselves to securely hold the antlers in place. It’s much easier than you think to mount antlers on your own. Work the fabric all the way around the bottom of the mounting plate, making sure that the front is pulled taut and smoothed out. Arkansas man builds Christmas 'tree' out of deer antler sheds: 'I don't plan on ever taking it down' Jeff Jester, of Arkansas, says he's now getting requests to build these 'trees' for others 6 years ago Also be sure to push the modeling clay down around the base of the antlers as shown in the picture so the cloth will fit snugly around them. , Mine too! Step 2: Use a rasp, Foredom or Dremel tool to rough up the attachment area of the reproduction skull for greater adhesion. You may as well. You can simply screw the skull plate to a wall, cover the artificial skull plate with leather or felt like a traditional deer mount, or even attach the artificial skull plate and antlers to a taxidermy form and cover with a deer cape for a shoulder mount. accessories, Crafts, Decor Adventures, Decorating, DIY, Do It Yourself, Home Decor, power tools, I was googling antler dinner carving sets and saw your site. Drill two 3/16 inch holes in the skull plate as far apart as possible as shown in the picture above. I don’t think those are in right now though…) You can also find antlers out running around in the woods too, but you just have to work for them. This will allow the second nut, attaching the mounting plate to the plaque, to be flush in the back. 1. Instead, use the antlers for some fun craft projects. Now, all that is left is to slide the rest of the bolt through the hole in the plaque and bolt it into place! Place the antlers on the board as you’d like them positioned. One set I painted white and the other gold. You want it to be nice and smooth so when you pull the cloth over it it will be free of lumps and indentions. This list is quite comprehensive. He's kept the racks each time wanting to get them mounted. Essentially, you’re going to need to drill a couple holes in the skull plate. and i like it better that way. If the antler base isn't sturdy enough, you can screw them together. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I got it this weekend. It’s easy to spray paint antlers, so pick your favorite color or leave them natural if you like. Twist the mouth piece to the other end of the antler, twisting it tightly as well. One very popular home decor item that we are going to get pretty handy with this month is antlers. I must say, that I came here just to tell you that you mounted the upside down or your house it wrong-side-up… If that was on a live animial, the deer would be laying on its back hallucinating from looking at the sun, Hi there, a comment on your horn mount THEY ARE MOUNTED UPSIDE DOWN, Hah! This is a tricky step, but if you've ever upholstered a piece of furniture or anything it wont be to hard. Related How to Mount Shed Antlers. There are a lot of regulations, even from state to state, that go with selling deer antlers. In this step you will need to drill three holes. These can be found at craft stores or you can cut your own from MDF. I used gorilla glue to fasten the bolt to the antlers. Boil it for 10-15 minutes. Staple the fabric on the back of the mounting plate at the top as well, pulling the fabric taut around the antlers and over the top of the "head." Now, I can do it myself. Twist it tightly to connect the threaded pieces together. Place the tip of a power drill bit where you want to start the hole, and start drilling into the antler. Keep working your way up until the base is disguised enough or the antler chandelier is large enough. I wanted to let you know that a European mount however, is when the antlers are intact with the rest of the skull as well as lower jaw and all of the flesh is removed. Bottom around the antlers to each other in the center of your choosing $ dollars... 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