Gator Mount

I am beginning to work on my gator hide. The head/neck is being done professionally. The head neck will be mounted in the position that it is protruding from the water mouth half open. With the hide I am doing myself I want to simulate that the back and tail are protruding above the water.

I saw posts here about water glass and I am looking for something to give the illusion of depth and water over board which is blonde wood stained with dark walnut to look like the tannic black water we have. I have some cypress knees to incorporate and am thinking of trying to preserve some lily pads.

Will water glass work at a depth of 1/2" or is there something better? Any tips on any of this are welcome.

I don't know of anything that will give your wood a water look with depth short of resin. You can look for a product called Easy Cast Clear Casting Resin made by Environmental Technologies. I've used it on some very small items but nothing the size you are wanting to do. I don't know anything about water glass.

Good luck. It should be cool looking if it turns out good.

There is something out there...I have seen a bar with something similar over diamond plate aluminum.

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Originally Posted by Rick

I don't know of anything that will give your wood a water look with depth short of resin. You can look for a product called Easy Cast Clear Casting Resin made by Environmental Technologies. I've used it on some very small items but nothing the size you are wanting to do. I don't know anything about water glass.

Good luck. It should be cool looking if it turns out good.

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Wasn't it "Water Glass" that was used to preserve chicken eggs?

Yes. That was one way to do it. sodium silicate is the techy name for it but I've never used it.

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Originally Posted by Rick

Yes. That was one way to do it. sodium silicate is the techy name for it but I've never used it.

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Thanks! I found a link to it, but don't know what is legal to post...It is Wikipedia?

You can post links, just not hot link to pictures.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

You can post links, just not hot link to pictures.

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I don't know what a Hotlink is...

That's where you put a URL in that looks like [img]www.girlyshow.cmo[/img] and the picture appears on here rather than the URL. You hotlink to photobucket all the time when show your gator pics and that's fine because they belong to you. You just can't do the same with someone else's picture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88lEWTEk3jg

Is this OK?

Yes. Actually, I see nothing wrong with hotlinking to Youtube since it shows who the author is. Hot linking to a picture, on the other hand, just displays the picture with no information as to who the artist is. It doesn't give the author credit for his work and someone might think it's something you made. I don't think anyone on here is trying to hose some artist out of their money but there are those folks that would do that so better safe than sorry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_silicate

Interesting...

Thanks Rick!

Looks like the casting resin is what is used.

http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/CTRQ-P558C1598.aspx

We use MEKP kicker for some of the resins used in our bass guitar finishes. The warning they gave in the URL about heat causing issues, they are not kidding about that. The fumes are also dangerous while the resin flashes off when kicked.
When pouring multiple layers that are thick, you'll some times depending on the brand or type, need to de-gas the mix to avoid air bubbles. Its easy to do and necessary when using most polyester based resins. We've found that the slower the cure time the better. Let me know if de-gassing is required with the product you decide upon and I'll let you know how to do it.

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Originally Posted by zeroed4x

We use MEKP kicker for some of the resins used in our bass guitar finishes. The warning they gave in the URL about heat causing issues, they are not kidding about that. The fumes are also dangerous while the resin flashes off when kicked.
When pouring multiple layers that are thick, you'll some times depending on the brand or type, need to de-gas the mix to avoid air bubbles. Its easy to do and necessary when using most polyester based resins. We've found that the slower the cure time the better. Let me know if de-gassing is required with the product you decide upon and I'll let you know how to do it.

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Can you recommend a product?

I am also trying to figure out what I can use for a form for the back and tail to have it appear above the water and not flat on the board. I was thinking spray foam might work but it looks like I would need a ton of it. I need something I can shape and stretch the hide over. I am considering using a pine log now. Any idea's?

Carved Lexan blocks?

Or maybe something formed and shaped from plaster of Paris or fiberglass?

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Originally Posted by Ken

Carved Lexan blocks?

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Sounds like it'd be hard to work and cost prohibitive...thinking along the lines of some type of closed cell foam like a deer shoulder mount...It will be encased by the hide. I am dragging the hide out to finish fleshing it this morning. It is frozen!

Great Stuff?