Mount Kit

Mount Kit

How to mount my antlers without antler kit?

Well I have antlers and can get a plaque, but i dont want to spend money on a mounting kit, so is there anyway to make it look good without one?

Thanks
it's only antlers, with a little bit of the top of the skull left, that holds the antlers together.
chris w, that does look pretty sweet, but this is my first deer so I'd rather have it safe. Maybe I'll do that with my second (october, hopefully )

Take a piece of typing paper and fold it in half. Draw an egg shape starting on the folded edge so you are drawing ONLY half of the egg, but when you cut it out with a scissor and unfold it, you will have a full egg-shaped oval. This oval should be large enough to just cover the space of skull that holds the antlers and the eyebrows over the eye socket. Then trace the pattern on a piece of scrap plywood that is at least 1/2" or more thick and cut it out with your sabre saw, band saw, or ..... what have you. Drill three or four holes through the skull with two toward the back edge and one or two (I prefer two) at the front edge between the eyebrows. Use sheetrock screws to attach the skull to the plywood oval. Then cover the skull and oval with plaster of paris so that it makes a nice 1/2 egg shape with a smooth finish. Be careful to balance the shape on both sides of the head. After the plaster has set up, cover over it with polyester fiber fill (called batting material) like the ladies use for making quilts. This pads the plaster and makes the final covering fit and look better. What you choose to cover the poly-fill with is up to you. You can use velvet or polar fleece fabrics from any fabric store. You can also use leather which can be found at the lowest price by buying a used leather coat at a thrift shop. Look at the base of the antlers. Are they the size of quarters? Half dollars? And how many inches are the antlers apart? Measure the distance on the center of your fabric or leather covering and then cut out two holes the same size as the antler bases. Cut a slit from the hole "outside" edge to the edge of your fabric. Slip it on the head and try the fit to be sure you have the right spacing and hole sizes. You might even want to practice that step on scrap fabric before using the real thing. When it fits like you want it to, pull it snug and use a stapler to attach the fabric of your choice to the bottom side of the wooden oval. Always alternate between sides when you stretch the fabric or leather covering. ALWAYS do one side and then the opposite as you work your way around the covering. Trim away any extra material that may be gathered on the back of the oval. Then take gold drapery braid (also available from the fabric store) to trim around the base of each antler where it joins the skull and around the base of the oval where it attaches to your panel. I use hot glue to hold the braid in place. If you used leather, take the scraps and cut them into long 1 inch wide strips. Then cut the strip into three even strips and braid them together into a very neat thong which can also be hot-glued beneath the antler burrs and the oval at the point where it fastens to your hardwood panel. Carefully place the covered skull on the shield panel where it looks best and secure it in place temporarily with hot glue or with five minute epoxy. Once it has cooled or set, add three screws through the back of the panel into the plywood oval on the back of your antlers. Add a hanger to the panel and you're done. When done right, you will have a finished set as nice as any you can get from a professional taxidermist.