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How to Metal Coat an Animal Skull for a European Mount

European skull mounts are an inexpensive alternative to a full head mount of antlered animals. They consist simply of the animal's skull impeccably cleaned and hung on the wall. Some may wish to take the process a step further, however, and apply a metallic coat to the finished product. The metallic coat will not only further preserve the skull but increase the aesthetic value of the entire mount. Several different metals can be substituted in this process as it is not actually a coat of metal that is applied but rather a mixture of resin and metallic powder. This process is referred to as "cold casting" as you do not use heat to melt the metal.

Things You'll Need

Casting resin (equal parts A and B)
Bronze powder
Very fine steel wool
Large bristled paintbrush
Wet rag

Instructions

Mixing Resin
- 1
  Measure out equal parts by volume of casting resin part A, part B and bronze powder. The exact amount you need depends on the size of the skull to be coated.
- 2
  Mix the bronze powder with casting part B. Constant stirring will be needed to prevent the bronze powder from settling.
- 3
  Mix part A of the casting resin to the mixture. This will begin the hardening stage so be sure to have the skull completely clean and ready for application beforehand.
Applying the Finish
- 4
  Brush the mixture onto the skull. Hold the skull by the antlers and continue to brush the resin on until the entire skull is covered. Continue brushing and rotating the skull around to avoid the formation of resin pools. The mixture will begin to gel and become sticky. If any resin gets on the antlers wipe them clean with a wet rag.
- 5
  Continue brushing until the resin hardens to the point of being unchanged by the brushing. Hang the skull from its antlers to dry for 24 hours.
- 6
  Rub the skull's finish with the fine steel wool after it has hardened to smooth out any lines left by the brush strokes. The skull will have a have a handsome bronze finish and will be ready to hang on the wall.

Animals & Science