by Second 2 Nature Taxidermy Supply with Tommy Ramage 1¼ Hrs
Tommy starts with an already skinned and fleshed Beaver skin. He explains how it was skinned using a belly incision. Dry Preservative is applied to the skin. He explains how the urethane form was altered. He then begins preparing the form – dremels out the eyes, nose and mouth outline. He cuts the mouth out and cleans it out with the dremel. He trims the teeth off of a wax jawset and hot glues the upper and lower front teeth into the form with the tongue. Ear Base is used to set the eyes and fill the feet. He places the skin on the urethane form and pins the eyes, mouth, nostrils and ears. He has to split one of the back legs and trim the feet back on the form to get the skin to fit. A piece of wire, bent in a U shape is inserted into the tail, then filled with fiber fill and sewn up. He sews up the belly and leg incisions and pins any loose skin. He cards the tail and pins the toes. Dan Chase does the finish work by painting the nose pad, lower lip and around the eyes.
