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Using Artificial Bird Heads by Joe Ferebee


Ferebee artificial bird heads and bills will save you many headaches when it comes to mounting your bird. They eliminate bill shrinkage and neck incising while simplifying painting. Skin out the bird. Carefully skin around the bill and eyes. There is no need for a neck incision.

Prepare the bird skin as you would normally for mounting. Paint the artificial bill and set the eyes using non-hardening clay such as modeling clay. Drill an anchor hole and slide the head onto the neck wire as shown in illustration and secure it in position using hot glue.

Slide skin over head and body, pulling into position as you go.

Put several drops of Zap-A-Gap glue at the base of the bill. Be careful not to get glue on the feathers or the painted area of the bill. Glue small sections of the bill base at a time.

Using tweezers, position the skin in place and hold it until the glue sets. Continue placing, gluing and holding until the skin is positioned all the way around the bill. Continue mounting the bird as you normally would.


Review

1. Carefully skin around the bill and eyes.

2. Paint the bill, set the eyes and glue the head onto the neck.

3. Slide skin over head and body.

4. Glue small sections of the bill base at a time.

5. Continue around the bill.

6. Finish mounting as normal.


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