Homemade deer plaque

.308

Well-Known Member
OK I have cut down a tree it's hard wood ash I think. I have cut it and I am interested in sing it to mount a few skulls on as from same area as the animals harvested. I was jus wondering how to treat the timber in order to preserve it maybe darken it a little any of you do or try this before and what was the results? Or how did you do it
 
I cut out the shape, router the edge on a routing table, sand it all down to about 180 then treat with boiled linseed oil
 
Depends if you want a matt or gloss finish. You could use beeswax some of which have a darkening tint added. Or Danish oil would look nice and last for year
 
The diameter of the tree is quite important if it's only 12 - 18" I would use it for firewood, 24"-36"+ you should get the trunk sawn into 30mm planks, then they need to be air dried for 18 months at least, in the dry, nice and flat and "sticked" half inch battens between each plank to let the air circulate, the planks that haven't split in this time might be good enough for a plaque or two, things like sapwood and heartwood have an effect on the finished job. If you get to make any plaques and want to finish them in something, make life easy for yourself and just buy a tin of Ronseal Acrylic varnish ( it does what it says on the tin) oils take an age to dry between coats and life is too short. It may be easier to go to a local timber merchant/joinery workshop and buy some kiln-dried hardwood offcuts out of the scrap bin.
Edit; Ps Ash has a lovely grain, so it may all be worthwhile :tiphat:
 
Last edited:
Back
Top