Glue question

Dani

Dani

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What kind of glue should I use to glue skulls back together that will dry clear? I don?t wanna put my skulls back together and then have the glue dry yellowish. Any thoughts on what I should use?

Thanks

Dani
 
I,ve seen gorilla Glue in clear formulation now. If used you would have to secure skull sections together firmly as it does expand a bit while curing.
 
Dani,
Wish I had first hand experience with bone but I don't. Super glue " gel" or super glue " thick" is designed for porous, while regular thin super glue works best with hard surfaces. I've used both when gluing up cracks in wood bowls. Usually the regular super glue most of the time. I suspect regular would work for bone, but can't say for certain. What I might suggest is a thin application to both surfaces, allow it to soak in and seal the porosity. Then a second application to glue the pieces together. You might also send a message to Mike P in Yukon, I'm sure he will know exactly what to use.
 
and in this time of isolation

nobody is going to ask whose skulls Dani is gluing back together [w00t]
 
My advice would be to contact a taxidermist who specializes in euro mounts and/or uses dermestid beatles for skull cleaning and ask for their recommendations. Here is one I googled up but have no experience with: https://www.skulltaxidermy.com/index.html.
 
Rick L said:
and in this time of isolation

nobody is going to ask whose skulls Dani is gluing back together [w00t]
Click to expand...

Nope...gluing someone's skull back together....that would fall under the failing to follow the first and most important rule:

LEAVE NO EVIDENCE!!!
 
Thanks y'all for the thoughts and Pete for the idea to contact a taxidermist....shoulda thought of that one....we have a few projects so maybe we will do a test to see what might work best...
 
Super glue is too brittle and won?t fill the gaps you will find

UV Curing really is only works well for thinner bonds

I?d recommend a hot melt. These are clear. Of a clear 2 part epoxy or how about even a clear sealant like silicone?

Only reason is I think you are going to have gaps of different thicknesses that need to be filled and adhere. If I were still working I could give you the exact products to use but that info is gone.
 
A taxidermist friend has talked about coating cleaned skulls with a coat of Elmer's white craft glue. I believe he is thinning it slightly to allow for easier brushing. This is to stabilize the bone and preserve it. I don't know how it would work for adhering pieces together. I've not tried it, so take it for what it's worth!
 
Mike, I have a bear skull that the lower jaw needs glueing together (though I think this bear was hit by a car judging by the trauma to the lower jaw) but I'm not sure I'll be able to glue it back together. I am missing a chunk from the side. I also have my alligator skull from my 11' that we got several years back. I'd like to get it put together and shown off instead of sitting in the basket waiting to be glued back together.

I'll give some hot glue a try with the bear though.

How do you or can you get a skull that has been sitting in dirt/mud/tannic water for a long time...how do you get it white again?

Thanks Gene on the elmers glue painting. I vaguely remember reading about that some time ago.
 
Dani, you might get it cleaner by soaking it in a warm water mixture of clean water with a squirt of Dawn dish soap (non colored or scented) for a few days. I set mine on my wood stove to keep it warm but I wonder if you can just set it in the sun? Then rise that really well and soak again in a warm water solution of not more than 3% peroxide, overnight or longer. That will whiten the bone and nuke any aroma.

I did a black bear that was hit by a car for a guy, pieces missing, just do the best you can with the hot glue. Pretend you are welding. Oh and remember it won't stick worth a darn if the bone isn't dry dry. If you get little strings of hot glue hanging about, zap them with a lighter or a heat gun to calm them down.

Pictures of finished work please. : )
 
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