Pedestal option for buffalo

[Hunt anything]

If you get a chance can you get the dimensions on the base and maybe the weight? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike B.]

I will work on that for you. My guess is the crate was most of the weight we were feeling but I’ll pull it out of the crate and get it weighed and measured.

 

[rafter3]

My crate from Splitting Image that had my base in it showed up before I left for my second trip. I didn’t get to open the crate fully as we left it in there while the mount is completed but it looked pretty good. It’s a granite base and it’s heavy as hell.

I’m excited to have the mount completed now. Will update this thread more when it gets done. View attachment 641529

Wonder if they would sell and ship the base to US

 

[Mike B.]

Yes, that is what I had Splitting Image Taxidermy do. My crate with hides and skulls was just a dip and pack as I usually have all my taxidermy work done here in the states. This crate was just added to that same shipment. I don’t recall the exact cost but I believe it was around $1200 for them to make the pedestal. My shipping wasn’t all that much higher than normal but it did add to the cost. Sadly I deleted the emails from splitting image that had invoices, etc so I don’t know what the total damage on cost was.

I would suspect that it would be cheaper in the long run to have someone in the states make it. If you have a skull that someone can do a cast of to get the mold, and then find a piece of granite or something heavy enough for the base. If you already have a shipment coming from South Africa and it can be added to that shipping cost then that seems like it would be the way to go since you’re already paying for the shipping space and adding a smaller crate to this doesn’t add much to the cost.

 

[Hunt anything]

It’s probably a good thing you have the pedestal here, your stateside taxidermist can match the mount to the square tubing.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I assume the skull/horn pedestals are cast metal as resin would not be strong enough. Interesting.

If I mounted a Cape buffalo (and I wouldn't), it would be wall mount pedestal in a corner. Good use for that space. Also corners always have adequate stud support handy to anchor something heavy like that.

Euro buffalo should be mounted at 30 degree tilt to properly display bosses and drop/curve.

 

[Mike B.]

Honestly I don’t know exactly how they make them. This was the message I received from them when it was being built and processed. I didn’t dig into it any further to get clarification if that meant they were casting a unique skull for it or using a real skull or what. Although, If it was all fake, what’s the need to amend the export permit? I would suspect if they used any type of casting that they’d have to add in some additional support to keep things in place like adding in rebar to concrete.

 

[JHT]

Would love contact to get a base made like this.

Kęstutis Bybartas in Lithuania sculpted and mounted them. I have PM'd you his contact information. For what it's worth, the bases are custom made from metal and are remarkably heavy.

 

[rafter3]

My crate from Splitting Image that had my base in it showed up before I left for my second trip. I didn’t get to open the crate fully as we left it in there while the mount is completed but it looked pretty good. It’s a granite base and it’s heavy as hell.

I’m excited to have the mount completed now. Will update this thread more when it gets done. View attachment 641529

Do you know what type of metal the skull is cast of? How did the attach the metal tubing that the mount slides on and Do you know how the skull is attached to the base?

 

[Mike B.]

Those are all very good questions. From what I can tell, it is probably cast resin and then painted. I believe there is a metal frame that the top mounting post is attached to and goes completely top to bottom through the resin and down to the granite base and then bolted to the granite. The granite base is thick which makes it super heavy. Obviously there’s a lot of speculation here but that is what I can tell. It’s still being worked on (yes it’s taking my taxidermist forever) but here’s a couple photos out of the crate.

 

[rafter3]

Those are all very good questions. From what I can tell, it is probably cast resin and then painted. I believe there is a metal frame that the top mounting post is attached to and goes completely top to bottom through the resin and down to the granite base and then bolted to the granite. The granite base is thick which makes it super heavy. Obviously there’s a lot of speculation here but that is what I can tell. It’s still being worked on (yes it’s taking my taxidermist forever) but here’s a couple photos out of the crate.

View attachment 709222
View attachment 709223
View attachment 709224

That gives me a better idea. I’m going to get it 3-D printed and then basically have a replica of the full skull then one in half. Just need to figure out how to attach it to granite like that any ideas would be amazing but I love that it looks great