Just checking to see if anyone has designed something like what I have in mind before I re-invent the wheel.

Moving to a new office later this month, where I'll likely spend at least the next ten years. It has a square column in it, about three to three and a half feet square, floor to ceiling -- about 20 feet. I've got quite a few buffalo skulls. Was thinking about designing something that would allow stacking 8-10 on top of each other mounted at about a 45 to 60 degree angle.
The wall won't take the weight of hanging them directly on the wall, so I was thinking about either a single pillar 4X4 or a two column 2X4 going into a base that would support the weight and plates mounted at the appropriate angles from which the skulls could be hung.

Was looking to use an African hardwood for lumber. The base is fairly simple, but there are a few options for attachment at the top of the column. Welcome anyone's thoughts on whether the single pillar or double would be preferable and how to attach to the top of the column so the whole thing doesn't topple over.

I've got some viable ideas but wanted to know if anyone had done anything similar to this.

That's a TON of weight! Some guys start from the slab for serious gun vaults, and I'm sure you've thought of that regarding building/placement. Ask Rowdy at Woods & Water, if you know him.
https://woodsandwatertaxidermy.com/

Yeah, I've thought of it. Thanks for the referral.

I still think it can be done.

I watch a lot of youtube videos on two part epoxy molding.

I thought a clear column of stacked skulls with a LED incorporated into it would look really cool.

BWW,

I'd like to see what you're talking about, but if it's encasing the skulls in epoxy, that would be a lot to cover ten buffalo skulls. Not sure what you mean by LED. Interested though.

Light emitting diode, a light that doesn't heat up.

Epoxy is about $30 a gallon, so yes!

And you need to know what you are doing.

Check these people out!

https://www.youtube.com/channe...vbilqe6AsHiRXRXBCr7w

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
Light emitting diode, a light that doesn't heat up.

Epoxy is about $30 a gallon, so yes!

And you need to know what you are doing.

If you know where to get good quality casting epoxy for $30/gal kindly spill it, generally it's about $100/gal.

Using the 3 1/2' square number, assuming it's 10' tall, you'd need about 916 gallons minus whatever volume the bone itself occupies after all the voids fill. Plus something to provide structural strength, which casting epoxy is a mite short on.

But it would look cool $100,000 later.

I didn't know that, I haven't bought any in a long time.

Thanks, but epoxy wouldn't be viable for one skull, let alone 10. I'll stick to the original plan. Now, I just need a carpenter and some good African hardwood.

I'll send pictures when it's done, but have a hunt to plan now, so may be awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
I didn't know that, I haven't bought any in a long time.

I haven't done any casting in a while but I did just finish this test piece for what may end up being a 3x5 table with arrowheads and pottery shards laid on the middle section and cast.



It looks a bunch better than the picture.

This was cut in the shape of a guitar pick to serve as a guitar hanger but somebody with a CNC router could cut out however many were needed in the shape of the African continent to give each skull its own "pad". I'd lean more toward browns...

Fascinating! Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Fascinating! Thanks.

The lava river went rogue on me, there's glow powder in the yellow, orange and red epoxy in the "river" and in what shows as a brown strip down each side, but for some reason all the light gray glows purple under a black light. I have no idea why...

The lava river project looks pretty impressive!

I made a live edge coffee table and end table out Zappaterra wood. It turned out very well but it took several tries to get it right.
It's not as easy as it looks. Some epoxy is better/easier than others, I found out.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
The lava river project looks pretty impressive!

I made a live edge coffee table and end table out Zappaterra wood. It turned out very well but it took several tries to get it right.
It's not as easy as it looks. Some epoxy is better/easier than others, I found out.

That one is going to hang vertically on the wall of my sister's covered patio, I'm going to pour her a "puddle" of the red/yellow/orange to put on the floor under it to see how often people point out that it's leaking...

Yeah, there's lots of difference between epoxies, the thing that takes practice is figuring out which one wants to do what you want done, then use that one. Far easier than trying to force the wrong one to cooperate. Same goes for the additives, liquid dyes and mica powders and spray paint all react differently to each other, which can be a problem or an opportunity. Then there's alcohol...

This one will go behind her tiki bar at the other end of the patio...

Beautiful stuff.

We watch a lot of videos on that type of thing.

My children are fascinated by it.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
Beautiful stuff.

We watch a lot of videos on that type of thing.

My children are fascinated by it.

It can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it, absolutely suitable for young'uns with supervision (mainly to keep the stuff contained, you really don't want epoxy tracked through several rooms.) Easy to get epoxy now with no VOCs so you don't have the noxious fumes you used to get working with it. These pieces made to hang on a wall I'm doing on 1/8" hardboard with 1x3 stiffeners/hangers on the back, the elevated part of the lava river is styrofoam.

Jeffive, Beautiful work! Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Jeffive, Beautiful work! Brian

I get a little better at it I'm going to take a few stabs at shields and pedestals for mounts.

Jeffive,
That would be very creative.
1. Can you recommend a good Epoxy brand for this type of work and a good supplier to work with?
2. What do you mean by 'shields"? I understand what the pedestals are for, but what is a shield?

Thanks, brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Jeffive,
That would be very creative.
1. Can you recommend a good Epoxy brand for this type of work and a good supplier to work with?
2. What do you mean by 'shields"? I understand what the pedestals are for, but what is a shield?

Thanks, brian

The flat wooden plaques shoulder mounts are mounted on.

I mostly use Superclear Tabletop and Casting Epoxy out of Florida for stuff I can do in 30 minutes or so and Art Coat from Stone Coat Countertops when I need a longer working time, it gives me most of a hour-and-a-half before it starts setting up. There's some manipulation you can still do after it starts to gel but the Art Coat just does it slower. Does cost about twice as much, $100/gal vs about $50 for the SuperClear.

Thanks for the info. I have made a note. Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Thanks for the info. I have made a note. Brian

Stone Coat has a Canadian distributor https://www.sagedistribution.ca/

Jeffive, Thanks! Appreciate it, Brian

Jeffive, They are right in my city of Kamloops. Cool!

I used a product called EX-74 UV on my coffee table project. It drove me crazy. (I have used boat building epoxy a lot.) The final finish was too soft.

This Stone coat looks very good.

Thanks again,

Brian

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
Jeffive, They are right in my city of Kamloops. Cool!

I used a product called EX-74 UV on my coffee table project. It drove me crazy. (I have used boat building epoxy a lot.) The final finish was too soft.

This Stone coat looks very good.

Thanks again,

Brian

It is, but it needs a full 30 days to completely cure. On a counter or table it's usable after a few days but anything heavy, or where the weight is concentrated like a footed appliance, can start to sink in before it cures.

Jeffive, Thanks, Good to know. brian

In my mind when I read the OP I thought you meant something sort of primitive for lack of a better word. Sand type habitat with a long spear through the skulls. Use a big piece of steel rod disguised behind the spear in a replica tree or something to support skulls. Sounds very different from the look you want now reading the rest. I might have to try something like this now with bear skulls, great another project

I can look back at what Crystal deep pour epoxy I use and is preferred by professionals. A buddy owns an Ins co in NY that has a big shop as a client. I can ask him too. It’s something like $150/2 gallons. You probably want Deep Pour but there are a lot of nuances to epoxy. The poster with the tables is talented and it’s not at all a simple thing. From outgassing, curing, sanding, etc, there’s a lot of ways it can go badly and I can’t imagine CB skulls are readily available.