crayfish mounting

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    Posted: 13 Dec 2011 at 9:16am
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Hey guys
 
I am wanting to mount/taxidermy my own cray
I am a boat builder so have experience with resins but I am after any other information needed to undertake this little project i.e: removing the flesh, wiring the frame, removing and replacing the shell or any other hints or tips that would come in handy
 
Any information you guys could help me out with would be much appreciated
 
Cheers,
Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Titahi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2011 at 11:29am
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I have done a few... Formulin sourced from a pharmacist, which is basically Formaldehyde and water. Inject it into every crack in the skeleton  ensureing that the cray is pumped fuller than full with it.
 If you look at the knuckles on your fingers imagine they are the same as they joins in the exoskeleton on a crayfish, the formulin must be injected in both directions into every joint, I found satrting at one end and working towards the other, then turn the crayfish over and repeat, at the tail it pays to inject in both directions on either side of the tail to ensure its full!! If you dont get it into every part of the crayfish it will start to rot and smell as the formulin breaks down the protein in the crayfish, and it can take years for the smell to reduce.......
 After it has been completely filled up set the crayfish up on a large flat piece of wood in what ever pose you choose. I tended to have the feelers rolled backwards as they tend to get broken if left extended outwards, i tied these down with some mono when i was happy with where they sat. I put a small block under the chest so the cray looked like it was up on its haunches, with the legs spread evenly outwards in a fan fashion. I drilled small holes in the piece of wood I set it to dry on, and placed the tip of each leg into the holes so they dried where I wanted them to. I pulled the tail out straight and fanned the end of the tail outwards and used dress pins to tack them into place, again so they dont move as the flesh dries and constricts.
 Place the drying crayfish in a warm dry spot out of the sun away from prying eyes and hands and wait 8 weeks...... I made a shelf in the garage above the garage door.
 After the cray has set and dried, you will know if you didnt get the formulin into every crevice ... If you get it right the cray wont smell.
 I coat em with a uv safe polyerethene as sun light is the biggest enemy, causing the cray to fade and become even more brittle.
 As many coats as you like, and the cary will look like it just came out of the water.




Make sure you wear a long sleeve top, rubber gloves and glasses as the formulin should shoot out of the holes you have created in the joints, getting it in your eyes will not preserve them, the stuff will dry out any skin it comes into contact with. Getting it from a Pharmacist can be problematic.
Good luck
"I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote saltie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2011 at 12:29pm
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thanks Titahi awesome info
If I have read it right you dont need to remove the flesh from the body or tail, the formulin breaks all of this down??
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Titahi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2011 at 4:34pm
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Originally posted by saltie saltie wrote:

thanks Titahi awesome info
If I have read it right you dont need to remove the flesh from the body or tail, the formulin breaks all of this down??

Yep thats right, the formulin will break down the protein in the flesh,and the crayfish remains fully intact, with no smell.
"I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SpidersWeb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2011 at 5:24pm
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If Formalin/Formulin are the same thing (I know Formalin has the same key ingredient mentioned above), then you can also buy it from pet stores off the shelf. It's used to control parasites with pet fish. Not sure on cost efficetiveness or conentration (think its 5%) but thought I'd mention it just in case it helps at all.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2011 at 9:48pm
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Very cool Thanks Titahi I would love to try that too. What about the needle where do you get one of those? Best I've got is a whole shell that was just shed I picked up and carefully took back to the boat. How much Formalin do you recon you need per kg?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Titahi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2011 at 11:17pm
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I use a large bore needle and 50 ml syringe, using any smaller is a hassle as you empty it pretty quickly. being a nurse they are easy to come by, Im not sure where you can source them from apart from asking at the chemist and explaining your intended use for them, dont go in looking manky and spaced out..... They probably wont sell them to you!!!

 I think from memory I used close to 2 litres for a 5.5 kilo cray. and I think the solution is stronger than 5% from memory  more like 40% formaldehyde by volume which is considered 100% formalin.

Spiders wb your correct I spelt it wrongly.....

"I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Falco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 8:04am
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You can get needles from alot of places,although you may feel self concious just go to a needle exchange and ask for a one LOL.Wear your best shirt they dont ask questions and will freely give you what you need.
as dead as dead is
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Uncle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 9:23am
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I haven't got a best shirt.Cry
Falco, can I borrow yours ?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Falco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 10:02am
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my shirts will be far too big for you Uncle,you might have to eat a few pies to catch up,I am far too well conditioned to be a junkie!
as dead as dead is
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Uncle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 10:29am
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2XL falco? 
I been training on KFCLOL
 
 sorry for the hi-jak Saltie~~back on track...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Finatic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 11:55am
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I needed a couple of syringes to mix some paints for airbrushing. If I remember correctly, I strolled into a pharmacy wearing a Tool t-shirt, jeans I wear in the backyard and a dose of hayfever. The staff looked freaked out until I told them it was just the syringes I was after, not any needlesLOL 
What's the cheapest type of meat? Dear balls. They're under a buck.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Titahi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 2:24pm
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Stop intravenously injecting Pies Andrew......... You need to aquire a taste for donuts.
"I love standing by the ocean and just knowing what its for"
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Falco Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2011 at 4:15pm
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^^very good!LOL
as dead as dead is
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Chaser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Mar 2012 at 10:13pm
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If you ask your local vet really nicely they should be able to hook you up with syringes, needles, and possibly even some 5% formalin (for your sick fish that is). I get people asking for syringes and needles for all sorts of uses - injecting marinade into meat, injection moulding, deflating fish swim bladders etc... We just give them the really big fat cow needles if they look dodgy, the druggies don't come back. Formalin can be hard to get ahold of because it is toxic and carcinogenic (can cause cancer).
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smizz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2012 at 8:05pm
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hi guys sorry if this is a stupid questiion but can the same process be undertaken for a fish or is it something completely different
When shooting a mime, don't use a silencer or his friends will hear you.
If camera lenses are round why do the pictures come out rectangle?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote harrison Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Dec 2014 at 8:28pm
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Just to ressurrect an old thread-where can I get the 40% formalin or pure formaldehyde in todays world? I rang 5 pharmacies but only seem to have 10% formalin. Trademe is dead ends and iso is hard to get nowadays, the alternative is keratin but supposedly that isnt good with bugs in years to come. Any leads would be appreciated, cheers!
      
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote murtie12 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2018 at 10:06pm
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Not sure if your still interested but you can get 40% formalin from farmlands. Only.issue. you can only buy 20l.
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