# Mounting bones for display



## Mitch (Mar 3, 2007)

Did anyone see the program "a perfect murder"?
Scientists from the field of murder investigation tried to perfect ways of disposing of bodies or hiding traces of evidence. 
Wierd but cool. 
Now I have used insects for cleaning bones for mounting or display of reps only to find out that if you place an animal in a tub containing biological washing machine tablets and water, heated up to approx 60 deg it will take everything down to the cleanest bones you have ever seen in about a week. Boiling leaves bones yellowed as the fat deposits are absorbed by the bones. Insects can take weeks or months to clean bones and smells quite horrid as you can imagine. Bio tablets digest everything except the bones and appeared to work quite well.
Strange. You wouldnt think they would give tips like that out. lol


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

intresting. I have generaly use either insects or Maceration to clean up my skulls and skeletons but that sound like its worth a try. have you tried it your self yet? I would imagen if it disolves the flesh so easily it would cause some damage to the bones as well though, espesualy on smaller specimins or delicate parts such as the nasal bones.


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## Mitch (Mar 3, 2007)

I am just going through the process now so i'll let you know in about 5 days. lol 
From what I saw the bones where cleaned without damage. 
Skull cavities with air bubles may cause a slight problem though.
The bio tablets digest the fat deposits and protiens so not sure what they would do to delicate bones?


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## goose221 (May 6, 2007)

yeah i saw that. i bet now that sum nut job will try to pull a stunt using those very useful tips. did u see that guy in america who killled like 40 odd ppl. crazy.

sounds like ur onto something there tho


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## vaunemason (Mar 19, 2009)

*safe ways to connect and mount bones?*

I am keen to know what you mean by "biological" washing tablet... is this a laundry product? Not sure if you can describe it as in NZ we will likely have totally different products on the shelf.

I use bones and skins in my sculptural work - so I am interested to know if you have any recommendations on types of glue or pins that work well to mount and connect small animal bones (like frog, bird and rodents)

Any ideas?

Cheers

Vaune


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Mitch said:


> if you place an animal in a tub containing biological washing machine tablets and water, heated up to approx 60 deg it will take everything down to the cleanest bones you have ever seen in about a week.


Is that degrees Celcius - and is that whole animals, or animals that have been partly cleaned?

I'd love to give this a try with, say, a rat skeleton.


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