Pedestal mount build... Ideas?
General Topic
I'm in the process of designing my own pedestal base for the buck I shot in November. The fella that does my shoulder mounts is working with me also on ideas and fitting. I have a few questions for those that have built a base...
Do you build a sub-frame of sorts for the barnwood shell? Dimensions? Still in question about height and the square foot pad. Any help there would be appreciated. If anyone has ideas or tips, I'd appreciate it. How about where the mount is secured on to the base?
The barnwood... do you treat it? How about where you make saw cuts, any cover up tips?
This kind of looks like a podium, I know, but nothing is firm. Let me hear what you think and ideas/tips. Pics helps a dummy like me too. Thanks!
This probably isn't what you are looking for, but I like a natural base instead of a cabinet style.
It sounds like you have either his sheds or shed you want to incorporate into it. I like the sheds between the mount and pedestal look. Look at Treeline's mount on thread attached from date of Jan 19th.
Make your pedestal in your drawing above a little shorter. Then on top do like what he did with his mount on top of sheds. I think that would look very cool!
Most pedestals my taxi makes aren't the see through type that you're planning, so I believe he uses 1x2s or 2x2s or similar to frame out the pedestal before making the actual barnwood pedestal. Not sure if you could do this with an open-sided pedestal because the framing would be very visible, but you might be able to stain the 1x2s in order to make them not stand out as bad. I am about to start my pedestal build which will be nearly identical to yours except with barn-condition corrugated metal on the sides instead of the glass since I will be building shelving on the inside instead of putting sheds there. I plan on framing mine with 1x2s or 2x2s and plywood to add the corrugated metal to the sides and make more of a "clean" look on the inside for the shelving, then simply adding the barnwood and metal over the top of the frame. Might crash and burn, only time will tell. I plan to build mine right at hip-level.
Boggs... for sure man. I like your idea! Mine will have a backing. I was wanting to find a place for all my sheds (which will about fill that up), and incorporate it all into the entire mount and other additives. Like you, I might crash and burn, but I'll have fun trying. Post yours here as you build it, if you'd like. Curious to seeing it.
I’ve seen some of your work, Rick! I am sure you will turn out a masterpiece!
This is one of my favorite mounts. Came up with the concept and sheds. My taxidermist put it together but was a little against using one of those sheds because he killed the buck that dropped it the next year;-)
My father built this pedestal for my sheep mount. I wanted a simple raised panel look. It's made from walnut he harvested from my Grandparents farm in MO. Trying to remember off the top of my head but I believe the base is 18"x18" and tapers to 10"x10" on top. There is an internal frame that the panels attach to and support the bulk of the weight. The mount is attached by a threaded pipe mount that is attached to the top from the inside and then a short piece of 1" pipe runs through the top. The bottom of the mount has a 1" hole to accept the pipe. The mount can then be spun in any direction.
Sweet pedestal mounts guys! I love pedestals...both wall and table top! They bring a lot of life to a mount rather than a head on a wall! There is an endless supply of pedestal options! One thing I like with my pedestal mounts is the ability to swivel the mount so its possible to get the best possible view. This can be done by either rotating the entire pedestal or using round all-thread (or something similar) that the mount itself swivels on top of the pedestal. It's also good to make sure the pedestal design is the proper height for viewing. Have fun and good luck!
I like your design so far. One thing I’d say that actually complicates things a bit is instead of a 4 sided square base a 6 or 8 sided octagon looks much more custom.
You took a buck in November? Plzz post a photo
Shug, the story is definitely worth the read!
Don`t build a 'sub frame' if you will have glass in it. If you are worried about the strength of using a typical 1x stock (3/4")….use a 5/4" barnwood or naily board. If you are able to see in the pedestal it will have to be as "finished" as the outside. Not sure what joint you plan on using but a biscuit joiner will work nice. A Kreg joiner will require holes to be filled.
As far as supporting the actual head I take a thin piece of metal plate and weld an upright on it.....either in the corner or center which ever your look will be. Sandwich the plate with 2 pcs. of stock....1 for the bottom/ceiling of the inside and 1 pc for the pedestal top. Depending on how high the mount will be off the base you can wrap the upright in your barnwood, like you would a post or whatever other material you want.
I used to build these and lifesize bases for taxidermists.
Tavis... old Shug-uh bear is being a clown. Where's my middle finger emoji when I need them? I like your mount with the antlers, and that's an amazing buck!
Franklin, some of that stuff you mentioned might be what holds me back a bit. I will surely pick your brain more as I progress as this will be my first. Appreciate ya! Oh, not planning on any glass.
One that I build for my daughter. Storage behind the sliding barn style door.
I built a frame and attached T&G pine to the frame. With regard to cutting barn board, I would think a stain would make it less obvious it was cut.
Good luck!
My frame. Casters were just sitting on the top as I hadn’t attached them yet.
Whatever route you go, I’d suggest incorporating some native flora and fauna into the mount.
Nothing says “Oklahoma “ more than some good ol sandburrs. Or maybe a goathead or two!
For blending the color of the cut ends put vinigar, steel wool and rusty nail in a mason jar. Let the mix set. Brush on cut ends. The longer the mix sets in the jar the more of a red rust color it will become. Trial and error will be needed. Turns cedar grey liked it is aged.
Here is mine which has similarities to your drawing
The state where you shot it...Mine!
Wow! Spectacular pedestal mounts and animals!
A well done pedestal mount definitely shows off a great trophy!
Troy, I'm definitely gonna incorporate some native grasses and leaves. I like that idea.
BigOK... thanks for the tips. I might also put in some off or light color molding around the edges.
Justin, very cool and original design. I like it. Not the avenue I want to go, but classy!
Ike... Cali!! :)
Ed... meh. Boom!
Rick..... this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for as far as a base, but I did a double pedestal mount on an old hedge fence post and I incorporated some native grasses and forbs into the mount. I didn’t mount either of the deer, but I did do the rest of it. I had a ball doing it. This is the best pic I have of the mounts when they were at the taxidermist where you can see the base the best. The buck on the far left is a buddy’s deer.
T-roy,
How do you attach the grasses, leaves and forbs to the base? I am looking at a pedestal style mount utilizing and old fence post and some barb wire. I like the idea of the grasses, etc...
Embry, I think a see through pedistal like your suggesting would be very cool. Personally I would build/weld a angle iron metal frame and attach your barn wood to it. You can hide the angle iron by notching a piece of barn wood to cover it. This would make it plenty strong enough to handle the mount. It would also give the mount something to hold to. Your Taxi should have square metal tubing he uses from pedestal mounts. Weld in the receiving metal tube where you want it at the top and flush with the frame. Cover the frame with your barn wood. If your planning on putting glass in the 4 see through openings I have a couple suggestions for that too.
Troy, I like the grasses too! This could go so many ways. You've all got me changing my plans, a bit. One, because I'm not a real savvy carpenter. Just average. Guess I'm looking for ease of build too.
Eric, I do have access to a welder and quite proficient at moving metal. This could all change by next week. :)
Just a thought... maybe incorporate the kill arrow into the base?
Mark... great minds think alike. It's gonna sit subtly in the grass on the top of the base. ;)
Bowbender....mine has the barbed wire incorporated into it as well, you just can’t see it in the pic. I stapled the ends of the wire down to the bottom inside of the base. I then sprayfoamed the base to the depth that I wanted. You might have to do more than one lift to get it to where you want it. You DEFINITELY want to give it plenty of time to completely rise and to dry. I didn’t and I developed some slight expansion cracks in the foam that had to be remedied. For the grasses and forbes, I just poked some holes of the right size, in the dried foam and glued them in place.
Sorry if I hijacked your thread, Rick :(
Oh no, Troy. Glad you're telling the tips... I'll need them too as I progress in this. Thanks!
Here's mine. Done with barn wood.
I like the simplicity of yours, Ron. Does it have a sub frame?
My daughters kudu is on a pedestal and we had to add weights in bottom to keep from tipping over.If I wasn't going to make one where is the best place to buy one
Taxidermy supply dealers like McKenzie or Van Dykes carry a variety of floor pedestals to choose from.
Not a deer but a pedestal of a basic design with a top you can add grass etc. to
Shug - I feel dumb for asking but what kind of fish it that?
Nah... Troy, I really not want to do it myself. Plus the wood is coming from an old barn/shed out off the land. It will mean much more if my plan comes to fruition.
Lone Wolf Taxidermy in Frederick SD does a great job.
Very impressive mounts...
To answer your question, about halfway down the middle there is a 2x2 that goes around the inside parallel to the floor if you follow. On top of that is a 3/4" plywood board screwed to the 2x2's. I have a 5/8's treaded rod that runs from about 12" above the top of the base to just below that 3/4" hole. You have to drill the rod hole through the top of the base and the 3/4" board of course. Then big washers and nuts tightened as hard as they will go. The there is a piece of conduit pipe running from the tip of the back leg on the form straight up into the form about 12". Simply slide the deer mount onto the threaded rod. When you run the conduit into the form, you have to find the balancing point of your mount so it will not rotate on it's own, so this rod may not nessasarily go straight up and down. If it does rotate, a screw carefully through the form into the top of the base will hold it. The whole base is nailed with 2" brads. Please post yours when done.
This is a commercial pedestal that I've used a lot. It is 37"tall and the base is 14.5" square. It's very stable and I have deer, sheep, zebra and sable on these pedestals. The 3 layer thick base does add a lot of weight so that helps. I think a 13-14" square base should be fairly solid. The 37" height is about right as well. I don't think I'd go much taller and not under 34".
JohnMC, thats a grass carp. Embry, definitely incorporate some natural oak leaves/grass into the base. Not only does it add to the scenery of the mount, but it also allows you to cover up the "stake" that connects the mount to the pedestal. I am not sure what my taxi uses for this, but I believe some form of soft clay? I'll try to find out. I plan on incorporating some natural grasses on mine, as well as a shed I found from my buck 3 years ago. Try to keep most of the weight of the mount over the center of the pedestal to keep it more balanced. You can have the mount connected to a corner edge of the pedestal, but don't have the form hanging off the side of the pedestal if that makes sense. (as in if you have the deer connected to a corner, have the neck/chest of the form hanging back towards the center of the pedestal, not hanging over the edge) As soon as the weather gets nicer I will start building mine and if it turns out good I will make a thread. Also, if you wanted to go with the open style like you said at first, you could simply lag bolt the 4 barnwood "columns" from the bottom and then from the top. The bottom bolts would never be seen, and you could cover the top bolts with the clay/leaves/foliage and nobody would know they were there. Thats the only way I could think of making it sturdy without having a frame to build it around, which would be nearly impossible on an "open" pedestal. Might not be the way to go and some woodworkers on here might have a better plan, but that's how I would do it if I wanted to go with an open one for sheds in the middle.
Pintrest, now I can turn In my man card!
Just as a different idea, that big non-typical buck I shot in 2011, just before I took him he stopped to rub a six-inch diameter cedar tree about 100 yds. from me. Afterwards, I got permission from the owner to cut down the tree and I used his last rub as the upright for the pedestal mount. I went to a custom log furniture shop and had them cut me a big slab of colorful red cedar that's about six inches thick and maybe two feet wide. Sanded the slab/base and put a clear coat on it; then bolted the rubbed upright to the base and sunk a 1" square male "post" that slips right into the female base of the pedestal. Sorry I don't know how to post pictures but it came out great and very unique. BW
I would love to see that Barry. Go find a 10 year old to help you post a picture.
Ron, thank you for the tips. I'm most likely going with a square type, similar to yours. Open front.
Boggs... after reading your posts, I think I will build a sub frame and basically surround with barn wood and cover up the internal portion of the "open area" with barn wood as well. Shouldn't be too hard to hide any saw cuts if needed. Thanks for your info.
Jim, I like the mount you posted. Not my taste, but nice none the less. Thanks for the dimension help, that gives me some ballpark to go with.
Barry... like Jim said, you need to find a kid to post a pic of that mount. Would love to see it! :)
Azarchery... that base is very close to what I'm describing and wanting to do. Maybe a bit slimmer design.
So far... square type w/sub-frame built with 2x2s, barn wood covered inside and out, no glass, trim as needed to cover any innperfections, grasses, leaves and natural plants (maybe a hedge Apple on top?). Arrow incorporated on top of base. Can you preserve a hedge Apple?
Probably a way to preserve a hedge apple, but heck, you can proof out and get new ones when one goes bad!
Yea, true enough, Tavis. Lol. Not like I'm void of them down here. Sometimes I ask questions without thinking. Would be cool to create a half eaten hedge apple with the chewed up look. ;)
I'm sure someone could 3D Print a chewed on hedge apple out of plastic. Not exactly natural, but hey, the future is upon us.
Rick I ran accros this today and thought a cool pedestal. It is open in middle and square but top and base is a octagon. Anyway another idea
Damn, John! I like that! I could easily make the top and bottom a "hex" and make it look good in corners also. The ideas are "mounting"! It will be 4 different pieces and a chandelier hanging on it before I'm done.
One more I liked. Little off from what you are talking about but would still show off sheds. Well does not take to one I was talking about. But last group is titled Washington and it is last one there.
Those are way cool but I don't like the way they have sharp corners an inch or 2 above floor level. My Tony Lamas would not like that at all. I wonder why they do that?
I'm thinking I'd put that octagonal portion of the base on the floor, Jim. Maybe they are hiding casters under there, like a skirt?
Better view of the actual pedestal right after it was built
Better view of the actual pedestal right after it was built
Here is a barnwood pedestal I did
2014 Wyoming
2014 Wyoming
I did the same thing as Barry except I used a $17 table top from Lowes for the base. I attached rubber feet to the bottom and after cutting the cedar tree down, I power washed it to remove the old bark and put about 15 coats of poly on everything. Taxidermist did the square female receptacle in the post and matching square rod on the deer to make sure they were balanced. I have some sheds laying at the bottom and it is easy to move or take apart if needed.
I like the simplicity of the cedar truck. I think a pedestal mount is in my future.
Mule deer I killed last year with my bow in New Mexico. The post/pole came from a collapsed Indian ruins from my guides private property.
Sorry for the double post. This is buck before he was mounted. ??
Sorry for the double post. This is buck before he was mounted. ??
Mule deer I killed last year with my bow in New Mexico. The post/pole came from a collapsed Indian ruins from my guides private property.
Good looking mounts Fella's.
I did the 4th and Final Hand brushed coat of Poly on mine yesterday.
Good luck, Robb
It is for my Wyoming Region 'G' buck.
I'm still going back-n-forth on how much habitat to add to the top as I kinda just like the way it looks.
Maybe something Up the sides???
Good luck, Robb
You can go to YouTube and search “build a deer mount pedestal base” or something to that affect and get a nice video of a cabinet maker showing how he made an octagonal base for a client. Explains how to cut the angle at 22 and a half degrees to form the octagonal dimensions.
No dimensions are given regarding height or radius/circumference so you have to do that on your own. Also, he uses a laser cutter to cut out the octagonal top but that can easily be done with typical workshop tools. Most cutting is done on a table saw. He uses a pneumatic pin nailer and glue to put everything together.
True that------->
Kinda basic but it matches my other Pedestal Mount and it blends well with the TR walls
Good luck, Robb
I ended up selling that Pedestal ($150) and put my Wyo G buck on the TR wall.
Good luck, Robb
What is that nasty toothy looking thing on the bottom of your photo Robb?
Wideone - I think that is the gator that Happy Gilmore killed......still has Chubbs' hand. Looks a little faded though. :)
One hell of a jackalope there in the center!!
Happy Gilmore reference to Dang Funny, entertaining movie for sure.
I got the 1/2 arm off of Halloweenexpress.com, some fun stuff on that site.
Here ya go Wideone-------->
Getting the ones with the Red Bandana and diamond necklace was the challenge John!! haha
Good luck, Robb
My OIL NM Oryx
My OIL NM Oryx
Custom red cedar base, cedar post
Custom red cedar base, cedar post
That oryx mount is amazing.
Rock base
Rock base
