Fake fish ocean mounts construction?
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: DonVathome
26-Apr-22
I have a sailfish mount that is hung from wire hooked op top of the sail. It looks a little cheesy so I want to add a mounting bracket on the side of the fish. I am not worried about what the "wall" side of the fish looks like. I believe the fake fish mounts are Styrofoam or something very similar. My plan is to use drywall anchored and some liquid nails glue to mount a thin piece of wood to the side of the mount so I can hang it like a deer or painting.
Input? Basically I need to figure out how to securely mount a thin piece of 26"x2" wood to the side of the mount.
From: DanaC
26-Apr-22
Looks like you could just shorten the wire and put your hangers on the wall behind the fin (?)
From: Altitude Sickness
26-Apr-22
Don, Since quality salt water taxidermy is a replica and not real skin. IE; fiberglass I would think you should be able to epoxy or construction glue the board on with no issues.
From: DonVathome
26-Apr-22
DanaC good idea but you cannot tell from the pic but fin is off the wall several inches. Because of spacing I want the fist against the wall, no way to do this using the fin to mount. Are you sure it is typically fiberglass? I have no idea - and I know the wrong glue will eat away at fiberglass & Styrofoam. Luckily I can easily test it. My thought was use the correct glue and some drywall anchors. Trusting glue alone makes me nervous. My concern is if I am wrong about what glue is best and it falls in a couple months.
Most important is figuring out what it is made out of so I can use the right glue.
From: Altitude Sickness
26-Apr-22
Contact Gray or Browns taxidermy in Florida
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
26-Apr-22
Can also try northeast taxidermy. They do mount for alll over the world all the time. They had 5 big crates from Africa when I picked up my coyote pelt at the beginning of the year. They do all sorts of fish too. Located in Connecticut
From: Dollar
26-Apr-22
Most taxidermist install a piece of wood mid way in the body of the fish.It's used for hanging when the finished product is done.It's first job is for doing the mount itself.Fish can be hung from the back and base painted then final touch up.Most of the mounts I've seen hung the way you have are two sided mounts and can be viewed from either side. The wood should be about in the middle of the body/sail in the body.Usually two screw holes 3 or 4" apart.
From: Fields
26-Apr-22
How is the wire connected to the fish now? Couldn't you shorten the wire that is there now and hang it off one screw in the wall?? The fin should cover the wire?? (have the wire be a triangle shape instead of square)
From: DonVathome
26-Apr-22
Fields another good idea but no. Hard to describe but because on the depth of the "wall side" of the fish that will not work.
From: DonVathome
26-Apr-22
Fields I gave your idea more thought and I am going to try to use the same wire, thanks! Not sure if it will work but I am pretty confident I can get it to work out!
From: greg simon
26-Apr-22
Maybe build a mounting bracket that extends off the wall enough to hang from a shorter wire and keep the fish straight/level.
From: 4nolz@work
26-Apr-22
Try VanDyke or MacKenzie taxidermy supply online I'm sure they have wall mounting stuff
From: Fields
26-Apr-22
I've thought about it too... leveling the fish with only one hanging point may be a challenge... depending on how it balances....
From: Lewis
26-Apr-22
I just use 2 or 3 scews some a little higher that way you can get the pose you want or any angle works well for us mine are different billfish good luck Lewis
From: x-man
26-Apr-22
I will echo the above statement about using the taxidermists mount. They had it mounted to paint it, find that mounting hole/holes on the back side and use that.
From: DonVathome
26-Apr-22
This mount was 2 sided. It does not have mounting holes on the back. Likely it never did. I bought it used. By luck it was the size of the one I caught, local and I got it cheap because one fin was broken - a fin I actually cut down further so it sits against the wall which we wanted. It worked out good. It seems likely because this was 2 sided it was never designed to wall mount.
Good idea with mounting a bracket to the wall. I might still have to do that. Also many are right trying to balance it with wire and 1 mounting point is tough. This silly fish has taken me hours hanging. Repainted room, moved stuff, finally found the perfect spot and, by bad luck a recessed light right where one hanger needed to go. Replan, remeasure. Really took a lot of time.
One thing I learned was with 2 hangers for the wire it was easy to level it. It also will stop it from falling if 1 hanger fails.
What I have done is put 2 drywall screws in the wall (no studs) and shortened the wire, waiting for fiance to get home to help me hang it. Basically what fields suggested seems like the best plan.
From: JohnMC
26-Apr-22
Maybe sell it cheap to someone who thinks have sailfish replica is also a good idea until they get it home?
From: 320Bull
26-Apr-22
How much does it weigh and is it hollow or foam filed? No experience with replicas. I have been looking for a deal on one locally I think they are super cool.
From: Altitude Sickness
26-Apr-22
Hey be thankful it’s a sailfish not a Marlin:>)))
From: Fields
26-Apr-22
I'd use a drywall anchor and some type of hook.. eventually I think a regular drywall screw or two will pull out...
From: DonVathome
27-Apr-22
Clear mono is a great idea, just a day to late:)
I modified the hangers (drywall hangers with a washer to make sure wire stays on) to sit behind it. A little wire show's but I painted that wire the wall color. I doubt anyone would ever notice it now.
From: DonVathome
27-Apr-22
Pics now
From: xtroutx
27-Apr-22
Nice job.... looks much cleaner. Now you just have to patch the holes in your ceiling. :)
From: DonVathome
27-Apr-22
Already patched holes:)
Good idea fields, looks a lot less hillbilly.
