This file is one of the Wolfstone archives of the Halloween mailing lists. You can find out more, and reach the entire collection here: http://www.pobox.com/~wolfstone/_r/HalloweenArchive.html This particular archive deals with "bones" topics. This includes: o real bones o fake bones It does NOT include related topics: o airbrush makeup - see makeup o skeletons - see bodies and parts - - - - - Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 11:53:38 -0700 From: Rich Strelak Subject: Re: HALL: Skeletons on E-bay Note on bulk bones through Anatomical-the $2.00 per pound bones contain a lot of bones from the "Mr. Thrifty Skeleton" which is 33 inches tall. If you wanted to pile a bunch of bones in your scene, it will look like a tribe of midgets were there! If you want full size bones only, you can order the DISARTICULATED BUDGET SKELETON. I'mm using the Bucky's for up close and the latex for the background (but not at $75.00 each!) - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: How to bleach a skull? From: "Edwin Wise" Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 07:51:34 -0500 On 9/10/00, at 11:24 PM, soulseeker7 wrote: >From: Pamela Sullivan >Subject: Hall: How to bleach a skull? >I don't know if there is a 'proper' way of bleaching the skull, but I = have >been bleaching bones for years by soaking in a fairly strong solution of >bleach and water. Bleach will clean the crud off the bones, and make it nice and white (the glow in blacklight thing is cool; must be brighteners in the bleach too), but bleach will also damage the bone structure. Hydrogen peroxide will *also* make the bones white, dissolve icky bits = left on it, and it won't break down the bone as much. If you want the black-light glow, I suggest a second bath of Rit brightener. You can get strong solutions of hydrogen peroxide by the gallon at beauty supply shops; it's not as cheap as bleach, but I've always had good = results with it. You can soak the bones for *days* without fear of dissolving them. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: New Bone Question From: "skeksis" Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 05:28:34 -0400 At 09:18 PM 9/11/00 -0500, Rosey Zielke wrote: >I know about the processing via boiling and bleach as everyone was kind >enough to explain it...However, how to you remove the bone marrow? Won't = >it rot inside?!? Thanks for your help, Rosey >__________________________________________________ Good luck on that part as it will and man does it get nasty. :/ I tried to make a curtain out of chicken wing bones one year and we got *all* the meat off, we bleached the suckers and about halfway through the project = the marrow began to decay. It got so bad that not even the cats would touch the bones. It looked great when it was done *but*... - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: New Bone Question From: "Edwin Wise" Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 08:31:15 -0500 On 9/11/00, at 9:18 PM, Rosey Zielke wrote: >I know about the processing via boiling and bleach as everyone was kind >enough to explain it...However, how to you remove the bone marrow? Won't it >rot inside?!? Thanks for your help, Rosey If you are boiling the bones, the marrow will melt out of smaller bones. For larger bones, it is recommended that you drill a small hole so the marrow can escape. Then, during cooking, a greasy film will form on the top of the pot. You want to pour this off before you remove your bones, otherwise it will re-cover the bones upon removal. Also, boiling with a bit of dish-soap in the pot helps with the grease problems I hear. Bleach will damage bones; do a soak in Hydrogen peroxide if you want them to last... this should also help to de-grease the bones (I think). - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: New Bone Question From: "skeksis" Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 18:47:08 -0400 At 07:00 PM 9/13/00 -0500, you wrote: >Cool idea about the chicken bone curtain. This is going to gross you out = so >if you have a weak stomach LEAVE NOW. to get rid of the marrow put a hole = or >crack in the bone and set it outside so that flies can come and lay their >eggs. the maggots will eat the marrow but not the bone, after the marrow = has >been eaten wash the bone and display. To paraphrase everyone's favorite moose, Bullwinkle...Next year for sure!!! Oh...better hope my wife didn't hear that, she was not too happy over this year's attempt. ;) Seriously, drilling the holes is not a problem, that was how I strung them = together the last time, but dirlling holes through the shafts near the upper and lower ends. Of course, I found out the hard way that some of those birds were mighty young when the caps started to pull off from the weight of the bones beneath them (young bones are not completely ossified). I lost a lot of the bones that way but replacing them was = worth it since I live in Buffalo, NY. "We need more bones? Cooool! Hope everyone is hungry." ;) - - - - -