How to Build a European Mount Plaque

Have you ever spent a ridiculous amount of money just to get your European mount on display? Well, I offer an easy, cheap, and good-looking way to get your buck on the wall or on a tabletop. I am going to show you a way that only compliments can be given to. In six steps I will show you how to build a European skull mount pedestal. Did you know that the average amount of money spent buying a pedestal is almost $50, and over $100 can be spent on a high quality one?

First, get a board that is about three quarters of an inch thick, and is big enough to cut out three shapes. The first shape is fourteen inches tall and eight inches wide, the second is three and one-half inches by two and one-half inches, and the last is eight by six inches. Next, using a pencil, trace around three patterns found online on the board. The three patterns consist of a plaque, a backer, and a small middle piece. If the patterns are found online, print and cut them out of the paper. Tape them to the board using double sided tape.

Cut out the shapes with a jig saw or a band saw. Cut leaving one sixteenth of an inch around the outside of the lines, so they will be the right size after sanding. Sand all three pieces to the line to ensure that all sides are smooth.

Now that all of the shapes are cut out, router the plaque (the biggest piece) and the backer (the second biggest piece) on one face only (do not router the back). Then sand all of the faces and edges, so the pieces are smooth.

Before applying stain, make sure each piece is clean. Then use a rag to apply a light coat of wood stain. Wait until the pieces are dry to the touch (approximately fifteen minutes). Next, apply a second light coat of stain. Lastly, after the stain is dry, spray on a light coat of clear lacquer to seal the pieces (use a side to side motion overlapping each pass half way).

For step five, make two dots on the front of the plaque, the first six inches down from the top and centered, and the other three and one half inches down. Make a dot on the center of the angle and opposite side on the smallest piece, and a dot centered on the backer. Next, drill through the plaque and the backer on the dots using a drill bit smaller that the screws that will be used. On the angled side of the smallest piece, drill perpendicular to the angled face. On the opposite side, drill perpendicular to the face. Lastly, using the same drill bit, drill through the back of the skull centered on the flat surface below the hole.

After pre-drilling the pieces, screw through the plaque into the smallest piece using the bottom hole. The small piece should have the angle against the plaque, with the longest part on the bottom (if this is going on a wall) or the top (if this is going on a flat surface). Next, screw through the back of the plaque into the back of the deer skull (be careful not to screw too tight because the skull bone could strip out and then a bigger screw is needed). Finally, screw the backer to the middle piece. This pedestal can be set flat on a table or fastened to the wall, depending on the direction of the middle piece. Whichever option is chosen, this is a fun and eye appeasing way to get a buck on display!