Making Feet

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. You will need the following materials: copper wire, brass rod, super glue (CA glue), and blue/yellow epoxy putty.

   • 

2. The tools required are needle-nose pliers, wire snip, micro hand drill, #110 X-Acto knife, small ball-peen hammer, and a 3⁄32" shaft, double-carbide bur. You will also need a small vise.

   • 

3. Measure the tarsus of the bird leg from the pattern.
    

   • 

4. Add 3⁄4 of an inch to each end of the tarsus length. These extra sections will insert into the bird and the mount. Use a permanent marker to mark where you will cut the brass rod. Cut the brass rod to the marked lengths.

   • 

5. At each point you marked, bend the brass rod with the needle-nose pliers to the angle shown above. I call it a “lazy Z.”

   • 

6. Measure each of the toes and mark the copper wire to include two toe lengths. Add about an inch to that length and cut the wire. (Pictured: I usually cut wire for two sets of toes in case I need spares.)

   • 

7. With the needle-nose pliers, bend each end of the copper wire to a half-round “claw” shape.

   • 

8. Place the copper wire on a small vise and use the ball-peen hammer to pound the bent end flat.

   • 

9. Use the carbide bur and gently shape the nail for the toe. Always keep the rotation of the micro-motor toward the end of the wire. Otherwise, it will grab the wire and bend your toe.

   • 

10. When you are finished, you should have a good selection of wires with toenails on them.

    • 

11. Open up the blue/yellow epoxy putty and cut off equal parts of each color.

    • 

12. Take the two equal parts of the epoxy and knead them together until the mix turns into a true green color.

    • 

13. Pinch off a piece of the green putty that is about the length of the wire toe and a little bit wider. Wrap it around the wire. Leave the nail of the toes exposed and add a small amount of putty behind the toe on the bottom for the toe pad.

    • 

14. Using the X-Acto knife, etch the toe joints and the side scale details into the putty.

    • 

15. Once you have your putty in the four pairs of toes epoxy detailed (or fleshed), lay them on a small piece of wax paper to dry. This takes about four hours.

    • 

16. Get a piece of brass rod that equals the length of the tarsus and lay it beside the “lazy Z” brass piece. Get a slab of the epoxy putty and begin rolling it over both pieces of brass rod.

    • 

17. Once you’ve covered both pieces of brass rod, knead the putty into a leg shape. This is another case of “less is more.” Use the putty sparingly and keep the leg thin.

    • 

18. Once again, take the X-Acto knife and etch in the markings and scales of the bird leg.

    • 

19. This is an example of what you should have when finished.

    • 

20. Review the pattern to confirm where you think the legs should go into the carving and mark the locations with a pencil.

    • 

21. Take the micro drill and hand drill a hole about ¾ of an inch deep for each leg location in the bird carving.

    • 

22. When the legs are dry, fit them into the carving. Do not glue them in yet.
     

    • 

23. Take the branch or stick that you have selected for your mount and mark the spots where you want to put the feet.

    • 

24. Using the micro drill, hand drill the two holes for the legs and fit the carving on the branch. Do not glue yet.

    • 

25. On a piece of paper, write labels for the individual toes—the heel, middle, inside, and outside. Place each toe by its title.

    • 

26. Cut each toe to the required length (as measured from your pattern) and return them by their names.

    • 

27. Add super glue to the branch ends of the legs and attach them to the branch.

    • 

28. Let this dry for about an hour and remove the bird carving from the legs.
     

    • 

29. Take a very small piece of green putty and place it on the leg where the heel will go.

    • 

30. Attach the heel and use the X-Acto knife to knead the heel into the leg.
     

    • 

31. Make a ball of the green putty about an 1⁄8 of an inch in diameter and place it in the front part of the leg. Begin attaching the toes.
     

    • 

32. Using the X-Acto knife, knead the three toes into the leg.

    • 

33. Now all of the toes and the heels are attached. Set the branch aside and let it dry for about four hours.
     

    • 

34. Mix just a pinch of white paint with black to get a very dark gray. Use a #3 round brush to paint the legs with this color.
     

    • 

35. Once the paint dries, mix a lot of water with white paint to get a very watery white and lightly paint over the legs. This should enhance the scaling detail but lighten the legs only slightly.
     

    • 

36. Once the white has dried, take a liner and paint the scales of the leg and toes with a nearly black mixture. When the legs are dry and painted to your liking, glue the carving to the legs that are mounted on your habitat.

    •