Description

This is a urethane plastic replica of the jaws and teeth of a Tasmanian tiger, also known as the Tasmanian wolf or Thylacine. This cast measures 4 5/8″ long (from the front center incisors to the last upper molars, on a diagonal, only the upper jaw measurements are given) and 2 3/16″ wide. This is not an actual cast from a real skull but rather an exacting, anatomically accurate sculpture based on a cast of a real skull. I made this cast for a lifesize reproduction thylacine. Please note that because the recreation was made open mouthed to display the famous gaping jaws, the jaws do not fit together the way they would if this was cast from a real skull. Therefore, these jaws would be best for applications that don’t require jaws that have to open and close. If you need a ready-made tongue that would fit this jawset well, I’d suggest a coyote tongue from a taxidermy supply company (this coyote tongue is shown in the last two photos, but is not included). The cast is filled with yellow urethane foam for stability, and the foam makes it easy to machine and accepts hot glue (and other non-waterbased glues) really well. This would be perfect for mask making or educational use. The cast can be painted if desired, but you will need to do some minor surface preparation. I get good results from light scuffing with a very fine grain foam sanding block (120 grit or finer) and then cleaning the cast thoroughly with denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol would also work, as would acetone), since there will be some mold release naturally present that will repel paint. Then you can prime it with ordinary canned automotive-type primer (white primer works best and is easiest to paint over) and then paint with pretty much any kind of paint, including water-based acrylics. Then you can seal it or lacquer it to protect the finish.