Human skeleton models have become as useful and collectible to the "average joe" as they have always been to students and teachers of osteology. With recognizing the lack of genuine human skeletons, plastic skeletons have become the go to model for both students as well as Haloween "haunters", but how do you choose which one is right for you, especially if you are on a tight budget? There are many cheap skeleton models available on the internet, however each one has their pros and cons.
Let's focus for a moment on what most people look for in a human skeleton model. Typically an articulated model is preferred, so in this post we will only look more into that category. Besides articulation, what do you want? As many details as possible is always highly sought after as well as movement of the main joints, such as wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, hips, knees and ankles. The main question that now comes in to play is - how much are you looking to spend for a human skeleton model and for what application are you using it?
Let's say, for instance, that you are an osteology student. You are going to want a plastic skeleton that resembles a real human skeleton as closely as possible but still stay within your budget. A perfect plastic skeleton model can run as high as $1,500. However, you can save a lot of money by focusing on your actual needs.
Ask yourself these simple questions:
"Do I need perfect detail?"
"Do I need perfect dentition?"
"What are my main objectives with this skeleton model?
"Do I only need to be able to recognize the main bones, or all of them?"
"Do I need a perfect skull?"
"Do I need a stand for the skeleton?"
Let's look at these questions and see if we can save some dollars on your student budget.
Do you need perfect detail? Most likely not. Every pore or realistic "bone like" feel, is probably not necessary for your needs.
Do you need perfect dentition? Doubtful, unless you are a dental student, which in that case you would be looking to purchase a human skull model and not an entire skeleton.
What are your objectives? Is this human skeleton model going to be used for several years for many different courses, or for just one class? If it's only for one class, you obviusly don't need a skeleton model that is "top of the line" for durability.
Do you need to recognize only the main bones or all of them? This will play a huge part in how expensive your human skeleton model will be. The more bones that are detailed in the model, the higher the price, so figure out exactly what bones you will need to recognize and you will have a pretty good starting point.
Do you need a perfect skull? The skull is one of the most important pieces for an osteology student. Typically you want to get the most detail for your money with the skull, however you may not need as detailed of a skeleton model. Here is a great tip to save you a lot of hard earned money - buy only the human skeleton model that you actually need then purchase a seperate human skull model with the details you need and swap out the skull that came with your skeleton for the more detailed one. This alone can save you a few hundred dollars. For instance, if you only need to recognize the main bones of the human skeleton, you could purchase a "4th quality bucky skeleton" and replace the plastic skull that comes with it for a more detailed skull, such as a "1st quality bucky skull", should you need to study the features of the mandible, cranium and calvarium in more detail.
Do you need a stand for the skeleton model? Believe it or not, some human skeleton model stands can cost up to a few hundred dollars each! You can save a lot of money if you don't need a stand, however if you feel that you do, there are many inexpensive models available that fit many different brands of plastic skeletons, so shop around for the best deal.
So, let's say you only need to focus on the main bones of the human skeleton, however you need a highly detailed skull. You don't need a stand, but you need the skeleton model to last for about 3 years of very rugged use. You can purchase a human skeleton model that fits this description for around $200 - $300 total. That is certainly a far cry from purchasing a perfect $1,500 model.
Now, what if you want a human skeleton model for a Halloween event and not for actual study? Well, you can save a ton of money and still get a detailed model.
There are plenty of very inexpensive plastic skeletons available that will do the job for a Halloween event, such as a "Bargain Basement Barney", which is a life-size skeleton model and typically retails for between $75 - $90. This type of plastic skeleton is made with hollow bones, so it is very lightweight and cuts down the cost of production to make. It is articulated and also offers movement of all of the major joints. The skull is fair, although certainly not the most realistic, however for a Halloween event, that is easily remedied.
Many "haunters" purchase inexpensive skeletons and then repaint them to suit their needs. Being so inexpensive, it's alright if the paint needs to be redone a few times until it is exactly what you want. Another very popular method used is called "Corpsing", by which using latex, tissue paper, cotton balls, paint and any other texturing material you like, that inexpensive plastic skeleton can very quickly take on a "rotting" corpse type of effect. By corpsing an inexpesive human skeleon model, you can achieve a look as though it were a very high priced movie prop - typically for under $100 and these props can last for many years if taken care of. There are many excellent tutorials available on the internet on how to turn an inexpensive plastic skeleton into a grand Halloween prop.
So, there you have it - some ways to save money when in the market for a human skeleton model. You don't need to spend a lot to get a lot, just keep that in mind.
Should you be looking for a plastic skeleton, please take a moment and look at the selection on our website: http://www.boneshoppe.com/. You can also get special deals and discounts when you join our Facebook Pages at: www.facebook.com/boneshoppefriends and www.facebook.com/boneshoppe.
Thanks a lot for reading!
Jesse House
Owner
http://www.boneshoppe.com/
