Preserving a Turtle Shell

What's the best way to strengthen up an old turtle shell I found in the woods? I'm going to make a turkey call from it so need to keep it hollow. What is safe to spray on that will harden and hold it together?

Maybe a clear spray paint , it may work. It will help keep anything else from penetrating into it.

It had already lost all the scales and was a dirty white. I sprayed it tonight with some ivory spray paint. May go over it with some brown and then some clear spray shellac.

I usually clean it as best inside and outside as I can brush/soap & water, let dry then on the inside I will go along all the cracks with super glue gel, let dry then brush several coats of clear polyurathane (drying between coats)It'll be real strong then. If scales are falling off I usually pry any remaining off before any gluing done. They can look really good stained or painted any color afterwards several coats of poly on outside makes them really nice. you can drill them too afterwards. If you want the scales on and any are coming up, I usually glue them down as well with super glue gel then poly the surface. I've also seen where others will use a hand dremel or the like and smooth the bones sticking out on the inside, but I usually don't take the time. Post up pictures of what you do....be good to see!!! Good Luck!

epoxy and polyeurethane

Listen to TN Girl, she is the turtle shell goddess!

You're just prejudiced Dan!!!! We know each other's worth don't we!!!!
I found a couple of pics of a large shell I found hunting Rum Creek in 2009. I made a possibles bag from it, sorry about the photobucket link up......darn it!!!!
this is it front and back...... the one shot shows it next to a normal sized box turtle shell.....


It literally fell apart when I got it home. I washed it all, carefully! Then pieced it back together with super glue gel(like a puzzle) then polyed it a bunch. Stained and painted it......Viola!!!!!!