Rectangular friction calls

[Ky Gobbler]

I've recently wanted to try making my own turkey calls and I have carved a couple strikers out of cedar. I was wondering if anyone had any information on making the older style rectangular pot calls? I don't have a lathe or I'd make round pot calls. Thanks for any help.

[R.W. Mackey]

  I've never done one that way but have turned plenty pots. Why don't you just make it like a square pot. Use same dimensions and thickness and it should sound very close. Try 1/4" thick hardwood to make the rectangle box, make the outside dimensions 1/4" wider than the slate on each side, you will
Router off 1/8" from each side so your slate will fit. Make the bottom 1/4" cut a few holes, maybe one center and 2 to 3 on either side of that, probably 3/8" would be good to start. Take some 1/4 x 1/4"
Stock and cut two pieces about 1 to 1 1/2" long, you will use these to glue to the bottom of call to support your sound board. This should  make your soundboard about 1/2" high, should be about right.
Get a piece of glass cut 1/8" smaller than your inside dimension of the box, this is your sound board.
Glue it in, use plumbers goop, good stuff. Glass will be appx. .085" thick, there needs to be a little less than 1/8" gap between the soundboard and your striking surface, .110" would be a really good place to start. This will determine how high the sides of the call will be. Probably around .800" high, .500 from bottom of call to top of pedestal,glass .085 thick, gap .110, slate .095 equals .790. Distance will vary according to the thickness of your materials.
  Hope this is not too confusing, and I know this dog will hunt.  Let us know how you do.

Roy

[WillowRidgeCalls]

You don't need a Lathe to make round pots, just a Drill Press and couple Forstner Bits. Done it that way for the last 16 years.

[Ky Gobbler]

  I've never done one that way but have turned plenty pots. Why don't you just make it like a square pot. Use same dimensions and thickness and it should sound very close. Try 1/4" thick hardwood to make the rectangle box, make the outside dimensions 1/4" wider than the slate on each side, you will
Router off 1/8" from each side so your slate will fit. Make the bottom 1/4" cut a few holes, maybe one center and 2 to 3 on either side of that, probably 3/8" would be good to start. Take some 1/4 x 1/4"
Stock and cut two pieces about 1 to 1 1/2" long, you will use these to glue to the bottom of call to support your sound board. This should  make your soundboard about 1/2" high, should be about right.
Get a piece of glass cut 1/8" smaller than your inside dimension of the box, this is your sound board.
Glue it in, use plumbers goop, good stuff. Glass will be appx. .085" thick, there needs to be a little less than 1/8" gap between the soundboard and your striking surface, .110" would be a really good place to start. This will determine how high the sides of the call will be. Probably around .800" high, .500 from bottom of call to top of pedestal,glass .085 thick, gap .110, slate .095 equals .790. Distance will vary according to the thickness of your materials.
  Hope this is not too confusing, and I know this dog will hunt.  Let us know how you do.

Roy

Thank you for the detailed description. Okay, after rereading this a few times I think I get what your saying and I've imagined how it should look. But I have a couple more questions, Would a wooden sound board work nearly as good as the glass? If so what thickness would you recommend? And should it be a different type of wood(I was thinking about hickory or oak)? I have an old aluminum sign and I was thinking about cutting a piece of it to use for the surface of the call, I think its a little about 1/8 of an inch thick. What are your thoughts on the aluminum surface?

[R.W. Mackey]

  Sure you can use wood, I was thinking you wanted a slate surface and wood and slate together make a very soft call, so if I'm using slate I usually put in a glass or aluminum sound board. Make it about 1/8"
either of those woods should work. I like aluminum a lot, it's one of my favorite surfaces for high pitched
locator calls, but I usually use a glass soundboard because I'm looking for volume. I have never tried the aluminum with a wood sound board, should quiten the call some. Raw aluminum is usually very slick, you will need to roughen the surface somehow.
  Good luck,
Roy

[West Augusta]

I've also made pot calls with a router.  Make a template, screw it to the board you are going to make the pots from and use bushings to make the surface shelf and sound board post.  Not near as easy as a lathe but works fine if you only plan on making a few pot calls.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

  I've never done one that way but have turned plenty pots. Why don't you just make it like a square pot. Use same dimensions and thickness and it should sound very close. Try 1/4" thick hardwood to make the rectangle box, make the outside dimensions 1/4" wider than the slate on each side, you will
Router off 1/8" from each side so your slate will fit. Make the bottom 1/4" cut a few holes, maybe one center and 2 to 3 on either side of that, probably 3/8" would be good to start. Take some 1/4 x 1/4"
Stock and cut two pieces about 1 to 1 1/2" long, you will use these to glue to the bottom of call to support your sound board. This should  make your soundboard about 1/2" high, should be about right.
Get a piece of glass cut 1/8" smaller than your inside dimension of the box, this is your sound board.
Glue it in, use plumbers goop, good stuff. Glass will be appx. .085" thick, there needs to be a little less than 1/8" gap between the soundboard and your striking surface, .110" would be a really good place to start. This will determine how high the sides of the call will be. Probably around .800" high, .500 from bottom of call to top of pedestal,glass .085 thick, gap .110, slate .095 equals .790. Distance will vary according to the thickness of your materials.
  Hope this is not too confusing, and I know this dog will hunt.  Let us know how you do.

Roy

Thank you for the detailed description. Okay, after rereading this a few times I think I get what your saying and I've imagined how it should look. But I have a couple more questions, Would a wooden sound board work nearly as good as the glass? If so what thickness would you recommend? And should it be a different type of wood(I was thinking about hickory or oak)? I have an old aluminum sign and I was thinking about cutting a piece of it to use for the surface of the call, I think its a little about 1/8 of an inch thick. What are your thoughts on the aluminum surface?

A wood soundboard will work great, depending on what woods you use? Not to use on using a sign for a surface, the compounds they used to mix with when making the sign may not make a good sounding call? Raw alum. is the best, but it's hard to even find good quality alum that doesn't have an oily finish to it?

[Ky Gobbler]

Thanks for all of the input. I'll let you know what I can come up with. Is there a way I can test the sign material to see if the sound would be bad?