Hey folks,
I have a few boxes and it seems like they are getting less grippy between the lid and box over time. They still play well loud, but are tougher to play quietly. I normally use scotch bright to clean the bottom of the lid and the rails and then re chalk. Any suggestions on other things to try?
Pete
I use very fine emery paper and lightly clean lid and box contact surface. Try to get it cleaned off as even as you can with minimal pressure. Next I lightly go over lid with half moon railroad chalk. Take the emery paper and barely touch lid going over it to even out chalk. This has worked on every box and push pin call I have. That's what works for me. I have brought lots of guys calls back to life using this simple method.
This is how I "start over" on a box call.
Wipe the remaining chalk off lid and rails with a soft rag.
Scotch brite (green) both to remove any remaining chalk. Go light on the rails.
Sand the underside of the lid lightly with 400 +/- grit sandpaper.
Apply a light coat of your favorite box call chalk to the lid.
Thanks for the responses guys. Got a couple boxes sounding really good :)
Good question and good info for me too!
Yup, worked great
Thanks for the advice.
Ok, here's what I do to keep my box calls running smooth. I rarely ever touch up the side rails on a box call. But if I had to, I would use a scotch bright pad and gently rub off old chalk going in the direction of front to back, so start in the front of the call and lightly rub towards the screw end. For the lid it's simple, rub old chalk off with scotch bright pad and then sand with some 120 grit paper going with the grain back and forth a few times. Re apply chalk same way as you sanded and you should be good to go. You want the rougher paper on the lid to allow the lid to grip the side rails, after running it a while it will wear smooth marks on the lid where it runs across the side rails forming a W or angel wings. Good luck.
If I use anything on the rails it's a green scotch brite pad and its only 3 or 4 light strokes. If i do this at all, its once, no more that twice in an entire year on a heavily used call.
I do not use any emery cloth, drywall screen, or sandpaper on the rails. You do not want to be removing any wood from the rail, which is more likely to occur with more abrasive materials. If you are removing material you are shortening the rail and how the lid rides it, which can change the tune, and will change the tune if done frequent enough.
I will once in a great while use a fine grit sandpaper on the bottom of the lid to raise the grain back up on a heavily used call. I use little to no pressure when sanding with the length of the lid, so I don't change the radius of the lid or put flat spots in it.
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