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First crack at it. Will update as the projects go along

Started by bowmike, July 08, 2015, 09:01:48 AM

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bowmike









I don't have any wood working experience except from a year of wood shop in high school.

Well gave it a try of going over the motions and processes on a 1 piece box call this morning. Learned a lot. I ran out of time before I could finish chiseling out the inside. I am just practicing the steps and getting the proper tooling down before I buy any decent wood, so this is just a scrap 2x4. The sides are not tapered as I don't have a table saw yet. Here are a few things I learned from today's exercise:

-I need to get a different bit in my press.
-need to stay back off of my line when cutting the arc on the band saw
- need to stay back from the line a bit when drilling out the inside the outer edges
-need to use smaller chisels
-need to wear gloves


I am talking with A few call makers and doing research on these but given my current set up and tools, I think this will be my starting point on call making.  One piece boxes and scratch boxes, will be doable with the tooling I have. Have a long way to go but off to a decent start.

I am happy with what I got for my first crack at it but it will be a long time before I can make any nice looking calls. I had a lot of fun trying it and it can only go up from here.

Any tips or advice is appreciated.

Thanks for the look.

Rick Howard

It looks like your doing well.  Sharp chisels are a must.  Get good stones for sharpening.  I like Japanese water stones for my chisels.  Lee Valley is where I got mine. 

Reading the grain and sharp chisels is a must for carving good clean lines.  Scoring perimeter lines with a razor knife also helps prevent crushed or torn grain on the edge.


BOB_HARWELL

 DO NOT wear gloves when using any power tool.

Bob

SS Calls

Quote from: BOB_HARWELL on July 08, 2015, 10:24:16 PM
DO NOT wear gloves when using any power tool.

Bob

OR long sleeve shirt! Learned that the hard way.  :TooFunny:

bowmike

10-4 guys. Didn't think of that aspect.

Here is last nights work:








Tried again last night. Used a different type of wood. Not sure what kind it is, but it was scrap that my dad got for kindling wood by taking apart a few crates where he works.

I went to a smaller chisel and boy what a difference that made. I didn't have to use a hammer or anything. Still working out making straighter lines and such, but I got the sides to look a heck of  a lot better than the first try. My belt sander blew the belt off last night so I didn't get as nice of top curve and did not have time to put a new one one. Not that I know how anyway. LOL

At least I made some progress. This is pretty cool.

Does anyone have any good reference material, besides this forum obviously  RkLu. I joined a few call making forums as reference by a few member here. I was told to check out the Cost books as well, or maybe the dvd.

I need to learn what way the grain of the wood should be going and such for when I get these motions down, and try my first real attempt.

Where do you guys go for wood? I saw a ton of items on ebay and such but would rather buy a bit longer wood, to try and keep the costs down.

Britton40

You can buy the chapters from Neil Cost's books. I would start there.

J Lacey

When I first started I ordered poplar 2x2x12 blanks from shipleys. They're like $3.50. They know what you need far as grain goes.  Once you get started you'll find other wood sources. I don't like crossing my fingers in hopes that what I order will be prime stuff when I'm truth it's about  50/50.  But again shipleys knows what you need. I still buy a lot of lid stock from them. Lots of sources out there.
I feel finding material to
Work with is a very enjoyable part of the process.
2020 Ohio Buckeye World Champion
2020 GNCC Amateur National Champion
2022 Ohio Buckeye World Champion
2022 GNCC Don Chancey award winner

bowmike



Bought my house 4 years ago. Not a new house by any means but the location is perfect. Right at the base of the mountain. I can literally hunt turkey 70 yards from my house. The house came with a little shed with the property. It has been pretty much packed full with nonsense. The house does not have a finished basement and has low ceilings so no possible man cave there. My wife has the house decorated with all kinds of stuff, so I would pretty much feel I would be insulting any animals I harvest by surrounding them with the sconces, and other womanly décor.

I decided that I would convert my shed into a man cave, and get all of the other junk out of it an in my garage. I got some wood working tools last weekend, and decided I would try my hand at call making. Now I have a place to do it. Nothing is set in stone yet as I don't have any electric ran in the shed yet. Right now just have an extension chord from the garage. I just set it up last night. I still have some antlerless, pictures, grouse fan, and other stuff to put in but it is already looking good.

I also have a small fridge that will go in there for come big boy drinks, for after call making, relaxation.

Ill put up some more pics once I get it done. My lathe is on the other wall. I think I might try and sell that lathe and get a more compact lathe.

Rick Howard

Your hooked.  Shop looks like it's coming along nice.