SafetyMan

I know you guys here are all about the work...

Here is a decoy I'm currently working on, prior to paint. He will be getting his proper suit this week, and I'll post pics of the finished product then, but thought I'd share him nekkitt....

Big Dave

Very nice but I gotta ask, is that cork for a body?

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SafetyMan

Yes, the body on this one is High Density Tan Cork. I have some Black Cork as well, but it's a lot more messy.

Cork is used for numerous reasons... First and foremost it is tradition. The market hunters of the past used cork because it was cheap and easily had. It was used as packaging, floatation for docks, crab pot floats, and freezer insulation.

Cork also closely represents the density of a live duck, giving it similar floatation qualities, thus looking more like a duck than hollow plastic. Cork is lighter than solid wood, which can be a consideration if you are carrying them. For wood to be "useable" it needs to be hollowed after carving.

The head on this decoy is Northern White Cedar, the bottom board is pine, and the keel will be oak.

johnep

Just been trying to shape some cork, how do you cut it so smoothly?
johnep

SafetyMan

I cut the blank out on a bandsaw, then go to my WeCheer with a Carbide Kutzall for rough carving, then stick with the same tool but switch to a sanding drum, then go to my home made bow-sander, then finish with my Mouse and hand sand down with 220.

I use Helmsman Spar Urethane as a sealer, and these pics were taken with 5 coats. I do thin coats, and 00 Steel wool prior to applying the next.

Gorilla Glue is the adhesive used for attaching both the bottom board and head. Head is held in place with a 6" deck screw and Bondo is used where needed to fill small gaps.

The keel will be added later, it is done, and filled with about 8 oz of lead. I need this decoy to be able to self-right in 4 foot waves on the Great Lakes.

TexasTimbers

That's interesting SafetyMan. Takes alot of patience I bet. On a semi-related topic, one of my bonus daughters won the 2003 Maryland State Youth Duck Stamp competition. She made it down to the last cut for the top 3 in the National Finals. During the finals in Delaware they were also having the National Duck Decoy competition or whatever it was called and we watched the judging on that. I can see how you can become caught up in such a pleasurable activity. We spent an hour trying to decide which one looked the best, had the best action, was most striking, etc. I forgot what won that but I want to say a swan won it. I think there has been some debate over the years about letting swan decoys in hasn't there?
I was just eavesdropping in on some conversations between the experts trying to pick up tidbits of stuff and my hearing is not so great so that could be all wrong.

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Burlkraft

Nice job safetyMan.....

That is definitely an art....

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SafetyMan

Here it is, with paint.

All that is left to do is seal the keel with Spar... 4 or 5 or 6 coats
oughtta do it.

This peticular decoy will travel the country this fall, and everyone that
hunts over him will take pictures and sign him. Kind of like the roaming
gnome

SafetyMan

I guess maybe I should share what they should look like, shouldn't I?

solidwoods

Nice,, a diver or dabbler?
OK, I went to the bottom and saw the pics.
jim

misfire

Looking through old posts trying to catch up, but this is a nice decoy. I have a canvasback on the shelf I started 4 years ago Covered in dust, I may clean it up and finish one day

red

I think you nailed it dead on. Great job. Red

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smitty1967

all I can say is WOW...nice work Safetyman. I'm puzzled that you go to all that effort to produce such a nice piece and then throw it out in a pond full of muck in the proximity of guys with guns.....

good on you, thanks for sharing
smitty

dbhost

I thought since y'all were liking that duck decoy (sweet decoy by the way) you migh tbe interested in seeing what my Grooms cake looked like at my wedding...

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misfire

Good thing I wasnt invited to the wedding, I would have shot the cake