thekctermite

I've been making turkey calls for quite some time and finally decided to start trying my luck with duck calls. I got some toneboard inserts, tuned them up, and turned barrels for the calls. The bands are brass or aluminum, an are polished on the lathe.

This is my first call. It is curly claro walnut with numerous coats of boiled linseed oil for the finish. Very old school duck call looks with the oil finish, incredible sound.

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thekctermite

This is my second one. It is African blackwood with an aluminum band. I buffed and waxed this on with my Beall system.

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thekctermite

And finally a cocobolo call. Not a great piece of cocobolo...I think it might be the honduran or nicaraguan stuff and not mexican. Too light and orange-ish for my liking. But the sound is great. Also buffed and waxed this one.

I've got an osage orange one with laquer drying on it as well as one I turned from a scrap of goncalo alves 4x4 post. Pics coming on those two...

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firehawkmph

Looks good Termite,
I like the lighter cocobolo one. Even thought it's lighter, it still looks great. Sounds like there will be a lot of quackin' goin' on at your place.
Mike Hawkins

Ella Menneau P.

Those are really beautiful!

Kenbo

Those are great!!! I love the consistency in the shape that you are getting. I have a problem with consistency when I'm turning something. I really like the buffed finish. I don't know much about duck calls but they look great to me. How big are they?
Ken

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thekctermite

Thanks Ken and everybody. The band is 1/2" wide and 1-1/4" in diameter for reference...I haven't measured them but the wood is probably a bit under 4".

thekctermite

Here's the osage orange/hedge/bois d' arc one. Laquer finish on this call. Deft laquer is pretty popular with callmakers. This piece of wood used to be the floor of a barn's hay loft. It's going to yield a number of calls!

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thekctermite

Here's the goncalo alves deck post turned duck call. It sounds good and looks fine but it is a bit plain Jane for my liking.

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thekctermite

This one was a challenge. Maple burl and quite a bit of CA glue for the small holes and inclusions. I friction-applied two coats of tung oil inside and out on the lathe. This one got the Beall buff treatment. This call will be going to my favorite uncle in Denver, who knows he's getting a call but doesn't know what it'll look like.

The bands on all these are laquered to keep them from tarnishing.

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thekctermite

My chocolate lab Moose, who is more of a couch dog than a bird dog these days, is going berzerk with all the duck calling coming from the garage. He stands at the door and cries until I let him come out and hang out. He hasn't hunted in two years because I haven't hunted too much, and he's getting older, but he's made it very clear that he still has the desire and the drive. I'm going to have to take him swimming at the gun club's pond just to cope with the guilt of not taking him hunting the last couple seasons. Since all this call-blowing started a few days ago he's been retrieving everything in sight and bringing it to me, perhaps in an effort to prove he's still got it...Dirty clothes, his toys, a pizza box, etc.

Ella Menneau P.

So cute! Do you have a picture of him? (I'm a sucker for dog stories!)

thekctermite

That's him in my profile picture, assisting with a recent plumbing job.

cabinetman

I've tried duck calls, but I can't even sing. Seriously, nice work...they are great looking, nice finish.

TexasTimbers

Termite those are mighty fine calls.

When you post pictures, the software allows you to upload up to four images per post. You can insert text anywhere you want ~ above or below each image, and in between any two of them.

This is much more preferable to making one post for each image. Keeps the thread as compact as possible and it's easier and faster for you too. No big deal for now just FYI for next time you have numerous images (which I hope won't be too long in coming!).

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Flame Box Elder

thekctermite

Thanks Texas Timbers. Good point about the pics!

TexasTimbers

Termite,

One of my long time customers is Joe Briscoe of JB Custom Calls. For you Texans who might wonder yes he's related to our late governor Dolph Briscoe; he's his nephew. Joe didn't like his uncle's political views any more than I but he does describe Dolph as having been a genuinely good man, apart from his liberal slant. All that aside, I furnish Joe with Bois d' Arc and his calls have won competitions.

I told him he needs to fire his webmaster and he told me he couldn't since it was him. Ha. Anyway, he has a lot more talent making calls than making websites. Here's a few pics and audio files off his site posted with permission.








Listen to this and tell me you don't want to be in a blind out on some flats, with a black lab all wound up and ready to launch into the water and get them dead ducks!

Competition Audio File of JB Custom Calls' Single Reed Open Water Duck Call.








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Flame Box Elder

jdixon

KC those look great! What is the mouthpiece portion made of? Is that clear plastic? Man almost looks like crystal! Great job.

John

John in Tennessee

Now do they sound as good as they look. If they do the rest of the people can stop maiking their's.

thekctermite

Thanks John. The inserts are polycarbonate (clear plastic). I'm going to eventually make my inserts from cast acrylic (really nice clear plastic).