thekctermite

Thanks John. I can't brag too much about the sound since I didn't make the inserts, but I do tweak and tune them to get the sound I want. I'll put it this way...I've been accumulating duck calls for years and they're all going to go into a box for storage because this year I'm using my own. A couple hard-core hunting friends of mine have sworn the same after using them. They'll call ducks. You guys might be surprised at the woodturning talents and creativity in the callmaking community...Some guys' calls are true art.

I made this one this weekend for my cousin in Denver. Curly maple and an aluminum band. I used waterlox for the finish and buffed it on the Beall to really make it shiny smooth.

Attached Thumbnails

 

thekctermite

Texastimbers, your friend does nice work. I really like his acrylic work with the lazer engraving. Very nice.

The sound file is good too...Somebody's definitely a competition caller! You do that in a duck blind around here and you get your call taken away!! Loud and proud, but that's part of competitive calling. You can tell he's talented on the calls he makes.

Bob Willing

Those are some excellent looking calls. Do you make the metal rings? Where do you get the inserts.

I noticed that you have signed your calls at the end of the barrel by the ring. This is a good idea. Did you burn in you logo etc.

I also make calls but I make my inserts and purchase the guts (tone board and reeds) from HUT products.

Here are a few of my latest calls. I like to laminate various woods to create designs.

Attached Thumbnails

 

TexasTimbers

Nice calls Bob.

Y'all should check out termite's turkey calls. When he casually mentioned he's "...been making turkey calls for quite some time..." he was being rather humble.

__________________
.


.
Flame Box Elder

Bob Willing

Those are indeed beautiful turkey calls. Almost too beautiful to take in the woods. Great way to display the nature of wood.

I was inquiring as to the source of the "inserts" because I would like to expand my duck call variety and techniques. I googled shortly after I posted my comments and have found a source for the inserts.

thekctermite

Those are some beautiful calls you have there Bob. I'm doing some laminated calls with moradillo and zebrawood right now, so I can appreciate what goes into what you've got there. I get my inserts from Echo Calls in Beebe, Arkansas. Call them up and you'll find that they're the nicest people in the world. I haven't used HUT's call guts. I am currently working on developing my own insert and toneboard profile...That will take time to perfect but that's the goal.

Thanks for the compliment TexasTimbers. I promise, I'm new to this. I just got my lathe in December and started dabbling with turkey calls in February or so. A couple months later I was making and selling several a week! Now it has slowed down but I have high hopes for the spring turkey season.

Bob Willing

I looked up Echo Calls and they are more reasonable than the two that I located. If you are planning on making your own inserts, Hut Products sells a Tone board stopper jig. It is a little expensive at $200.00. It might be a little difficult making your own and getting the same buffed finish on the ID. However you could make them out of wood. Do you make the barrel ID ¾”. The Stopper/Inserts that I make have a ½” ID and the barrels are ¾”. I use a steel mandrel (to turn the barrel) that is about 0.004 smaller in diameter than ¾” and then I have two “o” rings grooves that hold “o” rings to make the compression fitting to hold the barrel. I use the same technique for the stopper. The mandrel method allows you to take the barrel off and turn it around so you can taper the other end because the mandrel does not go all of the way through the barrel.
I will pass the word up here in the UP of Michigan about your Turkey calls. We have a spring and fall season for Turkeys. I sell my calls at local gun shows and if you don’t mine I will pass your site along to inquiries about your Turkey calls.
I think Brookside Game Calls makes inserts for Turkey calls.
One caution about about laminating be carfull with your wood choice sometimes different wood are too oily (the oil prevents a good glue joint) and when you insert the stopper over time the wood will split. I had that happen with bolivian rose wood and osag.

thekctermite

Thanks Bob, referrals are the greatest sales tool there is. I appreciate the gesture very much. I've sold a heck of a lot of calls to folks in Michigan.

You'll like the Echo inserts. Easier than your way with the o-rings and such. They're very slightly tapered to fit into a 5/8" hole in the barrel, and they friction fit beautifully (you don't taper the hole in the barrel). I also use a mandrel, specifically a pin lock mandrel 5/8" diameter. Mine is long enough to go all the way through to catch the tailstock if I want but I normally do like you said and leave it 3/4 of the way through. The pic illustrates how I'm doing it.

The $200 jig Hut sells is what is considered a "public" jig. Public jigs are never quite right and tend to have a "wal mart call" sound to them. They're a good jumping off point for making your own toneboard but most people tweak them somewhat. I'm making my jigs from wood until I get one I like. Then I'll have a custom jig made to match it...That'll make $200 look inexpensive I'm afraid. Most public jigs sell for over $100. Most callmakers strive to make their own original toneboards and inserts, which I can respect. Purists will call what I'm doing by using Echo's inserts barrel-turning but not callmaking. Mine sound better than Echo's in my opinion but fact is I'm starting with their parts.

I learned some hard lessons with laminating oily woods years ago. I do it on some things, but always use acetone before gluing. Actually the duck call in the pic is moradillo and zebrawood. Moradillo's fairly oily.

In case you haven't found it, www.thogamecallsforums.com is an awesome, friendly online group of callmakers of all sorts. They're as helpful as helpful gets.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Bob Willing

Termite

Thanks loads for the info. I think I will explore the game call forum. I bet the call you are making is going to be a great contrast of woods.

I guess what is most rewarding about working with wood is seeing what god and nature has locked within its cell. You never know what a surprise and beauty it unfolds. The second most rewarding is people coming back and telling you how they enjoy what was created for their enjoyment.

thekctermite

Here's that moradillo and zebrawood call all finished up. This one's being donated to the Fort Bragg wounded warrior turkey hunt benefit auction. Hopefully its purchase will fund getting one of our wounded heroes back into the woods (since the government cut the funding for the hunt ).

Attached Thumbnails

     

thekctermite

Here's a couple I made from wood I got from TexasTimbers.
One is flame box elder and the other is mesquite. On the mesquite one I inlaid Folgers coffee grounds around the barrel.

Attached Thumbnails

     

TexasTimbers

Folger's coffee grounds? I never heard of anything like that but it looks fantastic. Great job on both of them.

Let us know if you make some pot calls with any of it.

__________________
.


.
Flame Box Elder

thekctermite

I'll definitely be making some pot calls from it.

Bob Willing

Termite

I like the mouth piece on your calls as compared to JB's. I sold about 8 of my calls at a gun show this week end and I make my mouth piece similar to yours. My theory is that it should similar to a musical instrument. The buyers liked the mouth piece and said they are easier to blow, which is important to them when using the call all day long.

I did purchase some inserts last week so I am going to make some with the plastic insert. I viewed the duck call blog and am thinking about purchasing a pin lock mandrel, but in the mean time I am making some with my design becasue I have another gun show to go to this week end and I am almost out of calls. I did not have any requests for turkey calls.

jdixon

Termite those last couple are awesome. Love the inlay with the coffee grounds! I've seen ground up grounds(is that right?) used to fill cracks but using the grounds whole as an inlay is friggin genius! Nice work!

John

thekctermite

Thanks John! If you liked those what do you think of these??? The one at the top left is a banksia pod with...You guessed it....Folgers coffee. This thing was a nightmare to make, and took a heck of a lot of CA. The other is marbled claro walnut.

Attached Thumbnails

     

backwater calls

Where do you order your echo in serts for your calls and how much are they email me at mitchell8205@yahoo.com thanks

DuckCaller

Your call looks great. Im starting to make my own duck call and i really like the look of yours. Where did you get the acrylic tube for the call. again great first call

thekctermite

Grassy Creek game calls is a good source for inserts and reed materials. I personally use Echo inserts. It really isn't callmaking unless you're making your own inserts though.

thekctermite

Here's a couple new ones. Lignum vitae and gaboon ebony. The ebony is incredible stuff and I loved turning it. Big bucks though!

Attached Thumbnails