Shambam1962 Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 My shooting mate and his wife living in Haverfordwest , called this morning to collect an acrylic pen I had made for her, and gave me an early Christmas present book. The book Turning Custom Duck and Game Calls is a very interesting and informative book with detailed guides and drawings, showing how to turn custom duck and goose calls. The techniques used are very similar to the process of making and turning pens on a mandrel. This book has got me thinking, and wet my appetite to have a go at making a turned wooden duck or goose call, which will not only look nice but most importantly having the correct tuned sound. I have a couple of walking sticks and acrylic pens to complete first over the next few weeks, but I will definitely attempt having a go at making a turned wooden call in the New Year and will post the progress and photos later on. Have any PW members, tried making turned wooden duck or goose calls, and what problems did you have ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 hello, if your pens and sticks are something to be admired the duck calls will be spot on to, can you buy the call insert ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 Thank you oldypigeonpopper for your kind words, it’s very much appreciated. In the book it shows the person using a sound board jig, which will cut multiple reeds to the exact same size. The jig is aluminium and shaped to the required duck call you require. You place the drilled dowel into the jig and cut to the shape and add the acrylic reed and stopper to make the finished item. I’m looking at the moment to see what is available, and lots of information available on American sites. Mine when completed may sound like a jazz band Gazoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 hello, that should be interesting, can you buy the jig in UK or USA ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 I’ve only seen it advertised in the USA at the moment. I will keep looking and maybe make a jig as pattern, once I have a bit more information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 23, 2023 Report Share Posted December 23, 2023 I reckon there may well be some rather chunky pens in the New Year......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2023 I spent most of last night watching videos on YouTube of guys making various different duck calls in America. I was going to have a go at making one in the New Year, but found a piece of wood in the shed this afternoon, and had a go at making a duck call. At the moment it’s not completed and still have a few bits to do, and have sorted out how to make a sound board jig for making the reed. The duck call is nothing fancy, but I didn’t want to ruin a nice piece of wood by making a mistake on it. Luckily, it all worked fine, and is fairly straightforward to make. I will order a few pieces of Cocobola wood after Christmas and try something a bit different and laminate the wood to make a nicer looking call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 This is my first attempt at a duck call and it wasn’t to difficult to make. Very pleased with how it sounds. Used a piece of Mylar for the reed off a stencil my daughter had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretlurcher1970 Posted December 26, 2023 Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 What wood is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 The call was made out of a piece of scrap Oak to try out. This was my learning piece, and didn’t encounter any problems, which is good. I have just contacted a company to make me a few stainless steel bushes, which will fit on my pen turning mandrel, and will replicate the calls easily, to size. Just like the technique used for making pens. I have plenty of Oak offcuts, so it didn’t matter if I made a mistake. The next ones will be Cocobolo wood, which is not cheap to buy, but supposedly very good for making calls. TIGHTCHOKE may possibly have some bigger light pulls yet, or maybe a whistling pen ! Who knows what will happen in the New Year ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 This is my sound board jig for making the sound board and reed. I have been searching websites to find out information regarding the size for making the board and reed, and finally found the information required. I made this jig out of Oak as I wanted to complete the call. This one is only temporary, and I will make a steel one after the holidays, and it will be hard wearing and last for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 Found crow call dimensions today on a website and printed them off and made a crow call. This site sells the crow call inserts for the barrel dimensions, but I had to watch a YouTube video to work out the makeup of the mouthpiece. Not quite finished yet and have to fine tune the call pitch and sand the groove to alter the sound, but pleased with my first crow call. A bit more sanding and sealer, before polishing with wax tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 29, 2023 Report Share Posted December 29, 2023 Interesting, hope you can get the call sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted December 30, 2023 Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 hello, nice post again Shambam 👍, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 Thanks TIGHTCHOKE and oldypigeonpopper for your comments. The duck call I made earlier is working very well and I am happy with how it turned out, pardon the pun. The crow call is working, but the vee groove has to be opened out wider to give the correct sound, which will take a bit of patience , and trial and error gentle sanding. I have seen quite a few different wooden crow call types in America, and all have the same reed make up. I can buy a plastic crow call off the internet for £6, but I wanted to try making a wooden call and learn the process. These are a few of the different styles I have found whilst searching the reed make up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 30, 2023 Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 Very interesting, I guess the only way to find out will be to make one up, get it to the point where you are happy with the sound produced and then get out amongst some corvids and see if they come closer. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 Well TIGHTCHOKE, I sanded the crow caller mouth piece to open up the vee for the reed. Happy with the end result, and started blowing it to test, and look what came flying in the open door of the shed ! Perfect end result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 30, 2023 Report Share Posted December 30, 2023 WOW! Winner, winner chicken dinner! This time next year we'll be MILLIONAIRES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenshank1 Posted December 31, 2023 Report Share Posted December 31, 2023 On 26/12/2023 at 15:22, Shambam1962 said: This is my first attempt at a duck call and it wasn’t to difficult to make. Very pleased with how it sounds. Used a piece of Mylar for the reed off a stencil my daughter had. Well done your call looks great . Does the book cover how to tune the calls and how easy was it to tune ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted December 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2023 Thanks greenshank1 for your comments. The book doesn’t go into detail, regarding the fine tuning of the call, but YouTube and especially some of the American sites have it down to a fine art, and show in detail how removing a small amount off the reed will give a different sound (tone). It does give comments and advice off fellow call turners giving their recommendations, how the length of reed and the depth of channel under the reed has an effect on the sound, and how a sound board jig helps to replicate the required sound and just fine tune as required. When I was searching the sites regarding the sound board jigs I came across a site which had the detailed drawing and measurements which I downloaded and made mine out of a piece of Oak to the measurements specified. Lots of the jigs I saw for sale were $110 plus shipping. I didn’t want to spend silly money and make 1 or 2 calls and have the jig sitting on the shelf in the shed for years to come. The wooden jig works very well and holds the sound board, so it doesn’t move when cutting on the bandsaw and makes sanding easier to fine tune. I will make an aluminium jig at a later date. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted January 2 Author Report Share Posted January 2 Cut a few pieces of Ash and Black Walnut yesterday and glued them together, to make a mk2 version of a duck call and a bit nicer looking. I have ordered Mylar for the reed, but won’t arrive until next week, so unable to test until it arrives. I found making this call a lot easier as I more or less knew the process of drilling and depth required. Took before and after photos of the process, and very pleased how it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 2 Report Share Posted January 2 Very smart. Loving your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted January 2 Author Report Share Posted January 2 Thank you Dave for your comment, it looks a bit more finished, than the first one 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted January 3 Author Report Share Posted January 3 Had an offcut from the previous duck call, so I made this one today. Last one for a while, and have purchased 6 acrylic blanks to complete a pen order. Some really nice coloured pen blanks and a few more Conway Stewart blanks to make up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted January 3 Report Share Posted January 3 hello, nice work again👌how you getting on with the crow call sounds ??, i have tried one but the crows took no notice🤔🙄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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