Duck season is closed, bummer for me. I could just be depressed and mope but I figured out a really constructive, uplifting way to dwell on waterfowl. At the suggestion of my hunting partners son, I am starting to make waterfowl calls.
Batch of Pintail/Widgeon/Wood Duck Whistles
I haven’t used my lathe in years. Last time I tried using it I just chunked up a bunch of wood for the burn pile. We definitly had a lot of wood for the campfire. I was totally frustrated and moved on to make other things that didn’t involve any lathe work.
Woods Used on These Calls - Back Row (L-R) Zebrawood, Jatoba - Front Row (L-R) Curly Soft Maple, Tennessee Red Cedar, Roasted Curly Soft Maple, Monkeywood, Bloodwood, Wenge, Spalted Hard Maple
Since my hunting partner’s son put the bug in my ear, I figured I would give the lathe another try. I have been pleasantly surprised how well I have done. I started out making Pintail/Widgeon whistles. I took my time on the first couple of calls (maybe because I’m getting older and a little more patient, LOL). After awhile, the turning started to become easier (still not easy). I turned out a few whistles, learned how to tune them and use them. The finish I use is cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) with an accelerator between coats. I use a minimum of 10 coats on each call. After the finish is applied, I sand the call to 12,000 grit and then buff with plastic polish. The results are amazing.
