Osage Roost
Turkey Call Paradise => From the Callmaker's Bench => Topic started by: Houlihan on February 17, 2015, 08:42:45 PM
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I don't know how much this will interest folks. But a lot of pics are posted of finished calls (including by me) and not many of the sausage making. So, I thought I would post some pics of a call as it was being made. Like everyone, there were points along the way that I thought it would never turn out. And I didn't really know exactly how it would look, or whether it would turn out, until the end when it was all put together. I ruined one lid half way through when I decided I didn't like the inlays and tried to saw them out to replace them, splitting the lid. I ruined a couple of turkey carvings along the way, too. But, I learned a lot about things I'd do differently next time. So, it was worth it in that regard. I also didn't make things in quite a logical order. I sort of switched around and did things randomly to keep my interest. I don't know if this is helpful. But it always interests me to see how other people do things. And maybe it will help someone else out. Or maybe some folks with share some tips with me. My approach is by no means the best. It's just trial and error. I called this "close call" because the turkeys barley escaped the bear. But the close call was really just trying to finish this thing. And it's nowhere near as complex as some other calls that were in the show. If this post belongs elsewhere, feel free to move it (or remove it).
Roughed out bear on big block of tupelo with some walnut accents
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150111_005.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150111_005.jpg.html)
bear after I carved some detail and painted him black. I have a book on carving that suggests painting everything black before color so no white spots show through in the end. I think it's a good idea.
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150111_033.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150111_033.jpg.html)
finished bear
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150112_006.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150112_006.jpg.html)
flying gobbler after I carved him but before putting his glass eyes in and painting him
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150117_003.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150117_003.jpg.html)
belly of the gobbler
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150117_017.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150117_017.jpg.html)
back of the gobbler
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150117_016.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150117_016.jpg.html)
little turkey breast mount carved (I always put super glue on the delicate parts after they're carved, and it strengthens them)
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150124_001.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150124_001.jpg.html)
turkey breast mount painted
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150128_001.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150128_001.jpg.html)
some of the roughed out pieces before painting trying to get a look at the composition. I changed how I mounted them in the end. I really had no idea how to do it.
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150124_013.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150124_013.jpg.html)
All the pieces painted black before color
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150126_003.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150126_003.jpg.html)
Getting a look at the inlays before I hacked up the box. (http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150128_044.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150128_044.jpg.html)
one side of the box roughed out (I use a Fordham mostly and a GRS for fine detail)
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150131_005.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150131_005.jpg.html)
other side of the box roughed out
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150131_009.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150131_009.jpg.html)
the box is carved and now the birds have to be painted
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150131_015.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150131_015.jpg.html)
the hen painted (I changed her later and kept dabbling with the paint job)
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150206_012.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150206_012.jpg.html)
the tom painted
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150207_019.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150207_019.jpg.html)
the bear with some feathers added
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150208_006.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150208_006.jpg.html)
the scrimshaw pieces before inlaying
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150207_023.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150207_023.jpg.html)
done
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/NWTF%202015%201.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/NWTF%202015%201.jpg.html)
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I didn't see that one but I did hold the John Wayne call at Nashville and to say I was impressed is an understatement. You are very talented.
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Wish I could have made it this year, i would have paid anything for that. Very talented work, excellent!!!! *up*
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*bowing* thanks for the write up and photos,,,,,,,,,, *up* *up* *up* RkLu
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I am always amazed at your work sir.
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Awesome write up of the progress of that call. A beautiful call in the end and as stated above you are a very talented individual, I envy your work!!! Please Keep posting because I never tire of looking at what you come up with.
Austy
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Incredible work, thanks for posting the making of the call.
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Beautiful call!! The talent you have is amazing! Thanks for sharing the story.
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Outstanding!
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Excellent!...I really enjoyed seeing the steps!...Was the revolver on the call somewhere?
Thanks for posting this!...You are very talented my friend!
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Excellent!...I really enjoyed seeing the steps!...Was the revolver on the call somewhere?
Thanks for posting this!...You are very talented my friend!
Thanks again for the comments. Yes, Dave. That little revolver is carved out of tupelo, too, and then painted. It's on the "John Wayne/Rooster Cogburn" call display, which I also sent to NWTF this year.
(http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo133/mhoulihan/WP_20150208_024.jpg) (http://s369.photobucket.com/user/mhoulihan/media/WP_20150208_024.jpg.html)
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That tutorial is awesome!
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Mike !!!!!
very informative..........I really enjoyed the progression.
Thanks,
Dave
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Oh, ok...Thats a great looking call too! I havent seen that one, i dont think.
Is Tupelo wood easy to carve, and where do you get it?
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Thanks for sharing. That was neat to see how you made that call, By the way is Fantastic. *bowing* *bowing* *bowing*
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Oh, ok...Thats a great looking call too! I havent seen that one, i dont think.
Is Tupelo wood easy to carve, and where do you get it?
Tupelo is widely regarded as the easiest wood to carve. It doesn't have much grain. So, it's stronger in all directions than wood with a significant grain structure. It's super light weight as well, and buoyant, making it the choice for many, if not most, decoy carvers. Some guys use bass wood, but it's fuzzier to carve. You can get it at any specialty wood shop, like Woodcraft, or online from carving supply places. It's not particularly expensive. You do have to treat it with a NON WATER BASED sealer before painting it, or the grain will raise. So, I just spray it with Deft lacquer before painting it. Again, I'm not expert, but I've done quite a bit of reading and experimentation and ruined a few things, as well as talked to some very experienced guys.
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Absolutely mind blowin' how you guys do that stuff!
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That's pretty awesome *up*
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Thank you very much for the info...You do great work!
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words cannot describe the talent ---- *bowing*
This is really a great post showing the progress step by step of this creation.
Also, as others have noted, the John Wayne call is a SPECIAL work also.
Thanks for posting this, congrats to you and really look forward to seeing more of your talents
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Great pics! Thanks for showing the evolution of a work of art! It does take a lot of "cyphering" to put it all together. Really, really nice.
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Great post! Thanks for sharing how it is done. Beautiful work!! *up*
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David you are very talented call maker. How did the call do at the convention.
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Very interesting process and it looks great!
Bill
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David you are very talented call maker. How did the call do at the convention.
it placed 3rd in the category, behind Constantine and Oldham, whose calls were incredible.
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very nice work *up*