Help with a snakewood box call

[hookhntr]

So ive got a snakewood blank ive started making a box call with. I dont want to mess this up so any help on depth and side thickness would be greatly appreciated. Its a one sided call gonna be about 6" long and 1 3/4 wide. Also any paddle suggestions would be great. Thanks

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Have you made a box call before?  Or just not a snakewood box?

[hookhntr]

Yes I have made a few boxes before that sounded really good but they were not nearly as dense a wood as this snakewood.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Then your ahead of me.  I would try to find a cheaper wood that is close in characteristics and give it some test runs.

Good luck snake wood is some pretty neat wood.

[JELLYHEAD]

   Here's one I made. I used the satinwood for the lid too. I was pleased for my first long box. I'll get measurments tomorrow, it is at a friends house.

[hookhntr]

Thanks jellyhead. That would be great

[JELLYHEAD]

YesSir no problem!

[RIO329]

just a note, snakewood is extremely hard wood and it doesnt take heat very well , repair with super glue if it cracks,and use very sharp tools, regards ,rick

[callmakerman]

I've made my share of box calls and to be honest I wouldn't use the snakewood for a box. Like you and the others have said it's a real hard wood that would work better as a lid. Do what you want but with the cost of snakewood you would be alot happier making lids than trying to check and chisel out a box that most likely will be tuned to thin and high pitched as heck.JMO

[bcc2011]

I totally agree with callmakerman, from alot of experience and wood going to the chipper a dense wood for a box makes it extremely hard to get your sound boards thin enough to get a good tone out of and it also makes for a very heavy call but if you really want to use snakewood what i would suggest is boring out the box and leaving 1/4 inch on each side then use a rasp and go old school shaving down the sides a little at a time. From my experience with dense wood  your side walls are going to be thin and the call will be more of a raspy than anything else. As far as the paddle I would try something like cherry or hard maple, you dont want a paddle to hard because you already have that in the box. Good luck and post some pics of it when you get her done

[hookhntr]

Thanks for the info guys