Buying Slate

[Lone Star Eastern]

Let me preface with saying I'm not trying to get fancy or put much love into call making.... Yet. I just saw a video of a young man making slate calls with dip cans, and kind of wanted to throw one together.

Am I limited to buying slate from proper companies, that sell them on eBay and such, designed for calls, or can I find something comparable at a local store. Again, just tinkering, so I don't want to order a $3 slate disk and pay $8 for shipping, if I can find something comparable at a hardware store or something, and cut it myself.

Anyone have advice?


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[mastevt]

have ya checked Brookside, or GrassyCreek?  Im sure you could buy a few rounds from them, or are you asking for a couple from one of us call builders?

[Lone Star Eastern]

have ya checked Brookside, or GrassyCreek?  Im sure you could buy a few rounds from them, or are you asking for a couple from one of us call builders?

I'm looking for just some slate to goof off with. If I could by some for a few bucks that would be fine, but I just cannot justify paying $8 to ship $3-6 worth of slate for me to experiment with. If only Hobby Lobby, or someone, sold a big sheet of it for me to cut bits out of for my playing.


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[JeffC]

Ask a contractor, Ive used left over slate flooring. Flooring contractors always have a mess of scraps laying around. Trash=$ saved

[mastevt]

Ask a contractor, Ive used left over slate flooring. Flooring contractors always have a mess of scraps laying around. Trash=$ saved

Pretty sure that stuff is gonna be wayyyy too thick.  He needs thin stuff,  .090 thick.   Brookside has it for $3.85 a piece.   But hes gonna have to pay shipping costs.  All of us makers pay shipping costs.  Part of doing buisness.  Sometimes they have free shipping, but your gonna have to buy alot more than what he wants to spend.   My best suggestion would be to find a pot call maker near him, and see if he could just drive over and buy it.  But gas with the price it is, hes probably gonna spend more on gas than shipping.  Id be happy to sell him some.  But hes still gonna have to pay shipping, and if ya put it in a bubble wrap package, it'll be broken when he gets it. 

[Lone Star Eastern]

This is what I figured... that's for the 2 cents, everyone.


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[JeffC]

Ask a contractor, Ive used left over slate flooring. Flooring contractors always have a mess of scraps laying around. Trash=$ saved

Pretty sure that stuff is gonna be wayyyy too thick.  He needs thin stuff,  .090 thick.   Brookside has it for $3.85 a piece.   But hes gonna have to pay shipping costs.  All of us makers pay shipping costs.  Part of doing buisness.  Sometimes they have free shipping, but your gonna have to buy alot more than what he wants to spend.   My best suggestion would be to find a pot call maker near him, and see if he could just drive over and buy it.  But gas with the price it is, hes probably gonna spend more on gas than shipping.  Id be happy to sell him some.  But hes still gonna have to pay shipping, and if ya put it in a bubble wrap package, it'll be broken when he gets it.

Sorry was a few years ago when I did some. Think I cut down to 4"x4" sq, then cold chisel to edge and split it in 2, dont remember thickness, but it worked, killed a Tom with it the 1st time using it. Have a wet saw and angle grinder, dont remember if I used them on it? No sound board, sounds raspy, black walnut pot.

[RLAG]

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Art-Supplies/Painting-Canvas-Art-Surfaces/Chalkboards/Double-Sided-Black-Slate-Chalkboard/p/22136

I've used this before. It's the right thickness and surprisingly have made some calls I'd hunt out of it

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[Tarheel]

You use to be able to go to a hobby store or old hardware store and buy small slate chalkboards. I bought a number of them over the years and cut them up with a jeweler's saw.  But unfortunately, those days are long gone.  Recently I purchased some roofing slate; and when I get the chance I'm going to rent a tile saw from Home Depot to cut it up.  By the time I'm finished, I'll probably have spent way more than I should have for what I get in return, but I've thrown money away on worst projects before.  You never know what can result until you try. Money is a tool......

RLAG....thank you for the Hobby Lobby link.....I'm going to stock up!  That's a good deal!

[RLAG]

No problem. Made both of these from that slate. Tough to get a perfect circle with a scroll saw but can get it close and sand the rest

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[callmakerman]

You use to be able to go to a hobby store or old hardware store and buy small slate chalkboards. I bought a number of them over the years and cut them up with a jeweler's saw.  But unfortunately, those days are long gone.  Recently I purchased some roofing slate; and when I get the chance I'm going to rent a tile saw from Home Depot to cut it up.  By the time I'm finished, I'll probably have spent way more than I should have for what I get in return, but I've thrown money away on worst projects before.  You never know what can result until you try. Money is a tool......

RLAG....thank you for the Hobby Lobby link.....I'm going to stock up!  That's a good deal!

Marvin I have done the same thing buying up roofing slate for scratch box strikers. I also picked up a cheap tile saw that takes a 7" diamond blade that works great to break the roofing tiles down to the size I need. My tile saw was under a 100 and always there when I need it.