why pot call goes flat?

[cohuttariverrat]

Im new to making pots and learning on every call. i just had a walnut slate over glass go flat or dead after a week. it was good with roleover, had rasp to it then like flip of swith became flat. Humidity is higher and i got some moisture when holding lighter under slate. any help?

[mmclain]

the adhesive most likely separated from the wood or the call cupped separating the surface from the shelf......make sure the wood lip and contact area for the slate is cleaned w/ acetone before you apply the adhesive..Oh.... and sometimes it just happens.....just try to reduce any variance when turning or building a call..

matt

[cohuttariverrat]

That is a good possibility about adhesive. I never knew to acetone the lip. I did do a wipe on polly inside the call trying my best not to get on the lip but some did. Would polly not allow goop to bond to the wood? how do most people finish the inside of call without getting it on the lip or not even worry with the inside?
Thanks

[TRKYHTR]

Matt is right. Your surface came loose. One way you can check is push on the edge of the surface with one finger while you play the call. Move your finger to different locations until you get to a spot on the call where it runs great when you are potting pressure down. Thats where it came loose.

Joe

[cohuttariverrat]

Thats it! Thanks a bunch. Ive never heated one up to remove playing surface but have no choice. When u clamp them to dry is there a fine line of too much pressure or not enough?

[TRKYHTR]

Yes. If you clamp the center the glass can buckle slightly and then relax after the glue is dried causing it to come loose. I use a cup, that I put coins in to give it some weight, that covers most of the surface during drying time. Some guys use an empty can of vegetables and put lead weight or anything to give it some weight.

Joe

[mmclain]

a tuna can is about 3.25" and a 10 pound weight....fits perfect on a 3.5" calling surface....

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Too much glue creates problems, the same as too heavy of a weight on the surface. Take a empty soup can and throw your pocket change in it every night until it's almost full. That will give you about 2# of weight, which is all you need. If your weight is to heavy it squashes all your glue out from between the surface and the wood, you need that thin layer of glue between them so the wood can flex a little without breaking loose, because it will swell and shrink a little from moisture.