What is takes...

[culpeper]

• Tweet

For me anyway to build a box call.  Greg M mentioned the many factors involved with building turkey calls, phew, you can say that again.  So this got me thinking.  As most of you know I build box calls and without giving aways any trade secrets, I will list the steps I take to build my box calls.  My steps are not proprietary and suspect most of the custom box call builders who build soild body box calls use most of the same steps with a variation of sorts, sequencing, etc., as to how some are achieved.  I may miss a small step or two and I never build just one call at a time, but this is essentially what's involved when I build.  Note, and I would say on average from the next 20 box calls I build, and even with all the care I take, about 60%-70% of them will work, so typically 6-7 of those 20 call bodies, I always save the lids, never end up leaving my shop and end up in my fireplace.  It's the nature of the beast when working with a natural product that has a mind of it's own more times than I care to think about.
Call BODY
Find good wood, not as easy as you think and experience pays off during selection for getting better calls
Mill the wood to length and square it up to prep for key steps later
cut the outside angles
cut and install the inlays
sand inlays
layout checkering
score in the checkering
cut checkering
drawn on radius profile
rough cut profile waste on band saw
cut radius smooth with preferred method
layout screw/spring holes and sound chamber
drill screw/spring holes
cut out sound chamber with preferred method
cut relief in ends
select base wood
mill base stock to size
cut out mortise
round over edges as desired
glue body to base
when dry trim to length
cut 45 degree corners
sand 45 degree corners and sand ends
cut in screws straight
sand sides of body
start to thin down sound rails with preferred method
in prep for tuning
round over sound rails
Add finish to the body

LID/PADDLE
select wood
decide on preferred grain orientation
mill lid stock to size
create radius with preferred method
Layout handle design
cut out handle design
sand handle shape, top surface and radius surface
cut in and install inlays
sand inlays
layout checkering
cut checkering
layout screw hole
drill screw hole
final sand lid as preferred
add finish to the lid

Chalk lid, put lid and body together and start tuning as needed.
Hope to hell it runs and talks turkey!

[Rzrbac]

• Tweet

Interesting, I’ve always wondered how one was made and the sequence of steps involved. I am surprised that some calls don’t make it and end up being scrapped. I’ve attempted to build some scratch boxes before and sometimes they talk and sometimes not even close.

So do you ever use the same types of wood and combinations and find one is much better than the other even though the wood type is the same?

[culpeper]

• Tweet

Interesting, I’ve always wondered how one was made and the sequence of steps involved. I am surprised that some calls don’t make it and end up being scrapped. I’ve attempted to build some scratch boxes before and sometimes they talk and sometimes not even close.

So do you ever use the same types of wood and combinations and find one is much better than the other even though the wood type is the same?

ALL THE TIME!  Here again for probably most box call builders, they have their wood combo's that are more consistent produces than others,  But to your question and after 13 years it's clear that wood is wood and it's NEVER predictable or consistent.  I have build calls from the same board and directly adjacent to and in line with a previous blank, when the first call worked GREAT and the next one didn't.    Just have to stay at it and not lose your confidence and be as selective as you can be when choosing wood and grain orientation.  For me the most impornant parameter is my mechanics and staying as consistent as possible wuth each and every step.  This way, I hopefully put myself in the best place possible for a successful outcome.  What I never want to be doing is guessing, or wondering what I might have done wrong, so in the end I know it was the wood and not a mistake I made a long the way.

[jrinny]

• Tweet

I like the explanation of the process- I have had a rough rundown of the steps but not a complete breakdown of every step.  The time invested is under appreciated until you can see it broke down like  you have done. I was amazed at the time some of the steps took- some quicker than I expected and some much longer. Great post!

[culpeper]

• Tweet

Jamie,

Well that's another whole aspect, many many hours of work long before I ever screw a lid on a body...and then for it not to work

[Rzrbac]

• Tweet

I enjoyed that read, it’s no wonder I can’t even make a decent scratch box. Patience is not a virtue of mine. I think trying to build a scratchbox (or any type of call) makes one appreciate the skill set a call builder possesses.