First crack at it. Will update as the projects go along

[bowmike]

I don't have any wood working experience except from a year of wood shop in high school.

Well gave it a try of going over the motions and processes on a 1 piece box call this morning. Learned a lot. I ran out of time before I could finish chiseling out the inside. I am just practicing the steps and getting the proper tooling down before I buy any decent wood, so this is just a scrap 2x4. The sides are not tapered as I don't have a table saw yet. Here are a few things I learned from today's exercise:

-I need to get a different bit in my press.
-need to stay back off of my line when cutting the arc on the band saw
- need to stay back from the line a bit when drilling out the inside the outer edges
-need to use smaller chisels
-need to wear gloves


I am talking with A few call makers and doing research on these but given my current set up and tools, I think this will be my starting point on call making.  One piece boxes and scratch boxes, will be doable with the tooling I have. Have a long way to go but off to a decent start.

I am happy with what I got for my first crack at it but it will be a long time before I can make any nice looking calls. I had a lot of fun trying it and it can only go up from here.

Any tips or advice is appreciated.

Thanks for the look.

[Rick Howard]

It looks like your doing well.  Sharp chisels are a must.  Get good stones for sharpening.  I like Japanese water stones for my chisels.  Lee Valley is where I got mine. 

Reading the grain and sharp chisels is a must for carving good clean lines.  Scoring perimeter lines with a razor knife also helps prevent crushed or torn grain on the edge.

[BOB_HARWELL]

 DO NOT wear gloves when using any power tool.

Bob

[SS Calls]

DO NOT wear gloves when using any power tool.

Bob

OR long sleeve shirt! Learned that the hard way. 

[bowmike]

10-4 guys. Didn't think of that aspect.

Here is last nights work:








Tried again last night. Used a different type of wood. Not sure what kind it is, but it was scrap that my dad got for kindling wood by taking apart a few crates where he works.

I went to a smaller chisel and boy what a difference that made. I didn't have to use a hammer or anything. Still working out making straighter lines and such, but I got the sides to look a heck of  a lot better than the first try. My belt sander blew the belt off last night so I didn't get as nice of top curve and did not have time to put a new one one. Not that I know how anyway. LOL

At least I made some progress. This is pretty cool.

Does anyone have any good reference material, besides this forum obviously  RkLu. I joined a few call making forums as reference by a few member here. I was told to check out the Cost books as well, or maybe the dvd.

I need to learn what way the grain of the wood should be going and such for when I get these motions down, and try my first real attempt.

Where do you guys go for wood? I saw a ton of items on ebay and such but would rather buy a bit longer wood, to try and keep the costs down.

[Britton40]

You can buy the chapters from Neil Cost's books. I would start there.

[J Lacey]

When I first started I ordered poplar 2x2x12 blanks from shipleys. They're like $3.50. They know what you need far as grain goes.  Once you get started you'll find other wood sources. I don't like crossing my fingers in hopes that what I order will be prime stuff when I'm truth it's about  50/50.  But again shipleys knows what you need. I still buy a lot of lid stock from them. Lots of sources out there.
I feel finding material to
Work with is a very enjoyable part of the process.

[bowmike]

Bought my house 4 years ago. Not a new house by any means but the location is perfect. Right at the base of the mountain. I can literally hunt turkey 70 yards from my house. The house came with a little shed with the property. It has been pretty much packed full with nonsense. The house does not have a finished basement and has low ceilings so no possible man cave there. My wife has the house decorated with all kinds of stuff, so I would pretty much feel I would be insulting any animals I harvest by surrounding them with the sconces, and other womanly décor.

I decided that I would convert my shed into a man cave, and get all of the other junk out of it an in my garage. I got some wood working tools last weekend, and decided I would try my hand at call making. Now I have a place to do it. Nothing is set in stone yet as I don't have any electric ran in the shed yet. Right now just have an extension chord from the garage. I just set it up last night. I still have some antlerless, pictures, grouse fan, and other stuff to put in but it is already looking good.

I also have a small fridge that will go in there for come big boy drinks, for after call making, relaxation.

Ill put up some more pics once I get it done. My lathe is on the other wall. I think I might try and sell that lathe and get a more compact lathe.

[Rick Howard]

Your hooked.  Shop looks like it's coming along nice.