DMANTHEROCK
Member
When I mean totally made by hand, I mean that you cut your own tone boards, turned your own barrel and exhaust, cut your own reed, and then hand tuned the call.
I am a 17 year old kid from mid/west Idaho. I have been making pens for 2 years now, and I recently decided to take up my own duck calls. Now at first I ordered the toneboards, thought it was fun. I made 5 or so, but then tjought to myself, "this is cheating, this is not my own duck call, I am simply just a barrel turner." So I tried it a few times. I tried Arkansas style tone boards with very little luck. My firsy call took 4 tone boards before it even resembled a duck call (the noise). So I tried it again with some now dementions. This was better, and on the first try. Well I saw an old Louisiana style call, made with a dowel that was drilled, and then cut for the tone board. I figured, hell its worth a shot. So I made one. It was the best thus far, but still not right. I abandoned the idea for a month or so, then came back. I got some info from the THO forums. Somebody said to try a 1/2 dowel instead of a 3/8 one. I listened, and the first one out of the gate was next to perfection. Did a little bit of fine tu ing and have been making them for almost a month now. I got close to 15 calls made, and still kicking them out. I'll get some pictures up soon.
Long story short, I wanted to see some other people's duck calls. Post some pics, maybe a few hints. I can give some tips myself concerning Louisiana style tone boards.
(For those of you who don't know the difference, an Arkansas style tone board is where the exhaust and tone board are one piece, with a rubber stopper holding down the reed. A Louisiana style tone board is where the exhaust and tone board are two different pieces, and the tone board, reed, and a stopper (made of wood) are all sandwiched into the exhaust together)
I am a 17 year old kid from mid/west Idaho. I have been making pens for 2 years now, and I recently decided to take up my own duck calls. Now at first I ordered the toneboards, thought it was fun. I made 5 or so, but then tjought to myself, "this is cheating, this is not my own duck call, I am simply just a barrel turner." So I tried it a few times. I tried Arkansas style tone boards with very little luck. My firsy call took 4 tone boards before it even resembled a duck call (the noise). So I tried it again with some now dementions. This was better, and on the first try. Well I saw an old Louisiana style call, made with a dowel that was drilled, and then cut for the tone board. I figured, hell its worth a shot. So I made one. It was the best thus far, but still not right. I abandoned the idea for a month or so, then came back. I got some info from the THO forums. Somebody said to try a 1/2 dowel instead of a 3/8 one. I listened, and the first one out of the gate was next to perfection. Did a little bit of fine tu ing and have been making them for almost a month now. I got close to 15 calls made, and still kicking them out. I'll get some pictures up soon.
Long story short, I wanted to see some other people's duck calls. Post some pics, maybe a few hints. I can give some tips myself concerning Louisiana style tone boards.
(For those of you who don't know the difference, an Arkansas style tone board is where the exhaust and tone board are one piece, with a rubber stopper holding down the reed. A Louisiana style tone board is where the exhaust and tone board are two different pieces, and the tone board, reed, and a stopper (made of wood) are all sandwiched into the exhaust together)