Been awhile.....

[Bonnie Campbell]

But finally got something turned and finished. Thanks to all for the suggestions on the stuck adapter, couldn't of finished these without your help!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/annieoakley/Calls/DonsCalls.jpg

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very nice work Bonnie! Beautiful woods - clean details! Thanks for sharing!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful Bonnie. Love the woods and finish.

[David Walser]

Bonnie,

Love your turkey calls. It would be wonderful if one of you who turn these calls would do a tutorial on how they're made and used.

[Mike Svoma]

Bonnie, where do you by your slates? You have inspired me to try some of these for myself.

[jack richington]

good job..hope they "call" as good as they look

[Bonnie Campbell]

Thanks everyone. I know I don't have much to post lately. At least y'all know I'm still alive :rolleyes:

Mike, I bought my slate in bulk from the slate company. I think it was Big Penn Slate. Always get the names screwed up. But if you do a search for call making supplies there are some outfits that sell slate and glass by the piece. Can't think of ones right off hand, perhaps 'brookhaven'????

[Jim Kountz]

Bonnie those look too good to use!! I think I would display them proudly in the house somewhere!!

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Beautiful, Bonnie. Glad to see you're turnin'

Bruce

[Mark Norman]

I wood like to see more of the construction of them.
We have wild turkey in me back yard and plenty of slate available. That would make great projects for the kids.

[Dewey Torres]

Looks like it was worth the wait...they look great but as you know the true test will be the sound!

[Jim Underwood]

Nice looking calls....

And another vote for some kind of tutorial. I've wanted to make a couple of these, and have looked at some directions, but didn't really get it, because the dimensions were not given...

And how did you finally get the chuck off? I missed that apparently...

[Bonnie Campbell]

Well, to be honest, I doubt you'll find exact dimensions anywhere for turkey calls. It's pretty much a well guarded secret. But..... here's what I do..... I make 3" calls, meaning my surface slate is 3", I use a 4x4x5/4 square for my pots. Since I'm scared to death of saws, I do my rounding on the lathe. Doesn't take long. Once rounded I place my surface against the round while it's on the lathe. Drawing around it so I get my diameter and placement. Then I turn out enough to get my surface sitting flush in the wood. You'll end up having approximately a 1/8-3/16th lip for the surface to mount on. Make the hole a LITTLE bit bigger than your surface material so there is room for the wood to move without busting the surface (DAMHIKT), Once flush and fitted right, start hollowing out the inside, leaving that 'lip' for your surface to be mounted on. Not to fast though. You'll need a pedestal in there for your soundboard to sit on. I use a 2.5" glass sound board usually. The tricky part is getting your pedestal the correct height. You want it so the soundboard will sit on it, but leave about the same thickness between it and the surface. Clear as mud by now, I'm sure. You'll hollow out the inside then, leaving your pedestal intact, hopefully. If, perchance the pedestal breaks, glue in pieces of wood to mount your sound board on. A lot do it that way. I just like mine all in one piece. Once I get the inside hollowed, I start shaping the outside. Get that all sanded and ready to go, I finish the bottom and then drill my sound holes.

Once everything is sanded as smooth as a baby's butt, you can start coating it with a finish. The finish is up to you. I prefer brushed on spar. It takes longer, but I like the protection it offers. That'll take me five coats, minimum, so 5 days. Once all the finish is dry, I glue in my sound board and surface. So far, general opinion is that 'Goop' is the glue to use. Then it's on to making a striker. There are many varibles in strikers, density of the wood, heft, length, etc. Best bet, when first trying to make calls is to do up a bunch of different woods into strikers. No two strikers will sound the same on a call. My striker length runs anywhere from 7.5" to 8.5". Turkey hunters will usually end up having a favorite striker they'll run many calls with. I'll try digging out a few calls I didn't finished so you can see the inside of how I do my calls.

Now, as to measurements.... they will vary with most call makers. And since some DO make a living selling calls, they aren't going to give exact measurements out. As for me, I couldn't even say what my dimensions are, I don't know. I just eyeball it as I make it, otherwise I'd tell you what mine are.

Another way to start making them is to buy a 'kit' from someplace. You'll get all the parts and can see the basics of the call. The pot should already be turned in a kit, so you could take measurements from it. I think basically all you need to do with a kit is some sanding, finish coats and gluing.

When I started making calls about 5 years ago I had a lot of encouragement from a few call makers. Then I had the ones that were REALLY ticked off that I started making them. So I limited myself to the smaller call to appease the hot heads that thought I'd take business away from them. And try to come up with your own style of pot. Copying someone is fine if you ask them first. But all hell will break loose if they spot one that looks like theirs and you didn't ask. That's just a few things I've learned over the years..... But, I wish you good luck making your calls. And I WILL help out more if anyone has specific questions, you can PM me and ask. I'll help out however I can.

[Bonnie Campbell]

...

And how did you finally get the chuck off? I missed that apparently...

I soaked the adapter overnight with Gibb's. I used the filter wrench on the wheel and used a wrench on the adapter. Thank goodness for Gibb's! WD-40 just wouldn't help this time.

[John W Dixon]

Bonnie, thank you for your detailed information. I have recently become interested in making calls. Had a hunter friend ask me if I could make him something. So I have been in the research stage. You do some beautiful work. Thanks again.

John