Bocote duck call

[Aaron Wingert]

Here's one I whipped up this weekend. It is bocote. The "guts" of the call are made from 5/8" Delrin rod that I picked up from Grainger...Much better sound than wood guts and much less expensive than making them from cast acrylic rod. First one I've done like this...Until now my wood calls had wood toneboards and my acrylic calls had acrylic toneboards. Worked out slick and it sounds good too.

I turned the barrel of the call and then finished it. When I went to press the anodized aluminum band on it the next day I realized that the barrel's shoulder had shrunk just enough that I couldn't get a tight fit with the band. :mad: So, I improvised a little and cut a tenon on the barrel and a mortise on a chunk of black acrylic and mated them together. It is a bit narrow for my liking, but it worked out ok.

I'm also wishing I had made the bocote insert about 1/4" shorter. It looks a little long in comparison to the barrel.

My duck calls are still a work in progress, but I'm working up to selling a few, hopefully this coming season. They're just a blast to make! Comments/critiques always welcome.

[David E Keller]

That looks great. I'm unofficially renaming bocote... From hence forth, I'll refer to it as 'pickle wood' because that's what it smells like to me. Great grain and finish on that piece.

[brian watts]

SWEET.. very nice .. do you have a jig or make it by hand?

[Gary Conklin]

Great looking call. While we are on this topic, who is the best call supplier?

[John W Dixon]

Aaron, sure looks nice! Your work sure is an inspiration.

John

[John Keeton]

Aaron, great looking call! That bocote really has a nice grain, and very interesting material switch on the guts - seems like it is going to work well for you.

[Aaron Wingert]

SWEET.. very nice .. do you have a jig or make it by hand?

I have a little hardened steel jig that helps me cut and shape the profile of the toneboard and the cork notch. Even with a jig, getting good sound is an amazing challenge that is affected by about a dozen variables. Nothing's pre-made or pre-shaped, or from a kit. I start with raw materials on every call and I cut, drill and shape everything.

[Aaron Wingert]

Great looking call. While we are on this topic, who is the best call supplier?

You mean call parts or finished calls?

For finished calls, me of course. :D

For acrylic, reed material, bands, and other stuff I'd suggest Al at the THO Game Calls online store. He's a good dude and sells most things you need to produce a call if you're into kits or if you want to do it from scratch. Kit calls just don't have the sound but are a good starting point if you're wanting to learn.

[Jon Lanier]

That is pretty!

I've not turned these before. Is it hard to figure out? How do you decide on kits for them? I ask because, apparently, I'm in some serious duck hunting territory.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking call. Bocote has some nice grain.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Another great looking call Aaron! Love the grain! Hope the new material you are using for the guts - works out for you!

[Aaron Wingert]

I've not turned these before. Is it hard to figure out? How do you decide on kits for them? I ask because, apparently, I'm in some serious duck hunting territory.

Jon they're incredibly difficult to make and tune to sound good, not difficult at all to turn. I've made numerous dozens of them and still haven't got the toneboards quite perfected. Unless you're a good duck caller you cannot be a good duck call maker in my opinion, but there are a couple ways around that.

Don't waste your time on kits like the ones they sell in various woodturning catalogs. The sounds they produce are mediocre at best in my opinion, and most guys that are serious about buying a nice custom call will not be happy with the sound quality. I've had people argue that the kits are fine...Pooey.

A lot of guys that are just starting out or guys that aren't hunters/callers turn the barrels and use pre-made inserts, which come from the factory sounding good...It isn't callmaking in my opinion...It is barrel making, but I'm guilty of doing it when I started out. Echo calls in Beebe, Arkansas makes the best ones hands down. Less than $6 each and they're absolutely the best sounding pre-made inserts anywhere. They're online...Just call them. They come pre assembled and tuned so you don't have to do anything but stick them in a 5/8" hole. They also sell the brass and aluminum bands that go around the shoulder of the barrel and prevent splitting. With a pre-made insert, you might get $40-$50 for a call if it is really well made with nice wood and an appropriate finish. A custom made call bearing a truly handmade insert will often fetch upwards of $110.

Gotta have a 5/8" blind mandrel as well. Some guys use pin lock mandrels but expanding mandrels are much better. A collet chuck is necessary, or at least good pin jaws to grip the mandrel.

If you're keen to trying it and want advice/tips, shoot me a PM and we'll chat. Happy to spill all my "secrets" and sources for parts, mandrel, etc.

[Aaron Wingert]

Thanks Steve and everyone for your kind words. You guys are going to get sick of seeing my calls week after week. One of these days I'll get back to making other stuff but callmaking is doing a fairly good job of funding my tool addiction.

I want a mustard monster but it seems silly to turn 4-1/2" long duck calls on a big lathe (not to mention the LOML wouldn't stand for it). But it is silly to cut 1-1/2" square stock for calls on my big cabinet saw too, and that didn't stop me. :D

[Jon Lanier]

With my little question, I may have bit off more than I can chew :confused:

[Aaron Wingert]

With my little question, I may have bit off more than I can chew :confused:

Nah! Not trying to scare you off but just saying there's a lot to it! But, that's coming from me, a guy who probably couldn't turn one of those little finials or fancy hollow forms if I tried!