Last two of 2010

[Ken Hill]

I put the finishing touches on these two last night, the last two of 2010 ;D

This one is all cherry with a slate/glass construction. I wasnt happy with the finish on this one, I used Spar and it never did get as smooth as I would have liked it. It will be set aside for a gift or giveaway to a friend.
http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/CMR5145/1143266392_wwgSw-M.jpg

This one is Persimmon slate/glass and I used my standard Oil finish and buffed it out.
http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/CMR5144/1143266364_LkuUS-L.jpg

[Tony De Masi]

Real nice looking pieces Ken.

[Roger Chandler]

Beautiful work again Ken................I just hope the turkeys appreciate it too! :eek::D;)

[John Keeton]

Ken, you sure partied in the New Year!!:eek: So much for a midnight toast - you were buffing turkey calls.:D

Nice work on these, and that scorched striker is sharp!

[Ken Hill]

Thanks.

No partying here, we were in bed by 8:30 and I fired teh 660 up just after first light as payback for a few dogs that barked all night. Hope them hangovers around here feel real good, because we are cutting wood ALL day!

[Steve Schlumpf]

I fired the 660 up just after first light as payback for a few dogs that barked all night.

and so it begins... :D Happy New Year!!! :D

Really nice looking calls! Have a safe day of cutting wood!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice looking calls Ken. Be safe cutting wood. That 660 ought to make some hang overs fell real good.

[David E Keller]

Nicely done. I don't see anything wrong with the finish on the first one... If only my rejects were that nice.

[Ken Hill]

David, its a case of angles with the picture. The finish never really laid down smooth and even with sanding I kept getting small bumps. I should have stripped it and started over but in all honesty, I can make these faster then I could have stripped it. Someone is always asking for a call they can have for free or needs one for a buddy etc so it wont go to waste. They sound better then they look ...and thats what counts!

[Ron Stadler]

They both look really nice to me.

[Clint Baxter]

Nice looking as your calls typically are. Have done the basic turning on a few myself for a friend who finishes them off. Want to do some strikers though but not sure if there are any specifics are far as their dimensions. Does it make a difference on what the diameters are, or the length? Appreciate any information if you're willing to divulge. Been thinking about doing the strikers out of some of the rosewood family. Not sure if the superior tonal qualities of those woods make any difference on a striker though.

I notice that the two have differently arranged holes. Do you get any difference on the sound by doing such?

One last question. Do you think the finish on the striker makes any difference in the sound?

Thanks for any and all info.

Clint

[brian watts]

very nice as all ways..Persimmon is getting to be one of my go to wood to turn calls out of..

[Ken Hill]

Clint, the hole difference was brought about by the wood itsself. There was a small crack (surface) and I had to get things off that. The hole spacing has little IMO to do with the end sound however.

Any dense wood works well with calls and strikers....I prefer cherry, hickory etc. The peg diameter for most is 5/16 or less. There isnt any set rules, you just have to kind of find your sound. Just do not finish the tip, I havent noticed much of a sound change due to the striker finish.

My basic pot is 7/8 tall has walls 3/8 or a tad thinner, 1/8 or so floor, pedistal around an inch in diameter and 1/4 or so thick. Distance between call surface and soundboard is fairly critical and most choose to keep it between a 1/16 and a 1/8 distance. Every change makes the sound change. Then the strikers can change the sound as well and many callers will have several different strikers to change the sounds during a hunt. The fun is learning it all, and once you find what works for you, you can just fine tune things and add embelishments etc.

[Clint Baxter]

Thanks much for all the info. I need to get some of the slate and sound boards and try some experimentation. Do you make any of your own sound boards? My buddy here wanted me to thickness down some wood for sound boards but never heard how they came out. He has been doing a piercing on the back of the call in the shape of a turkey as opposed to the normal drilled holes. Seems to sound good to me, but I not knowledgable enough to tell whether they have the correct tone. He takes turkeys with them, so I'm guessing they must do the job. (Or maybe we got lots of dumb birds up here instead:D)

Appreciate all the info.

Clint

[Ken Hill]

No I sure dont. I avoid my fingers being close to anything that might get me the nickname "9 fingers". My dextrerity is shot due to a past illness that caused some damage to my brain(balance, equalibrium etc) I mainly use glass as my toneboard and slate or aluminum for the call surfaces with some ceramic thrown in.

Turkeys are dumb for the most part...ONCE! Fooling them gets incredibly hard once they have been educated. I'm no great turkey hunter or even caller but know several guys who live for calling them in. As i'm told, it is more about when, where and what cadence to call more then the minute' sound differences. I think most folks just dont know when to call and when not to call and blame the call more then their own ingnorance. The same can be said about alot of animal calls I suppose. I called in a flight of ducks this morning, sitting on my tractor with just my mouth. If I had my shotgun I could have killed a few of them.....then there have been times i've had a $100 call and the birds acted like I was blowing a "get out of dodge" call! Again, my ignorance not the call. If could hunt Ducks more im sure I would develope whats needed. I do ok on Geese, foxes and deer, but I hunt them ALOT. Then ofcourse not having a specific animal in abundance to call to even if you dont hunt can slow down the sound learning process.

I do more wildlife photography then hunting, and although my hearing is really really bad, I have been able to listen and learn quite a bit from several species. I can make most of the deer sounds with no call and get good responses, whether thats attracting them closer or getting them to look at me or just look in the distance without any calls. I know guys who can do the same with turkeys but I aint that good.

It always makes me smile when I can get an animal in super close. My wife hates it when I go to Florida and shoot alligators because I call them as well. She would prefer I call dangerous stuff while I have my guns and not the Nikon LOL!

One day I will shoot out west and Alaska, but for now its what I can get close to here that keeps me smiling. I have a huge Redtail Hawk that is feeding on a deer carcass and I am planning on setting up on it this week to hopefully get some feeding and landing shots. A few neighbors think im plumb crazy but all they see is my blind set near a pile of bones. I would educate them, but I like the fact they think im nutz and leave me alone!

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Wildife-and-Nature/bbaby/974201796_x6Lkb-L.jpg

[Clint Baxter]

LOL. I know the feeling. Have been considered a bit anti-social myself.And some of the stuff I do for enjoyment make others shake their heads. Guess that's what make us individuals:D

Nice shot BTW. I enjoy doing wildlife shots but mine rank a ways behind ones like this.

Clint

[Russell Eaton]

I like the shape of the calls. I have read this post twice and decided to respond. I also like the picture of the deer. I have a question. I made a couple of calls and did glass over slate. How much different is the tone when you reverse the slate and glass. I didn't have the right size to swap them around. I am going to order more this week. One last question. How much room do you leave between the sound board and the outside of the call? Thanks again for showing ALL the pictures. Russell

[Ken Hill]

I have never done a glass over slate so I cant really comment. I know those that use glass as a soundboard use a liquid etching cream to rough up the playing surface. Some like a raspy and loud call, others more mellow. Again, every change in components or specs changes something else and to me, thats part of the fun in building these. These two just have a basic rounded profile, something i was actually having trouble with before I started turning bowls. Thanks to that learning expierence I have been able to really crank out the turkey pots due to much better tool control and familiarity with tool handling, albiet much smaller tools! I dont even start with a rounded blank anymore, a square piece 4.25 x4.25 x 1 inch or so for a 3.5 inch pot. The forums over at THO calls really can get you headed in the right direction if you can check them out, tons of great call makers there.

I was taught to try and leave a toothpick distance between the edge of the call and the soundboard for wood expansion as things change with the weather. If its a tight fit, the slate/calling surface can crack or cause the wood to split.