Re-painting Herter's Broadbill - the Drakes

[Steve Sanford]

I've re-painted all of my Hens - and about half of my Drakes. The Drakes are easier - go a little more quickly - and have fewer colors.

The full step-by-step is on my site at: http://stevenjaysanford.com/re-painting-broadbill-decoys

Here is the overview:

As with the Hens, paint the bottoms - coming up the sides all around for a good seal - with a Grey Primer. Once the bottoms are dry, use the same Grey Primer for the backs and the bills.

Next step is the Black - starting with the tail section and then the chest and head. I cut the bristles on a 1-1/2" chip brush short for the larger areas - because it gives more control. I use a 3/4" "flat" for the edges - as around the base of the bill and the eyes.

Then I drag the big brush - fairly dry - up the back. Heavier aft, lighter forward.

Once all of the Black is dry, I paint the sides White - and then stipple the back with White as well. The smaller "flat" gives more control for the stippling.

Suggesting the vermiculation on the backs of the Drakes is the best part of the job for me.

Here are all of the keeled (newer) Model 72 Broadbill. As with the Hens, I have painted the egg-yolk Yellow eyes and put both nostrils and broad Black nails on the bills. All are ready for lines and weights.

A dozen more Drakes to go....

Hope this helps,

SJS

 

[bruce horning]

been lurking around here for a few months and steve,you always amaze me! great job!

bruce

 

[Andrew Menz]

Nicest herter's I've seen;-)

 

[Steve Sanford]

Gents~

Thanks for the kind words. I just did some major reconstructive surgery on 10 more - the start of my friends' 75-bird rig. All needed new heads and many needed some 2-part foam added - thanks to rusting keels and mice. Tomorrow I roll my sleeves up and try my first burlapping....

All the best,

SJS

 

[bob welsh]

Steve, I painted Herters 72 mallards and Otters for everyone in the club after they saw my Restles repainted. This was over 3 seasons though. I bet I did 300 or so. Ill tell you I didnt want to paint another mallard for awhile.




Most required some work and all got burlapped or restle coated. Your paint on those bills is just right.

 

[bob welsh]

the herters 72 is in the foreground the mag bird in back may be an otter

 

[Steve Sanford]

Bob~

300 - yikes!

Those birds all look great! I especially like the way you added the reddish cast to the breasts on the hens - it's there in the birds - especially on that over-the-head shot I like so much - but you don't see it on too many decoys.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Ian McCarthy]

Steve great work. You sure like to stay busy.
One of the things on my long list of things to do before the fall is to repaint about 3 dozen old herters. I think i am going to try the titebond and sawdust as a shell.

 

[R. Greco]

I got a dz broadbill to refinish and half dz cans...and rewire the TDB with a new battery system and wiring.I'll be a happy man if I get all done by opening day!!

 

[R. Greco]

Hey Steve got a question for you..Have you found that Gluing the head on the body is better than leaving it as is?.I guess what I'm saying is that I just took apart 24 birds and it was relatively easy to do ,even with the rust I was able to unscrew the heads and salvage them.If a head gets badly broken during usage is it a real pain to scrape that head off if your using 5200 or some other adhesive? wont it pull big chunks out of the foam? I know what your saying about the cords getting under the neck it is a real pain, but I feel once a head is glued youll never get it off in one piece if you need to repair.
Your thoughts..

 

[Steve Sanford]

That's great that you could get the heads off - with the rusty steel screw eyes - I have never been that lucky. (The original brass screw eyes have never given me a problem.)

I'm a firm believer in reinforcing the head-neck joint to the max - I am 'glassing around the head and breast on all my Herter's now. But, if you want to preserve the ability to replace heads more easily in the future, you could use a weaker caulk. 3M 5200 is a permanent bond - will only come off with a heated putty knife or wire. But, a latex painters caulk is a lot cheaper, is compatible with styrofoam, and can be removed/cut through much more easily than 5200. But, it will fill the anchor-line jamming gap and serve as an adhesive between the head and body.

Other thoughts: I would replace the screw eyes with SS (or brass if you can find). I got my SS screw eyes from Bob's Rigging in Indiana. You may have to bore the hole a little larger if you use 1/4" diameter screw eyes.

If you re-use the screw eyes you've got, I would clean them up on a wire wheel then paint the threads with Anti-Seize before you re-install.

This cold weather sure makes it easy to keep working in the shop - and ignoring all of the outside chores....

All the best,

SJS

 

[R. Greco]

Like the idea of the painters caulk, picked some up yesterday.Got new bolts from Ace hardware not SS but I'm ok with that..Had some original Herter paint in the shop I had ordered from Knutson's from way back. actually still very good, all going well thanks for the info and great reference pics.
will try to post pics soon
thanks