a carving question

W

wis boz

Well-known member
when carving more than one decoy do you finish one completely or do them in series i/e bodies, then heads etc.. Just curious.
wis boz
 
when carving more than one decoy do you finish one completely or do them in series i/e bodies, then heads etc.. Just curious.
wis boz
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Carve rigs (heads, then bodies, then paint) - the only to do it in my opinion. Just don't do so many you get overwhelmed. I like to do 7, I once did 12 and that was pushing it to maintain momentum.
 
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just finished 34--all worked at the same time--Sometimes, it gets a mite tedious, but when you vary positions, poses, the results are always fun.. I have always found that doing things in multiples was actually LESS of a hassle for me. When i painted, i kept as many as 7 canvasses under way at the same time, so if one became a problem, i could leave it until i could figure out the solution to the problem.
With dekes, i have worked on three different species at the same time--THAT WAS REALLY FUN for mind and body!
 
One caveat: if you're not happy with your carving or are looking to improve, take it one decoy at a time. Otherwise, if you carve 12 decoys, you'll make the same mistakes on all 12, and have 12 decoys you aren't really happy with. In my opinion, its best to finish a decoy, look at where you can improve, then make another. When I started carving I didn't take it one at a time, but wish I did. I don't know your experience level, so I don't mean to offend if this advice doesn't apply.

If your goal is simply to have a hand carved rig by duck season, throw that advice out the window.
 
I'm with Tod, between 6 and 8 is a good number. Especially with my canvas birds, there is a lot of tool set up on the bodies, nice to knock out a few at a time. I have done up to 18 at once, but that take up A LOT of space when working with geese or swans. Last two Westlake rigs I did 8, but by the time the show came around, I only had the 6 I needed as the others had found other homes already.

Chuck
 
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I too like to carve 6-8 at once. I carve all the heads, one at a time. Then all the bodies, again one at a time. Then I production line paint them so I HOPEFULLY only have to mix colors once.

By doing it this way my successes and mistakes are fairly fresh in my mind when I move to the next head or body. I tried one whole bird at a time and I would forget what I did that worked or didn't inbetween birds because I paint so slowly.
 
6-12 of same species, tried 18 once that was a bit much. I am with most of the others on reasons why, but mainly changes, form are fresh in your mind and can improve on the fly.
 
Jim - 6 or 12 is the way to go. Will improve you as a carver and help with consistency. The old timers generally did 8 drakes to 4 hens.

Just my thoughts...
 
One caveat: if you're not happy with your carving or are looking to improve, take it one decoy at a time. Otherwise, if you carve 12 decoys, you'll make the same mistakes on all 12, and have 12 decoys you aren't really happy with. In my opinion, its best to finish a decoy, look at where you can improve, then make another. When I started carving I didn't take it one at a time, but wish I did. I don't know your experience level, so I don't mean to offend if this advice doesn't apply.

If your goal is simply to have a hand carved rig by duck season, throw that advice out the window.
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Jim, I really like this post by Michael. I know it has been some time since you last carved, so you may want to go one head at a time in order to evaluate your progress and make any necessary changes to your pattern and/or carving on the next head. Once you have the head where you want it, then cut out multiples and work on them. If you need any wood or blanks cut out give me a shout, you are always welcome to use my saw.

Brian
 
For a new pattern, I fully carve one decoy, making notations on the pattern as I carve. Once fully developed, I carve 3 decoys at a time. Just enough going on that I'm not overwhelmed. I don't have a huge rig and I probably put more time and details than necessary, but it's cheap therapy.

Good luck!
 
4 to 6 at a time works best for me. It moves along at a good pace and as far as [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Michael's comment on ending up with the same mistakes on all of them, it work the opposite for me. Each one gets better but since the previous decoys aren't finished it's easy to go back and bring the first ones up to snuff or at least better than they would have been if finished up one at a time. And going back adds little time to the over all process and there are gains with painting and pouring lead into keels that more than make up the time difference.

Scott
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