April 2014 - What is on your workbench ?

Some nice looking work on the bench this month from everyone. I just finished my first bird in oils. Hollowed basswood, sealed it with linseed oil and turpentine which took several days to dry. Then I painted the bird much different then acrylics. The acrylics dry fast compared to the oils. It was a challenge not to make a big smeared mess of the whole bird even with it mounted to a stick. I can't wait to get another bird shaped out to try again.




 

Drake pintail and a bunch of Doc Baumgartner style bluebills all in sleeper pose. After seeing those pics that somebody posted showing the bluebill rafts, I had to make some. The first two sleepers were test birds and I made the body and head all in one piece. Not using my cedar wisely ,too much waste. The other ones I made the heads and bodies regular. Glued them up with boat epoxy.
 
Floater Coot...........

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Best decoy I've seen all month!

I actually sat in the drive with the wife last night, sipped on some wine, and chip carved a lap full of cedar shavings...reminants resembled a coot head, but not near as pleasing aestetically as yours Jode.

Best
Chuck
 
Shang style shoveler. Cork bodied, pine head, acrylic paint, and used Pat Gregorys glaze technique (slightly modified) to give it a little aged look. The remainder of the aging process will come next winter..this one is staying in my rig!


 
middle of the month and I get to add a bird. I did three mallards this time, will be the last mallards I do this year unless I get one ordered for an urn. The only one I wanted to photo in the cold was the urn bird. A hunter's wife contacted me through a friend to commission the urn. Her husband has not idea. I still need to lead pad and leather loop the bird so he can hunt with his dog again. hollowed Missouri basswood and painted in oils

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a snuff can full of remains were bolted and epoxied in the hollowed out bird. Urns are always my favorite decoys to carve because they mean a lot to the owners.
 
Thanks Chuck......coming from a coot lover ( is that even a term! LOL ) it means a lot .....
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I think I officially need help..."Hello, my name is Chuck, and I'm a coot lover"

It wouldn't be that bad of a label if only the live birds looked half as good as your decoy!

Chuck
 
Jode - I gotta agree with Chuck, and Coots DO look that good in real life. It just takes a man of with a keen eye, and good hands to show it, and do the Bird justice. Ya, I like Coots...
 
Dropped by to see an old friend up North. He's getting rid of a lot of his waterfowling gear (health issues) and sent me home with a truckload of cork among other things. While at his place, I saw quite a few nice decoys, including this one that I had all but forgotten about. One of my decorative blackducks from the late 80's. Didn't have any pics of this one, so I got to take a few for the archives while I was there:
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Pat,

Really love the Canadas but my question is about the stamping tools that you use. I know some have asked about them before but could you show us again what they look like? Working in the steel industry I have access to too many things that I think will help me in some form or fashion. With that said I have some steel sample molds that look like they will do the trick and I was just wondering. Thanks

Neil
 
Really love the Canadas but my question is about the stamping tools that you use. I know some have asked about them before but could you show us again what they look like? Working in the steel industry I have access to too many things that I think will help me in some form or fashion. With that said I have some steel sample molds that look like they will do the trick and I was just wondering. Thanks

Pat, I too would like know what the stamps look like and how they are made. I recall Bob Hayden had sent you some, are these the ones you are using?

Best - Paul
 
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