August workbench.

[Ronald Bock]

My daughter did some magic on these birds. She's working on the other two hens this evening.
I'll get the keels weighted and float tested then clear dull coat them. They'll be ready for a working life down in Juneau AK with SEAK Outfitters.

 

[Kevin Puls]

I have developed an unhealthy obsession with making all my decoys “mine”. I have these six Herters burlap decoys in original condition. Some wear. They are part of my big water rig.

I’m fighting the urge to carve wood heads and repaint them. In part because I have so many other things I need to be doing to get ready for the season. I put my painting table and supplies away in an effort to reduce temptation.

 

[Carl]

The addiction is real. Be strong.

 

[Kevin Puls]

The addiction is real. Be strong.

Good news is I have two boat blinds to build and several keels and decoys to finish.

 

[Carl]

That’s the good news???

 

[Nick Papavasiliou]

Wrapped up these three scoters, hollow cedar and oils

 

[Ronald Bock]

Keels all weighted on the drakes. Speer 38 caliber round balls ( garage sale find $1 per box) work great.
Time to change bandage on the finger. Oops. Salmon teeth make for a sore boo boo.

 

[Don Mintz]

Here is a pair of wood ducks we just shipped today. It's another chase pair, meant to be on a jerk line or in current. The lead duck, what I call the "skedaddle" can be fitted to a Reinikeel in current and will have the scolding chase bird connected by a cord right behind, poor skedaddle will never escape. I get some of my pose ideas from a facebook page I follow called "Brood Outdoors", There are lots of videos of duck activity that gives me inspiration on occasion,

 

[JasonM]

Here is a pair of wood ducks we just shipped today. It's another chase pair, meant to be on a jerk line or in current. The lead duck, what I call the "skedaddle" can be fitted to a Reinikeel in current and will have the scolding chase bird connected by a cord right behind, poor skedaddle will never escape. I get some of my pose ideas from a facebook page I follow called "Brood Outdoors", There are lots of videos of duck activity that gives me inspiration on occasion,

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I follow Brood Outdoors on YouTube. They do have great videos. I could watch them for hours.

 

[Don Mintz]

They have some really great pose ideas, I love watching them. I was thinking after watching a few wood ducks fighting if you put it on a jerk cord you'd have to yank it like you were starting a chain saw to get realistic motion, that's probably not really practical from a staying hidden perspective. I'm always on the lookout for new pose ideas.

 

[Kevin Puls]

Urn for my first dog in progress. Inspired by (but clearly not mimicking) a repainted Ducharme teal decoy by Pat Gregory. My very first attempt in working with a wood body.

 

[Don Mintz]

I think you ae doing a great job.

 

[Kevin Puls]

I think you ae doing a great job.

Thanks Don. Every one I make is a new lesson. I’ll be honest the ones I made with foam and burlap a year ago look like cartoon characters and I hate them. lol. Not really but you get the picture I’m sure.

 

[Don Mintz]

Oh man, you should have seen my first foam and burlap, they kind of looked like ducks, sort of and were black and white. I was a fairly accomplished fish and animal carver when I started doing foamers and figured no problem. Ugh it was frustrating, but glad I stuck with it or I wouldn't be carving anything by now. About all I knew is guys were making foam decoys and putting burlap over tile adhesive. They were primitive to say the least, but no one to ask how to make them. I wished I had kept some and lost any photos I had in a computer melt down. I had a big name carver tell me two decades ago that I was wasting my time which was just enough fuel for me to prove him wrong so I did. It's been a long time since I did a burlapped foamer.

These eclipse pintails will be finished up today. I usually enjoy painting, but this was a fine line overload. A little oil based paint pen detail and clearing the eyes will do it. Caleb wouldn't paint them, thought it was above his pay grade, but he's better at fine lining than I am. My old shaky hands kind of add a little to this kind of detail though, call it involuntary disorganization in the lines.