blocks

J

Jim Methe

Member
I have a piece of telephone pole. I want to make some mallards and scaup I will be using herters heads. and picts or advice?
 
Telephone poles are usually creosoted and tarred and very heavy, so I don't suspect they will be easy to work with and may not hold paint well. I have a bud that got some surplus used poles from the phone company that he used as the corner poles for his fixed blind. They have held up fine for 6 seasons presently.

I suspect the carvers on here wil give you the best advice on what wood to use and not use.

I have made a number of canvas geese and swans but have really carved nothing but the necks and heads so I am far from being even a neophyte at decoy making. Do not burn treated wood in the fireplace ever.

Merry Christmas,

Harry
 
Jim,

The only poles I've found that can be used are those made of untreated white cedar (juniper). You used to be able to find a few around and I've made several decoys from those that have held up great. If you split them then most of your carving is not in the heartwood and that makes it easier.

PG
 
It can/has been done. I have a buddy that has a bluebill that was carved out of a telephone pole. The decoy came from the lake Erie region and I would guess was carved in the early 1900s. The wood is very open grained and doesn't really have any paint left of the body. With the availability of wood today, I wouldn't use a creosoted pole, but you wouldn't have to worry about getting it sealed real well.
 
hi jim, ive made a bunch of divers out of cedar utility poles. split them as even as you can, flip a half up on edge and run through the saw with a jig to make bottom smooth. then cut out top view and begin shaping. makes good divers but youll have a hard time getting puddle ducks out of them. i just made simple bobtail divers or "solid" tail divers. honestly its alot of work, i stockpiled a bunch of it but ended up getting rid of it. best, mark
 
Jim,

Here in New England they used (installed new) cedar utility poles through the 1930s after which they switched to pressure treated (spruce?) poles. They may be cedar but they are definitely not clean white cedar carvers love to work with. I was given a couple of pieces for cedar pole back in the 90's and It caused me some problems. I tried cutting it up with a 20 year old electric chain saw and burned it out (the saw). Didn't really know what I was doing but I proceeded to cut it up on a band saw. Probably should have had a different blade in but ended up cooking that 1/2 hp motor. At least by them I had a bunch of rough blocks and a whole mess of squared off small blocks for head stock. The wood has holes and knots galore that need to be filled (broom stick size). Using a belt sander I made some solid Eider decoys.

View attachment eiderdecoys.jpg

I still have 5 roughed out bodies to complete using a bit more sophisticated pattern.

I've used some of the head blocks and may be cutting some more heads out Friday (the band saw now has a 1-hp motor and I have a better understanding of blades).

Watch out for nails and other nasty objects, and have a good time.

Scott

View attachment eiderdecoys.jpg
 
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One of California's most well known historic carvers "Fresh Air Dick" likely carved most of his deeks from old utility poles.
 
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