DECEMBER - What's on your work bench?

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
I am carving this "mantel piece" Drake Pintail for Christmas. The body is hollowed-out White Pine with a Shagbark Hickory tail insert.

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The head is Basswood. I frequently paint the bill in its approximate colors early in the process - just to make sure I'm on track.

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I will seal the bird with spar varnish later this morning - and begin painting it with oils tomorrow.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve i think i need to come up to your shop with a copy machine. Every bird you make is amazing. Keep up the good work.

Im on a little hiatus as Pete is in Kansas deer hunting.
 
Steve that pinny is spectacular. Great lines.

Chris, I don't think i replied last month but meant to, your and Petes birds are looking great as usual.
 
Hunting season is coming to an end so back to doing some carving. Always wanted to try some Tupelo and finally acquired a couple of blocks. Little more work, add some lead to the keel, glue it up and seal it.


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Steve, every time I look at your decoy, I like it more. There is something about the lines that really appeal to me. I can't wait to see it painted.
 
Darin et al~

Thanks for the nice words. But - you guys are really putting the pressure on me! He's all primed and will start to get his topcoats later today.

All the best,

SJS
 
All, very nice work! Brian, I keep returning to your bufflehead-great attitude and detail on the head and bill while still keeping it simple enough to not be at risk of damage in use. For me, that is the essence of a working decoy.
 
Nice birds guys.

Pat.. very cool style to the squaws. Dont have to worry about breaking a tail. Where did you get your insperation? I don't think I've seen anything like it.

Phil
 
Well? did you get that pintail painted yet Steve? That's gonna be a "looker" for sure.

Pat, that's an interesting keel/tail configuration you blended into that decoy. Very cool...

Steve
 
Phil/Steve - Thank you for the kind words. A Pete Revicki goldeneye I own inspired me to try the extended keels. Now, I outfit all my decoys with them. It eliminates any tail breakage and, hunting on big water, more keel is better. These are the first longtails I fitted with extended keels. I like the stability it gives to the spike tail. I outfitted the entire Delta Marsh Rig I used in Manitoba with them. Adds solid functionality and stability to a decoy...

Pete's bird...

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Pete does outstanding work! Coincidentally, I am converting this decoy to become the bouy bird in my rig. It will anchor my layout boat.

I appreciate your comments. Take care and God bless! Pat
 
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I like it Pat...and great choice for an anchor bird.

John...Well if the kitchen counter top can be considered a work bench then yes. I do have a bunch done. I finally figured it out...sort of. Mine look a bit different than yours, but I think they will serve the purpose. They're real tight and appear to be a slightly different style. It worked and I was able to do it consistently so I ran with it. I'll try to post up a pic or two when I get home. There's all sorts of good stuff on the actual work bench for me...just no decoys unfortunately.

Steve
 
Here's an in-process wood duck I'm working on. It's the first bird I've done with carved eyes. I've had a ball with this so far. My original plan was to leave it spoke-shaved, but in the end I just went ahead and sanded the whole thing.

 
Indeed it is some old-growth red cedar I got from Tom Kelly. My first plan was to torch it to raise some of the growth rings. I figured it was the perfect wood for that, but I didn't like how they ended up laying out on the other side. So then I decided to leave the spokeshave marks. Then I was having so much fun working on it I just kept on rasping and sanding. In the end I just sealed and primed it like you see here.

I do have another one already cut out and started carving. That one is getting torched for sure because my wife wants it now and likes that look.
 
I know your ability to paint but sometimes it's a shame to cover up the wood but then it's not a decoy it's art and while you are both an artist and a decoy carver I guess you are making a decoy. I love the red cedar. A friend gave me a 4.5 X 18 X 50 inch piece of red cedar (not old growth) and I think I'm going to make it into a swan. Anyway, I love the look of that decoy! Strongsville and Brant Fest?
 
Nice work this month by everyone.

Steve that is going to be one sweet Pintail.

Pat I like those extended Keels! Great idea and a perfect solution to fragile tails on those.

This is a project I have been working on for the past several months. All the peices were harvested locally from the forest near my home. the heron is hollowed Paulownia, finished with Oils. The base is a hundred year old Mountain Laurel Root ball. The snake is wisteria vine. Definitely out of my comfort zone and One of my favorite projects ever!









 
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