DECEMBER - What's on your Workbench ?

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
All~

I just completed 4 duckboat projects - and rolled a 5th vessel into the shop this evening. I also just finished painting 18 Homer Oldsquaw - to migrate down to Long Island on Monday.

I tried something new with these birds. Instead of coating them with my usual marine epoxy + fine sawdust, I used the epoxy + ground walnut shells. (Actually getting them from Harbor Freight was a story in itself....). The coating is coarser than the sawdust - not sure yet what I think. And, I am not sure how well it adheres. The walnut shells do not seem to absorb the epoxy the way the sawdust does. It is much easier to paint over the sawdust than over the walnut shells.

In any event, they are now painted. I used my usual Behr latex house paints from Home Depot. I stuck with colors used for other, more common species. I coated the eyes and bills with spar varnish both for protection and a bit of "pop".

For the sake of practicality, I did not insert long tails into the Drakes.

There are 12 Drakes and 6 Hens.


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I still have to paint the bottoms. I use a semi-gloss latex because the grey latex primer without a topcoat is too soft - it rubs off on the other birds.

I will be posting a step-by-step Painting Tutorial on my website soon - as soon as I can find the time.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve, that texture looks pretty nice on them dekes , I,m sure whoever is receiving them will be more than happy!
 
Great looking squaws Steve.

I just finished a dozen Herters broadbill using the three to one epoxy but with fine ground corn cob. I really like the results now we will see how they hold up.
 
Good morning, Gents~

Thanks for the kind words.

Bill ~ Where did you get the ground corn cob ? - I would like to try some.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve,
Google grit o cobs for a dealer.

Send me your address and i will send you some to try, it comes in 50 lb. bags and shipping doubles the price of the product. I have more than i need.
 
Steve,
How much feedback have you received on the epoxy coat on the foam decoys after being hunted for a while? I remember some concerns about it being more likely to not take abuse well when the foam got dented or crushed. I think the idea was it might separate from the foam.

Just wondering what the real world reviews are of this type of coating.
 
Brandon~

I, too, am watching the coating for long-term durability. The only problems I have seen thus far are:

1) my first "foamers" were a pair of Oldsquaw. I used insulation board (blue) foam. It is very soft and readily collapses beneath the epoxy coating. The blue dock foam, however, seems significantly stiffer.

2) the grain of my sawdust coating is fairly fine. I have no problems with it sticking to my E. Allen birds or Herters Model 81/72/63. But - really fine mud is impossible to wash off this rough texture. I had to repaint my Allen Black Ducks because the mud (clay? fine silt?) would not wash off even with warm soapy water and a scrub brush.

So - in my mind - the Jury is still OUT.....hence my exploration of other media/particles.

I also want to see how the epoxy adheres to the Homer heads. The polypropylene (I think) is great, bullet-proof stuff - but I did not sand these Oldsquaw first - just a rubdown with lacquer thinner. Still experimenting - so no Guarantees, Express or Implied.....

All the best,

SJS
 
Thanks Steve, I had done the titebond and sawdust on some herters and titebond and cork dust which is really just what you rasp off a cork decoy body. The brown cork. I was really happy with the texture of this and I suspect you would not have the issues with mud on it. So it might be worth a try.

I am watching and waiting for you to prove out the epoxy idea so I can do a few dozen herter 72's. No rush though I haven't hunted them in four years they can wait another one or two.
 
Started December with the first steps in an urn project for someone's dog.

A per my usual procedure, I turned a mahogany container for the ashes I'd been sent. The container has a fitted lid that was turned off the blank just before it was hollowed. As I hollow, I fit back the lip of the lid so it is tight even before the ashes are adde and the lid is permanently sealed with epoxy.

Later down the road, this container will be sealed with Val-Oil & slipcase fitted into the body of the decoy

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Good morning, Rich~

This was my prototype - plastic cut from an industrial barrel.


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As good as they look, we decided to forego the long tails to simplify handling when onboard. The scientist in me predicts we would not shoot any fewer 'Squaws without those wonderful plumes.

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve, you probably thought of this idea aready, but for my tails I used lawn edging. I cut a slot in the foam, used gorilla glue and push it in. The material has a natural curve to it and is still flexible. After two years, I am impressed how well they have held up.
 
Good morning, Andrew~

Although my wife has rolls of it - which I have cut for her - I never thought of it for duck tails. Maybe there are some subliminal taboos floating around in my brain....

All the best,

SJS
 






Been working on this can for way too long. ready to knock it out and throw it in the gunner bag. Nothing fancy and only my 4th carved decoy. I'll post finish product hopefully soon!
 
STEVE, ON THE DRAKE SQUAW TAIL INSERTS, i HAVE HAD GOOD SUCCESS WITH BLACK GARBAGE CAN TOPS OR BLACK DESK WAIST BASKETS CUT WITH SCISSORS ANY SHAPE & SIZE YOU WANT, USAALLY TWO PIECES HEATED WITH HEAT GUN TO BEND INTO ANY SHAPE YOU WANT & HOLD UP VERY WELL EVEN WITH TAILS DOWN IN DECOYS BAGS. MAKE A SAW SLOT & EPOXY IN WITH FINE BRASS SCREW FROM UNDERNEATH TO HOLD IN PLACE
 
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