Foam goose rehab ?'s

Chris Finch

Chris Finch

Well-known member
My buddy has a few old foamers. I believe they are herters and they are getting pretty rough. We are going to burlap them and paint them up with simple gunning patterns.

I dont want to spend to much on the paint so is there any paints that would work from home depot/lowes?

Also, What colors would i need to get the job done? (Black, white, brown, gray) then just mix to get different hues? Or is it worth it to get some cheap acrylics from an art store?

Any input is helpfull. Ill post pics tommorow when we start burlaping.

Thanks, Chris
 
Chris

Get 4 quarts of flat house paint, custom mixed to White, Black, grey and brown...well, the white should be able to come off the shelf. You can block paint them and they will be servicable, of get crazy and do some feather stimples of the brown and grey for sides and back, and white and grey for breast. Search some of Pat Gregory's old posts for some ideas on it...quick and simple and most importantly effective.

Chuck
 
Chris~

I just rehabed these old Herter's (mostly Model 81s, some Model 92s). I did not burlap them. I did install some plastic tail inserts and I reinforced/toughened all tail sections with a mix of epoxy and graphite. Important with Herters - esp geese with their long necks - is to reinstall the heads with an adhesive caulk so that the heads will not turn and more important, will not pull the screw eye up through the foam. Also, this prevents lines from getting wedged up under the necks.

I used Home Depot (Behr - their better quality) flat latex. HD will mix any colors in 8 oz sample sizes for about $4 each. You'll need a White, a Black, a medium Brown and a pale Grey for Canadas.

Note: Some of the paint in this pic is a little sloppy because I left the final stages so a friend's kids could "help" me...

View attachment Goose Rig - vs.jpg

I use 1 1/2 throwaway (chip) brushes for most painting but I would recommend you get one good artist's brush - a 3/4 flat bristle brush - for putting in details like feather edging on sides and back, and for cutting in crisp edges, like along the wings. It's quick to do with the right brush - you will learn that it really is "all in the wrist"!

Best of luck!

SJS
 
Thanks for the info my buddy has used the geese and had left them out side during the blizzard so they are inside drying out but im looking foward starting
 
to the 3/4" artist's flat brush, I would consider adding a bristle fan brush, in the largest size you can find for doing the flank and chest feather edges.

But if you are going to burlap 'em, it might be hard to do any details at all. Might want to experiment with sponging for blends and cut sponges in feather shapes for doing feather edges.

Mike
 
Bill~

Two reasons:

1) I've never burlapped anything before. But, I was in the mood to paint....

2) We do not use these birds that often - they actually looked OK given their age (most are the earlier Herters with no keels) - and I got compartmented bags (Avery bags for fullbodied mallards are perfect for Model 81 geese/brant)

Having said that, I did go out and buy the mastic and burlap because I'll be restoring 33 Brant (Craig and Fred's) next month. Then, I made my first foamers (see elsewhere on this site) and used epoxy (one sealer coat, one thickened with silica) and sawdust. I like that result so much, I think I'll use it instead of burlap. The skin is thick and hard and the paint substrate is excellent.

View attachment Broadbill Senior - vs.jpg


I think I can retain more detail with the epoxy/sawdust than with burlap - and there's never ANY sanding!!!

All the best,

Cap'n Fowler
 
I burlaped Al gris old brant from the fiftees, they were chewed, damaged missing form, loose foam, I sprayed foamed then burlaped.
In my mind they are better that new and can take a beaten.
 
Chris~

I just rehabed these old Herter's (mostly Model 81s, some Model 92s). I did not burlap them. I did install some plastic tail inserts and I reinforced/toughened all tail sections with a mix of epoxy and graphite. Important with Herters - esp geese with their long necks - is to reinstall the heads with an adhesive caulk so that the heads will not turn and more important, will not pull the screw eye up through the foam. Also, this prevents lines from getting wedged up under the necks.

I used Home Depot (Behr - their better quality) flat latex. HD will mix any colors in 8 oz sample sizes for about $4 each. You'll need a White, a Black, a medium Brown and a pale Grey for Canadas.

Note: Some of the paint in this pic is a little sloppy because I left the final stages so a friend's kids could "help" me...



I use 1 1/2 throwaway (chip) brushes for most painting but I would recommend you get one good artist's brush - a 3/4 flat bristle brush - for putting in details like feather edging on sides and back, and for cutting in crisp edges, like along the wings. It's quick to do with the right brush - you will learn that it really is "all in the wrist"!

Best of luck!

SJS
Click to expand...

Steve, Thats a real nice looking rig
 
Another reason I switched over to sawdust over burlap is that you end up with a very soft finish, no need to apply dull coat to the finished product.
Also the paint seemed to rub off the burlap because the surface is nonporous where the sawdust seems to absorb the first coat.
 
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