Foam teal project

[Charles H.]

Steve, I have the Top Men of DHBP working on this project now TOP MEN!!!

Raiders or the Lost Ark reference???

Great looking project you've got going there!

 

[bob welsh]

you are correct sir

 

[Carl]

Really cool stuff!!

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

Bob, not being critical, really asking because I have seriously thought about doing this! Did your son use a 3D scanner? Curious why you are going with a flat head? Because he scanned what you carved from narrow stock?

 

[bob welsh]

I provided him with two models. One a flat stock 3/4 board with the corners knocked off and a full carved almost decorative style with cheeks and bill detail. The first ones were the flattie style and will work but not all that fancy. He does have a scanner and will incorporate that in the second batch on the detailed head. But yes your critique is valid . Once you have the head modeled any extra detail is no big deal. I was going to go the mold route but if i can get what i want out of the 3 d process it's way less cost and effort for 150 heads. By the way your recent offering in this months workbench thread is very nice. This project was inspired by your post on the INVADM decoys.

 

[Scott Farris]

Bob,

Thanks for sharing the recipe! I've still got dozens of cast EPS decoys to do something with.

Scott

 

[Steve Sanford]

Bob~


Interesting!


I, too, leave the material beneath the bill when sawing out wooden heads. I saw it 95% - but leave a hinge so it's there when I'm sawing the plan view. Then I just snap if off when the time comes.





All the best,


SJS

 

[bob welsh]

got the new head scanned and it shows all the detail i want waiting for production to start. used a scanning app on phone and produced all the detail

 

[bob welsh]

Put down a base coat on 40 hens. Got the color down thanks to George W for the detailed instructions. I did a test with tube oils and found the right shade and color matched in the BM super spec DTM alkyd that i always use. It's real hard drying stuff . It will dry with a low luster sheen which i wash over with a thin raw umber /japan dryer mix.
The heads are printing and came out better than expected. I have to pick them up this week so stay tuned.

 

[bob welsh]

43 drake's ready to rig.Waiting on more heads. I need about 125 teal heads to go. I came back from MN for 10 days to work on decoys plant millett and upgrade the fleet.
Happy with the drakes although I added a little white on the head separating the green and brown and it's barely there in the live bird but chalk it up to artistic interpretation.

 

[Kris Schaumburg]

How are the heads attached?

 

[tod osier]

Those are so sweet. Very nice.

 

[bob welsh]

I attached the heads with a 3 inch deck screw going through a cable clamp and a 1 1/2 stainless washer. Glued the heads with construction adhesive. The heads have a built up inner post that took the screw well.

 

[Scott Farris]

Damn impressive!

 

[D. Hinton]

Very nice Rig. Should bring in some birds hopefully

 

[Ed L.]

Those really look good Bob. What do you think of the Water Walker up against fence? Worth the money?

 

[Eric Patterson]

Bob

Those are exquisite.

Eric

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Bob~


My jaw always drops when I see your Magnum Opus. Fabulous rig!


And - yes - you did well with those Lines of Demarcation on those drakes.



This pair are E Allens:








All the best,


SJS

 

[bob welsh]

thanks for the kind words to all and especially to all that have chimed in with suggestions and tips. To reference one of my earlier posts in this thread, our Top Men have been a good resource to me in this project. I have taken a couple of weeks off and have been at the cabin up north in MN. I've been looking after my flowers and working on the cabin because there is always something to do here. The walleye bite is off now so heading home tomorrow to pick up where I left off. 3d printed heads are ready to turn into hens this time. One last sauna and back to Chicago (ugh).

 

[bob welsh]