January, 2016. What's on your workbench?

K

Kevin Puls

Well-known member
I am up early in an earnest effort to to hopefully have a reason to make the gun go bang today. My workbench is clean and will stay that way as I try to find birds in January for the first time in my career by heading a little south to explore into Southern Ohio. In February I will begin making dust again to finish my diver spread this year.

But I am curious to see what is on everyone's workbench!

Happy New Years to my friends on Duckboats.net!
 
Good morning, Kevin~

I hope you are out on a fine hunt - the first of Ought-sixteen!

I called it a new year last night at 10:01 - but rose early to build a Quiche Lorraine for the First Breakfast. A batch of Potato Latkes will follow shortly.....

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My "other" bench has a couple of toy boats, some "furniture" for CASSIOPEIA and some gunning Whistlers.....

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve, would you mind waiting a "bit" I am heading your way. That looks delicious! YUM
Al

Happy New Year!
 
Well, Steve started it, so I will keep it going:
Not on the bench, but here is what I was working on all day yesterday and now its on the table waiting for the boy to wake up.
Osechi desu!
Ocha to kuromame to uguitsumame to ozoni to chikuzenni to osechi-ebi to namasu to datemaki desu.
Oishii so desu ne!
For those not able to read Japanese:
Osechi= traditional Japanese New Year's meal.
Green tea, sweet black beans, sweet green beans, New Years Soup (not made yet), chicken and vegetable casserole, shrimp, carrot & daikon pickles and sweet egg & fish cake omelet.
Lokks delicious!
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Well, it is not duck related but, it is my current project. I purchased a spear head a few years back and never did anything with it.

Yesterday I cut and welded a 1/2 inch diameter steel rod for the main shaft of my fish spear.

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Today I've been working on a wood handle for said shaft. The overall length of the fish spear is 5'6" and I wanted about 32 inches of the shaft to have a wood handle. All fine and dandy except, how to get a 1/2 inch hole thru a 32 inch block of wood. How about a two piece glue up split lengthwise with half a hole in each piece? Perfect for getting a long straight hole.

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After the glue dries, I'll put the glued up block in my lathe, turn it round and add some gripping grooves spaced along it's length. The upper end of the steel shaft is drilled and tapped for an eye bolt. I'll tie a cord to the eyebolt so the spear can be retrieved after being deployed.

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Unfortunately, Iowa only allows spearing of "rough" fish, carp, buffalo, suckers, etc. so I'll travel to Minnesota where I can spear a few Northern Pike.

Next project will be to carve up a fish decoy to use along with my spear.
 
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I've had this bird setting around for years because I wanted to paint it in oils, and I was too intimidated to start. I read Keith Mueller's book, went to Geoff Vine's and Jode Hillman's seminars and still kept putting it off. Well to start the new year I gave it a go and I really enjoyed it. I'm pleased with the results for my first attempt.

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Darin - That is looking good. You just have to dive in.

Here's a pair mergs recently finished...hooded variety.

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Geoff - Both are stunning but, that hen is killer... Keep up the good work!

Slipped in a ringneck drake for the upcoming McLean County Sportsmen's Banquet. Also, a scaup preener for my January scaup rig. A Mud Lake bird...

Both solid white cedar bodies, basswood heads finished with exterior latex house paint and detailed with acrylic paints.

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Darin nice start on the merganser ,
Geoff your style on them hoodies are just plain Awsome ,Pat there are going to be some happy folks at the banquet with that Ringneck,& the Blue bill I, will bet bring in some January birds very nicely.
 
Gents ~ Dave, Darin, Geoff, John, Pat ~

Ought-sixteen is off to a great start all around!

Geoff~

A Hen Hoodie was the first duck I ever shot - 51 years ago. Lovely shape and subtleties in your paint!

All the best,

SJS
 
Dave, if you have the opportunity try spearing burbot as well while in Wisconsin, they spawn at the ebb of water temperatures in rivers. Skin them as you would a bullhead. They are excellent poached or steamed.

Check-out the Michigan Dark House Association: http://www.mi-darkhouse.org/
 
Darin mentioned Jode and Geoff do oil painting seminars? Do you guys still do these and when do you do them?

Eddie
 
Bill I'm starting to really like the undercut on the neck of your birds. I've noticed that it's becoming more defined with each bird. I think its a cool little feature that identifies it as an Embacher.


Eddie
 
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