July Workbench

I had been dreading the paint job on this pair for some time. I think I probably finished carving them nearly two months ago and have had the flocking done for a month or so. Painting something like this with an airbrush is a challenge for an old man with shaky hands. While Caleb does the lions share of the airbrushing these days, I did this pair. The only hand painted detail is the white bars on the head. Shaky hands might be an asset for keeping the lines in some sort of irregular pattern. I think I would describe the painted look of this pair as organized chaos.

It's kind of a 'build a duck' strategy. You just start building colors and patterns. I started with white and only used 5 colors. The rester was my least favorite carving of the pair until I finished the painting, then it became my favorite.
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Here are some mature pintails my son sent out yesterday for me to clear eyes and detail the hen head. I think I'm leaving the decoy business in good hands. He still doesn't know how to carve and sculpt the decoys, that will be when it's cooler in the shop. He's a dental lab tech, so he knows how to carve and sculpt teeth.

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A blast from my past arrived today. My sister was going through my folks estate and sent me my old decoy creations. They still had them in their house. I really appreciated it. My first pair of green wings (1974). A wood duck with a velvet lining and a music box in it (1977). A standing green wing teal (1978). A pair of wood burned and varnished blue wings (1979). And a drake mallard from Aug 1978. Kind of a trip down memory lane. I'm glad they came back to me and glad my folks kept them.
As I get old and Grandparents and parents pass on my old works finding there way back. Bittersweet.
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IMG_4875.jpegIMG_4878.jpegMy weirdest decoy yet?
I’ve had these oversized doves carved for a few months now, I wanted to hollow them, and was inspired by some of the hinged wing decoys, thinking I would store stakes and alligator clips inside.
I was thinking my cedar was too soft for a hinged wing, but it could be cool, if I had the back and wings lift off the body and reattach with magnets. This left a few areas super thin (doesn’t help that my cut was kinda sloppy) and now Im thinking I’ll do hardwood insert as a gusset.
Yes? No? Maybe? :oops:
 
Nick Papavasiliou said:
View attachment 77461View attachment 77462My weirdest decoy yet?
I’ve had these oversized doves carved for a few months now, I wanted to hollow them, and was inspired by some of the hinged wing decoys, thinking I would store stakes and alligator clips inside.
I was thinking my cedar was too soft for a hinged wing, but it could be cool, if I had the back and wings lift off the body and reattach with magnets. This left a few areas super thin (doesn’t help that my cut was kinda sloppy) and now Im thinking I’ll do hardwood insert as a gusset.
Yes? No? Maybe? :oops:
Click to expand...
I'm of no help at all but I like the looks of that bird.
 
Nick Papavasiliou said:
View attachment 77461View attachment 77462My weirdest decoy yet?
I’ve had these oversized doves carved for a few months now, I wanted to hollow them, and was inspired by some of the hinged wing decoys, thinking I would store stakes and alligator clips inside.
I was thinking my cedar was too soft for a hinged wing, but it could be cool, if I had the back and wings lift off the body and reattach with magnets. This left a few areas super thin (doesn’t help that my cut was kinda sloppy) and now Im thinking I’ll do hardwood insert as a gusset.
Yes? No? Maybe? :oops:
Click to expand...
The hardwood rib wouldn't necessarily help from punctures if the walls are thin. But it's not like a duck decoy that's getting tossed around and bounced around in a boat. If it gives you confidence then install the rib.

If you have epoxy you could always coat the inside to strengthen it up as well. Even titebond or gorilla glue would toughen it up some.
 
benp said:
The hardwood rib wouldn't necessarily help from punctures if the walls are thin. But it's not like a duck decoy that's getting tossed around and bounced around in a boat. If it gives you confidence then install the rib.

If you have epoxy you could always coat the inside to strengthen it up as well. Even titebond or gorilla glue would toughen it up some.
Click to expand...
I was actually considering a coat of total boat resin on the inside (y)so glad to see that that wouldn’t be a waste. Really my main concern was the thing snapping in half where the tail begins.
 
Nick Papavasiliou said:
I was actually considering a coat of total boat resin on the inside (y)so glad to see that that wouldn’t be a waste. Really my main concern was the thing snapping in half where the tail begins.
Click to expand...
If that is the concern and you want the rib still, I might would have it going cross wise instead of the head to tail. I would think it would break that way along the grain so you would want essentially a bulkhead like a boat to strengthen each ring and not just the center line.
 
Nick Papavasiliou said:
View attachment 77461View attachment 77462My weirdest decoy yet?
I’ve had these oversized doves carved for a few months now, I wanted to hollow them, and was inspired by some of the hinged wing decoys, thinking I would store stakes and alligator clips inside.
I was thinking my cedar was too soft for a hinged wing, but it could be cool, if I had the back and wings lift off the body and reattach with magnets. This left a few areas super thin (doesn’t help that my cut was kinda sloppy) and now Im thinking I’ll do hardwood insert as a gusset.
Yes? No? Maybe? :oops:
Click to expand...
Go for it! It’s just wood. More grows on trees every day
 
Roughed out a Canvasback today before the workshop got too hot. A lot more carving and sanding to do of course. The head shape isn’t quite there and I need to insert the tail before taking a rasp to it.

I’m not sure why I don’t carve more Cans. They are my favorite duck, even though they are scarce in my area and I have only harvested one in 40 years of waterfowling.

Why is it my favorite duck? I can’t say for sure. Maybe it is because of the stories my dad told on repeat about his greatest hunts of his youth. Maybe it’s because it’s called the king at times. Maybe it their colors and swept back head. Maybe it their scarcity in my area. Or maybe it’s most likely to be found in the middle of a snow squall on a bitter day.

I’m looking forward to seeing if this one turns out ok.
 

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Kevin Puls said:
Roughed out a Canvasback today before the workshop got too hot. A lot more carving and sanding to do of course. The head shape isn’t quite there and I need to insert the tail before taking a rasp to it.

I’m not sure why I don’t carve more Cans. They are my favorite duck, even though they are scarce in my area and I have only harvested one in 40 years of waterfowling.

Why is it my favorite duck? I can’t say for sure. Maybe it is because of the stories my dad told on repeat about his greatest hunts of his youth. Maybe it’s because it’s called the king at times. Maybe it their colors and swept back head. Maybe it their scarcity in my area. Or maybe it’s most likely to be found in the middle of a snow squall on a bitter day.

I’m looking forward to seeing if this one turns out ok.
Click to expand...
You need to inset that tail further or it will bust out
 
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