May, Time for a new "Whats on your workbench?"

John Lawrence

John Lawrence

Active member
The beginning of a new month and time for the new thread. Here is what I've been working on recently. I finished my pair of Labrador ducks this morning. I have to say for being very reticent to take this order in the beginning I have had more fun making these than I've had in a long time. This project caused me to do a lot of research, and I was able to amass just about all of the information that is known to exist on Labrador Ducks. One interesting aspect was that I was able to confirm was plumage color variations first decribed by Audubon in 1833 with photo examples taken for Dr. Glen Chilton's book "The curse of the Labrador Duck" that was published last September.

So here is the finished hen, I haven't photographed the drake yet. All of the finishing glazes have been added and she is curing for a while before I add the keel and deliver them.

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And a view of the back.

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And a head shot.

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This is the swap bird I will be sending to Jeff Galat. I've been wanting to rry my hand at a antique "Toronto" style decoy like something by J.R. Wells for a long time. This gave me an opportunity to do so. This Green Wing Teal decoy is carved from basswood, and hollowed. He will get some eyes and be painted in oils of course. I think I'm going to comb paint the vermiculation and make him real dark and smokey. So Jeff this is coming your way.

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Whats on you workbench?
 
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Great bird John, looking forward to seeing the drake!
I was asked to do a Red-breasted goose, and decided to do a pair and add the second to my brant rig. This pic is of the first bird from a couple days ago, I am catching up the second and then carving in some details on both in the next day or two. Its my first attempt at a bird that I don't have some experience with, being that they are not native to this area.
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I have a few other birds too, will snap a pic or two in the next couple days.
 
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This is such a great thread. I am sure it will be another big hit this month.

John your bird turned out fantastic. Great job.

This is one I finished recently. It is hollowed Cedar and painted in oils. Now that this one is done, I am going to do a mate for him!

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glad to see the May edition to this thread, a great start especially for just day one. the teal looks great as it is John, anxious to see where you go with it.
 
Your decoys look great Pat. I'm curious tough are the two in the background of the gadwall, the scaup and the greenwing, antiques done by your great grandfather?
 
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Thanks for the kind words John. The GWT in the background is a 1931 teal by Virgil Lashbrook and the scaup is a George Sibley. I'm gonna make some copies of the Lashbrook teal and, am doing some restoration work on the Sibley.
 
I've found a new love......it's BALSA!!

It's bird # 2. Either a mallard of a black duck, I haven't decided just yet.

-D

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#3 partially done.


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Here is a coot from my own pattern,and a shoveler hen from a godin pattern.Hollow cedar,grumbacher acrylics,G. Schoepfer eyes.The coor is my first keeled bird...and it actualy self rights :D.

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Dave: I discovered Balsa as well, (See my "Look what I found" post from a few days ago). I've just about got a block glued up and ready to tackle. My first attemp will be a resting head mallard.

Mike
 
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Love this thread. I can only hope with time my work keep improving to the art that some of you are putting out. I finished this can. Have a couple of things I changed on the next one but am pretty happy how it turned out.
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Started my brant rig and just need to paint and put eyes in this can. Did a canvas bird that turned out more that I expected. Can't wait for next year to gun over them:)
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Thanks

Kevin
 
not quite on the bench yet, installing tailboards. I got sick on dragging cork birds all over North Dakota, so I am trying balsa out for a rig designed to be used out there on the Sago lakes. 6 pintail, 6 widgeon, 6 canvasbacks, 6 Redheads also going to add 6 coots. A few each of the divers are going old school influence, particularily Ben Dye, John Graham and John holly and a bit of st. Clair flats. Not any fun unless you experiment.


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Thanks Tom,

So here is a question on hunting Mergs with your rig. I want to carve up a merg rig for a RB and Common Drake next year and noticed that alot of these rigs have a cormorant in them does that confidence decoy work well or is it just for the cool factor? Thanks

Kevin
 
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