Some new flatties....

John Bourbon

John Bourbon

Well-known member
I just finished these "Super Flatties" and I thought I would show them off. They are for a fellow forum member. He's giving them to the son of a buddy of his for a B-Day present. These are the first flatties I've done with a head position other than looking forward. Oh yeah, Super Flatties have glass eyes and small weighted keels. Regular flatties have painted on eyes and no keel.

John Bourbon

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John what are the pancakes made from? If cork, did you reinforce the tail? Different poses are a MUST with a rig!! Nice mix--Hope they see action next season somewhere.
 
Hi George. These deeks are made from white cedar. Where I buy my cedar, they usually have timbers in 6x8 or 8x8. On the 6x8's, I use 4 inches of thickness to carve a full size decoy and the 2" offcut becomes a flattie. On the 8x8's, if there is no checking I get 2 flatties.

I'm pretty sure they will see use here on Champlain. The guy I made them for is giving them to a friend's son and the son hunts Champlain. Hopefully we'll see pics this year....

John
 
Hi Carl. I don't mind posting the pattern. I just have to figure out how. I suppose I could lay the pattern on paper that has 1" squares on it and it could be printed out and have the size adjusted till the squares equal 1"? If I don't get to it today, I will try to make that happen Fri.

John
 
John,

I'm going to work on some buffie hens and redheads this spring and am thinking of doing them more in the flattie style, with a 1x6" pine bottom board and a 2" foam body. Love the way your decoys look and would like to use them as a pattern.
If you have it on the computer, shoot it to me and I will resize it.
Thanks!
 
Hi Carl. I don't have them on the computer. Tell you what, send me a PM with an email address and I will take a pic with my cell phone and send them to you. Then, if you don't mind, you can post them for all. Deal?

John
 
Funny you should post these now John. Inspired by your flatties of 13 years ago I finally made my first one this weekend.
 
Hi Ron. Nice to hear from you again. 13 years ago. Wow does time fly....Please post pics of the finished deek. It would be kind of neat to have a flattie thread going....

I am going to be down in Coral Springs Fla the last week of this month visiting my brother. Is that anywhere near you?

John
 
Coral Springs? That is out my front door...sorta. Twenty miles John. Please contact me when you are down here. We can talk ducks, swap hunting stories and maybe fish a little. Coral Springs is right on the edge of the Everglades If you have time carve me a flattie drake ringneck. I've been trying to add other carvers to my ringneck rig and I think a flattie would be a nice addition.
 
Hi Ron. I'd be delighted to carve you a flattie. It just so happens that I finished a ringneck head yesterday. I'll start on it Friday. (gotta work between now and then).

John
 
Hi, John~

Very nice birds!

I am wondering where you get your cedar? Can I assume it's Northern Whitecedar? Is it very knotty? Is there enough clear between knots or do you have to fill and seal the knots.

I live about 30 minutes from Bennington and we have a camp on Champlain (just south of Port Kent) - so I'd be willing to drive a bit to get some. The attached Canvasback was my first bird with Whitecedar - actually, it was from a big Arbor Vitae a friend cut in his yard a few years ago.

Thanks,

SJS

View attachment Canvasback - January 2013 - vs.jpg
 
Hi Steve. Thanks for the compliment on the flatties. That can is gorgeous.....I get my cedar from Goodriches Lumber in Albany Vt. They are a sawmill/lumber mill that specializes in white cedar. As I recall, its on Vt Rt 14, out in the middle of freaking nowhere...Its a woman that runs it. Her boys do all the cutting. If you tell her what you want, and you put the piles back the way you found them, she'll let you sort through the timbers.

Is it knotty? Some of it is. The timber I cut these flatties from had very few knots, all under 3/8". Again, she'll let you sort through it if you are willing to put the piles of timbers back together again.

If you are thinking about going up there, I would call her and tell you would like some decoy wood, and that if possible, could she steer you towards the stuff cut in the winter? Personally I like the stuff cut in the winter when the sap is down.

John Bourbon
 
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