Third bird for frond rig almost done.

[MLBob Furia]

This black duck will be a tuck-head. Decided not to show any speculum on him.



Now I need to get a keel on him and balance things up.

 

[Shermie]

OH my! right fine !right fine!

 

[Jake Doty]

Just curious as I've never carved a decoy of seen it done. What materials are used? Cork, balsa wood, or anything that'll float?

 

[MLBob Furia]

Just curious as I've never carved a decoy of seen it done. What materials are used? Cork, balsa wood, or anything that'll float?

Jake,
Decoys that are hand carved are usually wood ( lots of softwood choices there : linden, cedar, tupelo, balsa, and on...), or cork. I usually do my birds in high density cork with wooden heads and tail inserts. The frond-rig I'm referring to in my post is something that I started when someone sent me a box of large palm fronds from So. California to see what I might come up with.

Apparently palm fronds were a cheap and quick alternative for many makers in CA back in the day. They have largely fallen out of use, but one of the big carving shows began to include a frond category for the fun of it. Idea is to try and capture the essence of a bird using a frond, while retaining as much of the natural shape of the frond while doing so. I have enjoyed working with them, and think they project a very "ducky" look. Implementing some updated techniques for sealing and painting them, and using a keel has produced some birds that I think will be unique as well as fun to hunt over.

Here are pictures of the first two birds I have completed. They'll be part of a seven-bird rig (5 blacks / pair of mallards) that I hope to have completed by fall. The third picture shows cork blacks at use in my rig so you can see the contrast in style.

 

[MLBob Furia]

Ready to begin texturing and painting. I like the "attitude" created by the low- head tilted back a bit

 

[KThompson]

Suuuuweeet!