What's on the Bench? November 2021

Dave Diefenderfer

Dave Diefenderfer

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Humm, I finished up the colors on these last night, still need clearcoat, eye gloss and bill semi-gloss before they are done, done.

These Buffies are headed to PA this weekend:


View attachment IMG_6041[1].jpg

And next was a challenge decoy. When I hunt Lake Champlain each year, I spend half the week up north with John Bourbon, and the other have with Kim Smith, hunting the southern end. Kim asked for a head back, displaying Whistler for the rig. John has carved several for his rig, but since I was trying something new, I made 3, one for each of us. Next time, I will place the head a little further back.



View attachment QVWS1160[1].jpgView attachment CEYP1274[1].jpg
 
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Very cool set of whistlers.
Just need to put a hen or two with them and every drake passing within eye-sight will drop in!
 
Eric Patterson said:
Not exactly on my bench. But before work this morning I made a hose reel by chainsawing a RR tie and bolting the front wheel from my old Massey 135. High end woodworking I'm here to tell you.
Click to expand...

Eric,
If you had wanted to go "full redneck" one would have left the wheel ON the old Massey (jacked up and supported by a log) with the hose wrapped/draped over the bare wheel. [whistle] I will admit yours's is a more compact solution.
 
Dave

The old Massey is long gone so I can't do that. I do happen to have a log laying in the front yard. It's headed to my friend's sawmill. If you want to see some true redneckery come back to Alabama. Not far from my shop are a few yards with "decor" that you have to wonder just how it got there.

Eric
 
Eric,
LOL Saw some of that back in '88 when I scoped out, southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, looking to possibly relocate.
 
Dave Diefenderfer said:
Humm, I finished up the colors on these last night, still need clearcoat, eye gloss and bill semi-gloss before they are done, done.

These Buffies are headed to PA this weekend:




And next was a challenge decoy. When I hunt Lake Champlain each year, I spend half the week up north with John Bourbon, and the other have with Kim Smith, hunting the southern end. Kim asked for a head back, displaying Whistler for the rig. John has carved several for his rig, but since I was trying something new, I made 3, one for each of us. Next time, I will place the head a little further back.
Click to expand...


You've been busy Dave! Looking good. Now that hunting season is here I'm hoping to be in the marsh a lot more.

Here's a project that was something different for me.

View attachment FEEEC41E-97EF-4DC3-8297-A8D0BA022212.jpeg


And a Sika deer painting my daughter recently finished
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Mr Hillman
Beautiful pintail. Your daughters painting is spectacular.

Dave
Nice job on the buffies and eyes those will be fun to hunt over
 
Jode, love that painting your daughter did.

Excellent work by all this month and it's only the 4th. I have not done much work in my shop since the middle of 2020. Towns of house issues that dragged on for months with floor joists and all flooring being replaced and some walls and electrical stuff. New heating and AC, the contractor collapsed my septic tank so had a new one of those installed and partial re-landscaping my yard.

Hunting seasons are in here though, regular duck comes in Saturday but I won't have time to get out, don't even have the decoys ready. But did get out deer hunting and shot on Monday evening, but the better hunt was Wednesday morning when Garland, my 8 year old shot his first deer. He was more than a little excited and he dragged it about 8 inches before asking for help. He made a perfect shot at 78 yards with a .223

So my workbench is my kitchen where I'm processing deer, he wants a lot of jerky so I'll be busy make that for him.

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All~


I just repaired one of my earliest decoys. I carved this Coot sometime in 1980 - when I was living in western New York, working out of DEC's Buffalo office. The Lake Plains (of Erie and Ontario) have some big marshes and so birds like Least Bitterns, Gallinules and American Coot. I carved a pair to add to my Mallard/Black Duck rig. All were hollow Basswood, painted with acrylics.



View attachment Coot 1980 - port full.JPG



Its mate was a tucked head bird. I liked it a lot - but so did someone else. It was the first decoy I ever sold.


This bird is going to an old LI friend who collects Coot (freshwater, not sea duck i.e., Chalkbills and not Skunkheads or Pumpkinbills....) decoys. I had to repair the tip of the bill first.


As I was new to carving, I had not yet found good eyes. Today, I would use pinpoint pupils from McKenzie Taxidermy (which I think are made by Tohickon).



View attachment Coot 1980 - head.JPG



I carved a bit of details on the aft end.


View attachment Coot - aft details.JPG



I also tried the 2-horned keel for anchor line storage. I never have gotten used to them, though, so always wrap my decoys 'round their bodies - the way I learned as a boy.


View attachment Coot 1980 - profile with keel.JPG



I actually repaired the bill in time for last weekend's Duckboat Show. My friend liked it - but I did not. I took it back home to shorten the repaired bill by about an 1/8-inch....


41 years later, I am proud of the bird - but recognize that I carried the bill too far aft onto the face near the hinge.



View attachment Coot 1980 - oblique head closeup.JPG



All the best,


SJS
















View attachment Coot 1980 - oblique head closeup.JPG
 


Jode,


Like yer take on the Bull Sprig, it's yer style to the bone.


Man....Allison's painting got that special something that it is beyond words.

The best way I ever read it put is -

"If I could say it with words, I wouldn't need to paint." - Edward Hopper




Best regards
Vince
 
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Brad,
Nice chair, did you turn the spindles?

Just an observation, head position on the decoys in the front row seems just a bit too far back. Maybe it's just the camera angle?
[whistle]
 
I actually did the spindles by hand with a draw knife, spokeshave and a block plane.


Maybe I will mount them there Dave. Kinda like those backwards Delta canvasbacks made by Duncan Ducharme.
 
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