MLBob Furia
Well-known member
[size 4] Vince,
That's one of your BEST !!
That's one of your BEST !!
What's on your WORK BENCH - MARCH 2022
- Thread starter Steve Sanford
- Start date
Rod VanZile
Active member
Love the Buffie Matt.
RVZ
RVZ
Bob Mitchell
Active member
Here is the finished drake and hen.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Bob et al~
Fine work all around!
Back from the Long Island Decoy Collectors Show, as usual I brought back a bunch of work - and a few birds for myself. I do not acquire collectible decoys. Instead, I buy birds with enough wear so that I can in good conscience repair and repaint them so I can hunt over them. I am slowly putting together a number of rigs. Thus, every new (to me) decoy needs some attention.
Those with the new cork on their sterns are actually from my Dad's old rig - of Wildfowler - Atlantic Coast Model. They were made in Quogue (on eastern Long Island).
I've been searching for a suitable Hen Pintail for several years - to complete my rig of Wildfowler Superior Model (balsa bodies) puddlers. Although her paint was much better than I like to paint over, there were enough flaws to warrant the drastic makeover.
She was made in Old Saybrook. I lean toward the early Wildfowlers, made in either Old Saybrook, CT or Quogue (LI) NY.
Long story short, I bought this Wildfowler Superior Model Drake Mallard to be turned into a Hen Black Duck. However, the shape of the head and bill just scream "Drake Mallard" to me - so I went to Plan B (about which more later). He needed new eyes in any event.
Another bird acquired but abandoned during Plan B had a surprise - a nice Old Saybrook Brand. I think he's another Atlantic Coast Model - but with a balsa body.
Plan B. Here is the pair of Atlantic Coast Black Duck Hens - with tails all reshaped and faired. They will be gifts for a couple of grad students who've been radio-tagging Hen Blacks on Long Island.
Because they will most likely live out their years as shelf-riders, I did not varnish and paint the bottoms as I would normally do for gunning birds. Instead, I lightly sanded the bottoms and gave them 2 coats of Tung Oil.
I brought this Brant back with a half-dozen Chesapeake Mallards and Blacks. I had painted this Herter's Model Superior a couple of years back. It sits on an office shelf but somehow got a dent in the soft balsa back. It required the most minor of repairs - fill and paint - and took just a few minutes altogether.
I continue the work on my 7-bird Herter's Model Canada rig - but just discovered an 8th bird on my own shelf. Now the Dave Clark decoy bag will not have an empty slot.
Continued....
SJS
Fine work all around!
Back from the Long Island Decoy Collectors Show, as usual I brought back a bunch of work - and a few birds for myself. I do not acquire collectible decoys. Instead, I buy birds with enough wear so that I can in good conscience repair and repaint them so I can hunt over them. I am slowly putting together a number of rigs. Thus, every new (to me) decoy needs some attention.
Those with the new cork on their sterns are actually from my Dad's old rig - of Wildfowler - Atlantic Coast Model. They were made in Quogue (on eastern Long Island).
I've been searching for a suitable Hen Pintail for several years - to complete my rig of Wildfowler Superior Model (balsa bodies) puddlers. Although her paint was much better than I like to paint over, there were enough flaws to warrant the drastic makeover.
She was made in Old Saybrook. I lean toward the early Wildfowlers, made in either Old Saybrook, CT or Quogue (LI) NY.
Long story short, I bought this Wildfowler Superior Model Drake Mallard to be turned into a Hen Black Duck. However, the shape of the head and bill just scream "Drake Mallard" to me - so I went to Plan B (about which more later). He needed new eyes in any event.
Another bird acquired but abandoned during Plan B had a surprise - a nice Old Saybrook Brand. I think he's another Atlantic Coast Model - but with a balsa body.
Plan B. Here is the pair of Atlantic Coast Black Duck Hens - with tails all reshaped and faired. They will be gifts for a couple of grad students who've been radio-tagging Hen Blacks on Long Island.
Because they will most likely live out their years as shelf-riders, I did not varnish and paint the bottoms as I would normally do for gunning birds. Instead, I lightly sanded the bottoms and gave them 2 coats of Tung Oil.
I brought this Brant back with a half-dozen Chesapeake Mallards and Blacks. I had painted this Herter's Model Superior a couple of years back. It sits on an office shelf but somehow got a dent in the soft balsa back. It required the most minor of repairs - fill and paint - and took just a few minutes altogether.
I continue the work on my 7-bird Herter's Model Canada rig - but just discovered an 8th bird on my own shelf. Now the Dave Clark decoy bag will not have an empty slot.
Continued....
SJS
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
I finally finished the Herter's Model 72 Pintail. He should be landing back in south Jersey sometime today.
Another little project was 2 pairs of "thwart chocks". I made them from PVC "lumber".
These hold the ends of a short length of closet pole - in this case to serve as a backrest. They get fastened to the inside of the cockpit coaming.
The thwart (closet pole) rests in the chocks and is easily lifted out as needed. The actual pole will be the inside width of the cockpit minus about a 1/4 inch.
Another "project" is just an inventory of a friend's decoys. He bought these Harold Haman Mallards and Blacks from Orvis circa 1975. He is moving to western PA and so is "down-sizing" some of his gear.
Earlier Haman's like these have wooden heads (later were Herter's Model 72). A fine likeness to my eye.
Mr. Haman was a prolific decoy maker. The birds are in original paint. Condition ranges from "good" to "needs minor repairs".
All the best,
SJS
Another little project was 2 pairs of "thwart chocks". I made them from PVC "lumber".
These hold the ends of a short length of closet pole - in this case to serve as a backrest. They get fastened to the inside of the cockpit coaming.
The thwart (closet pole) rests in the chocks and is easily lifted out as needed. The actual pole will be the inside width of the cockpit minus about a 1/4 inch.
Another "project" is just an inventory of a friend's decoys. He bought these Harold Haman Mallards and Blacks from Orvis circa 1975. He is moving to western PA and so is "down-sizing" some of his gear.
Earlier Haman's like these have wooden heads (later were Herter's Model 72). A fine likeness to my eye.
Mr. Haman was a prolific decoy maker. The birds are in original paint. Condition ranges from "good" to "needs minor repairs".
All the best,
SJS
Steve, thanks for posting the finished Pintail. I have your paint schedule, but this image shows the top/back better. I have one blocked in with the major colors, so now I can finish it, as the FOS for me! (First of Species).
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
[size 4] Steve,
Really like the look of that pair of AC black ducks !
Really like the look of that pair of AC black ducks !
patrick mccarthy
Well-known member
Waiting on some wood to be delivered, so I made another shave.
Several years ago, I picked up a headless brant decoy. I don't remember what I paid, but thought it was cheap enough I am sure. I very slowly worked on it a very little at a time! I finally finished this week.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Dave~
Excellent recovery! Tell us more. Did you carve the head? Great swimming posture - every Brant rig needs a bunch of them!
All the best,
SJS
Excellent recovery! Tell us more. Did you carve the head? Great swimming posture - every Brant rig needs a bunch of them!
All the best,
SJS
Steve, I can't take much credit on the head. Over the years I have accumulated heads. In the past I passed most of them on to John Bourbon as he is the carver. I think this one was from Rufus Brinn. I just had to fit it and install some eyes. The body was hollow so I added a marble, used a hardwood dowel and mounted and faired. I hindsight, I should have kept those heads as I progress in this hobby.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Dave et al~
Here is more production From the bench of George Williams:
We are still in Arizona - thousands of miles from my bench but surrounded by amazing landscapes, lots of wildlife - including Greenwings and Cinnamon Teal - and plants new to me - and great, great people.
All the best,
SJS
Here is more production From the bench of George Williams:
We are still in Arizona - thousands of miles from my bench but surrounded by amazing landscapes, lots of wildlife - including Greenwings and Cinnamon Teal - and plants new to me - and great, great people.
All the best,
SJS
Bill Embacher
Well-known member
A pair of Cinnamon Teal Drakes:
patrick mccarthy said:
Wonderful shave Patrick. Do you sell any?
patrick mccarthy
Well-known member
Brad
I've had quite a few people ask so I think I'm going to.
I just sent 2 out for product testing. If that goes well I think I will.
I'm trying to use wood above 2k on the janka hardness scale.
I did the below one with lacewood (below 2k) so I inlaid a kotalox wear strip.
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Matt Mahoney
Active member
Another mini-flyer
Steve Steffy
Well-known member
Pat...if/when you do start selling them put me on the list please.
Steve
Steve