Gutsert?

[Vince at VECtor Calls]

   Gutserts......what are they, and why do I need them for a goose call?

At this point, I'm very happy with using ECHO stoppers and guts for my customer's goose calls, but I'm looking to make another goose call I can use in the next little while, and I want it to come out right.

I really don't want to have to put an o-ring in the keg, or anything like that. 

Are goose calls really as hard to make as they seem to be?   

Parker

[Prairie Game Calls]

Parker check out Wild Bills gutsert and tennons they work great. You can use his guts or some others. http://www.shellcreekgamecalls.com/

I make them either way but the gutsert and tennon is a great system to strenghten your calls especially for hunting calls where you maybe taking the guts in and out several times or pulling them apart to dry and such. A step mandrel works good for this but is not necessary just makes it easier.
Goose calls are easy, tuning is where it gets hard.

Larry

[Curmudgeon]

Ditto on the Shell Creek gut serts ! I use the full length ones for spalted woods. You can turn a very thin walled stopper with them as well. I don't use the supplied o-rings and prefere to just fit them snugly. Bill is a heck of a nice guy, and his shop is a pleasure to do business with.

[BigB]

Parker,

The gutsert evolved along the same line of thought as a brass band for a duck call keg.  The band on the keg will prevent a wooden keg from being split with the insert is installed.  The gutsert works along the same principal.  When you insert the guts into the exhaust end, you are going to swedge them in.  Most guts are around 5/8" (.619-.625) in diameter.  And most tennons in the exhaust end are around 7/8" (.875) in diameter.  That doesn't leave a whole lot of wood left when you insert the guts.  And when you swedge in the guts, it will more than likely spit the tennon in a wood exhaust.  The gutsert is more applicable to wood exhausts than it is for acrylic exhausts.

I also use the ones from Shell Creek.  They are really great gutserts.

I don't have a good pic of the thickness of the tennon on the exhaust.  I'll try to get one when I get home from work.  Here are a few pics, one with a gutsert, the other without.






Brian

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

Not to change the way you do things, but if you don't want to buy getserts, I can show you how to do it with just CA glue and thread.

 I just cut another 1/8 groove in the end of my tenon closest to the gut end. I then take CA and glue the end of the thread into the bottom of the groove. Once it's stuck hard, just wind the thread around the inside of the groove tightly until it has pretty much filled the entire groove with thread. Soak it completely with thin CA and let it dry for 30 minutes or so. Then take Thick CA or gel and cover it completely to fill all of the voids and low spots. If your in a hurry, you can use accelerator, but I usually let it set overnight. Then just spin it up and cut it back to flat with the rest of the tenon. It works very well, and can save you some scratch. Hope this helps out.

 Bob

[Vince at VECtor Calls]

   Wow!  Glad I asked the questions!  Lots of great information!

I've gotten some acrylic cutoffs from Wild Bill in the past.  I'll have to give him a holler.   

Parker

[BigB]

Ok, I've got some pics to ellaborate the topic a bit more.  Some of this is intentional, just to make a point.

Here are 2 examples of a tennon where the goose guts are.  First one is an all dymondwood call.  Second is a dymondwood call with an aluminum gutsert where the tennon is.  I'll let you folks decide which one looks stronger when you swedge in the guts.







And here's the reason why folks like using a gutsert on wood calls.  There isn't much wood for a 7/8" diameter tenon with a 5/8" hole going through it.




Thanks,
Brian

[Vince at VECtor Calls]

   That green one looks like it could use a workout.......

Parker

[Jeff @ Mutt Calls]

I like the the gut-serts alot.  If you look Brians "split" tenon in his picture, you can see why these things are so handy. However, there is a way to get around the gut-sert if you choose and want to keep the ALL WOOD look.  I cut a wood tenon exactly like Brians picture and then I will take a ½" copper coupling, score the outside with some rough sandpaper and glue that sucker in, in place of a gut-sert.  Now don't quote me completely on the ½" copper coupling ( I'm going from memory which is bad for me ). I believe a sandard set of guts [.619 - .625 ] will fit in the coupling.  What I did was took my favorite set of guts to Lowes/Home Depot or local hardware store and did a check fit.  The thinner walled coupling will give you some latitude as to how thick/thin you want your tenon to be. You may not need a full 7/8" tenon with this method thus changing up your style and shape [if so desired]. The pressure exerted upon the coupling by the guts will not / should not transfer through to the wood and cause splitting. And in the end, it makes a cool looking call. I have not had a tenon split using this method.

Mutt~

[Vince at VECtor Calls]

   Hey hey!  GOOD STUFF there MUTT!  Thanks for that information!   

Parker

[Jeff @ Mutt Calls]

Let me know how it works for ya! I've had real good luck with this.  Got the idea from an old duck call made by Big River Game Calls.  Thought it would work in a SR Goose tenon.

  right back at ya bro!!!

[Jeff @ Mutt Calls]

Another Gut-sert question    I got my SR guts in from Call Makers Supply.  I went back and looked up the ones I ordered and they are to be fitted in a bore of .612 - .625 & .619 - .625.  I am going to throw some of these guts in aluminum gut-serts which come in two sizes .619 & .625. My question:  Would I use the smaller of the two gutserts and fit by sanding the wedge or go with the bigger of the two gut serts?

I have purchased guts in the past that claimed to fit into a .625 bore (gutsert) and they did.... barely.  I have had to add some tape to the wedge to get a tight fit because the guts didn't fetch up tight enough before disappearing into the gutsert    Anyone else had this situation?

Thanks in advance,

Mutt~

[Dave]

Mutt, I have started making molded gutserts now.  That is what I use in all of my goose calls.  I have heard nothing but great things about the shell creek products, but mine have worked great for me.  They are not on the website yet, but if anyone is interested I will send one for the price of shipping to see if they like them.  Dave

[daren99]

  I was reading somewhere that the aluminum ones are sometimes hard to get the guts in and out of, does anyone have any experience with that? I have also heard that the aluminum is less affected by cold weather then the acrylic gutserts. They sure look like the way to go for calls though.

[Bubba]

I haven't had any issues getting the guts in or out of the aluminum gutserts. I love the things, beats the heck out of cutting o-ring grooves and I have yet to have one that won't come apart in the field if it needs too.