It finally happened....

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

After screwing up what seems like thousands of sets of goose guts with modifications to EVERYTHING, I finally found the set that I'm satisfied with. After trying one of every gut I could get my hands on, I finally tried different parts of different sets and modified most of those until I found the right combination of tone channel, primary and secondary angles, and even a hand built wedge to finish the deal. Add one of several hundred hand cut reeds, and voila...... the first set of gut's I'll call my own.

 I ran the wee out of them for a few days, and tried them in a few different calls before I was convinced that I had what I was looking for. They seem to have everything from a rough, gravely bottom end that screams boss gander, to the tightest crack and a high end that sings like a canary. Couldn't be happier with the sound and response, they seem to be tight and really fast. I can't wait for the mold to cure and see how they mold up, been waiting to pour a set like this since the day I got the kit. I feel like a kid the day before Christmas, can't wait to open them up and see how they run. I was sitting here watching the mold cure (yes, that's about like watching paint dry) and thought I'd try to figure out a name for them. I thought about somethong flashy, but with all the sanding scars and odd things about these, they are ANYTHING but flashy. Then I thought about the speed and performance of these things, and a few other names popped up, but none of them really fit these guts either. Finally, as I was sitting there looking at the bag full of trashed guts and reeds I had worked over and destroyed in the process of  bringing these to life, the name came to me .

 These will be the Frankenstien guts, as they are from so many pieces and lessons from so many different guts. I'll get a picture of the first set out of the mold tomorrow night and mabey a soundfile if I can get it done. More to come.....

 Bob

 

 

[jcz]

Hope the molded guts come out sounding good. Sounds like you have been working hard to get that set just right. Good luck with them, Id love to hear a sound file if you can get around to posting one.

[Gouldman]

Congrats Bob, got to be an awesome feeling
Keep us updated for sure.   Ron

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

I can only imagine all the work that went into these.  Love the name as well.  Looking forward to hearing them Bob.

[lazyMlazyK]

I'm interested to see what came of all of your experimenting!  Would really like to hear the sound file as well!

[Shane at S.P. Custom Calls]

Do you think you will be selling any of these.
Shane

[gooseforsupper]

Way to go Bob!   

It's a project I have planned for this summer, and I'm really excited to see what comes out of it.
That's what "custom" is all about!

Now, where is that sound file??    

[VECtor Calls]

   Pretty awesome story!  Congrats to you!  I sure hope they mold up JUST the way you want them to!

Now......let me know what the price tag is going to be on your pile of 'one of every kind of gut' is.  I'd like to start down the same road some day.   

Parker

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

Well, ran into a problem getting the mold to cure up. Turns out that cold weather hampers the curing process, but nothing an overnighter next to the heater vent won't cure. Still looking at the mold, trying to imagine how they will look and sound.....

 Thanks for all the comments, but at this time I have no plans to sell anything. Somtimes it's more about out the journey than the destination, and with all the great guts availible out there I'm sure everyone can find a set that suits them.

 Sound files to come.

 Bob

[Braz]

Hopefully, the night next to the heater will take care of your problem Bob. Looking forward to seeing and hearing them.

[dogcatcher]

Find a good toaster oven.  You will use it a lot to help cure the resin.  Preheat the mold to about a 100 before you pour the cast, that will help the resin to cure.

Marvin

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

Yep, we figured out the heating the mold gig the last time we poured a few. It sure makes a world of difference in cure time!

 Bob

[Bob from Eames Custom Calls]

So I finally got the mold ready to use last night, and started to pour a couple of sets. Finally figured out what was causing some of my problems with the mold, turned out to be a reaction with some of the modeling clay I used to try to get the mold a little more user friendly.

 So the first set I tried to pour made it immediatley clear that the pour hole wasn't even close to big enough for what I needed, hence the half poured gut I ended up with. I took a small pair of scissors to the mold and cleard the hole a bit and ran another set through. These turned out better, but I found out the hard way that I had a chunk of something ugly wedged down in the bottom of the mold - scratch set 2. Cleaned everything out and tried a third time, preheating the mold just like I needed to and pourning slowly through 1 corner. This time they came out perfect, and I was tickled until cleaned them up and tried to throw them into a call. When they wouldn't lock up, I remebered that they had said something about shrinkage of .001 - .002. After beating my head with the manual a few times, I tossed a chunk of e-tape across the wedge and tuned them up. These things sound GREAT! Very efficient, very fast, and they break over so easy that I'm almost afraid to shave a reed for fear that anything on the hinge will be too much. I'm going to blow them for a couple of days to make sure they'll hold up and not go south on me, and then I'm going to remold with a thicker wedge and a few more sets at a time.

 Sound file is comming if I can figure out a decent way to record it.

 Bob

[LCL Game Calls]

           

waiting to hear it!

[dogcatcher]

What shrank?  The one you cast or the mold when you made it?  Or a combination of?  My understanding is Alumilite resin doesn't shrink. 

While I am on Alumilite, remember to use in well ventilated area.  No smell, but that no smell fumes can kill you.

Marvin