Tone Board Jigs..

[Swamp Puppy]

where can i get a decent public jig?  arkansas style call..5/8 bore.  i know about the ones at Webfoot, but are there any other suppliers out there?  i am sure Wade makes a great product, i just hate buying things without looking around a bit.

[Kuipdog]

Hut has a public jig for about 200 bucks. I wasn't ready to spend that kinda green for it. I have searched and searched for public jigs and I hate to say it, but webfoot is the most reasonable and probably one of the better ones you will find. I am in the same boat as you looking for good jigs. You can always come up with your own toneboard and some machinists will make you one for about 200 to 400 bucks. I will keep looking and playing until I decide to have my own made.
Kuipdog

P.S If you find one, let me know!!!

[builderone]

I made one out of oak it only takes a little bit to do it and they work good I made one for John also I f you are careful with it it will last just fine. I will post a pic. If you have a board you like send it to me and I will make you one.
Chad

[GN-1]

SP,
   There are a few on ebay every now and then. I do not know anything about them though. I would go with Wades if I were you ;) Shawn

[Swamp Puppy]

ok...this is kind of cnofirming what i already thought.  webfoot is probably the way to go.

Builderone - thanks for the offer,  but i think i will just grab a webfoot jig and be done with it (for now).

[dogcatcher]

Chad
You have the right idea!  That is what I like to see innovation and saving coin.  One little hint, instead of the sheet rock screws, oak is hard enough to drill and tap just like a piece of steel.  Drill it for a 1/4" thumb screw and it will look like a million dollar jig.  To help preserve it give it a coat of finish with thin CA glue.  The CA will harden it a little but most importantly warn you if you are getting too close when cutting.

Marvin

[Waccamaw Calls]

Chad
You have the right idea!  That is what I like to see innovation and saving coin.  One little hint, instead of the sheet rock screws, oak is hard enough to drill and tap just like a piece of steel.  Drill it for a 1/4" thumb screw and it will look like a million dollar jig.  To help preserve it give it a coat of finish with thin CA glue.  The CA will harden it a little but most importantly warn you if you are getting too close when cutting.

Marvin

what Marvin said
also, paint the side you cut from. Use a bright color (yellow, orange, white etc). That way you will not "loose" the saw blade in the jig while cutting.
Bill

[John_NY]

Thanks for that tip Bill. That sounds like something these old eyes could use to help cut them out. I always have trouble seeing where the blade is.

John

[builderone]

I just thought that I would offer mine works good I sprayed mine with clear coat to help
Chad

[Waccamaw Calls]

I just thought that I would offer mine works good I sprayed mine with clear coat to help
Chad

that's a nice jig, way better than the one I did in hickory
Bill

[Curmudgeon]

Been there, done that. Jigs do show up from time to time on Ebay. The Ebay jigs are mostly from an outfit called Whisky River and the top comes compleatly off on them. I actualy like the way they are built a LOT  better than the common jig. It's a super nice feature since you can make toneboard slightly oversized (or use a std 5/8 dowle or rod of acrylic for a two piece) and it will fit the jig. Get a loose bore in the barrel and it's no problem to build an ovesized toneboard for it. Now, having said that I bought a used Whisky River jig and was never able to get the sound I wanted (or any acceptable sound :-[) from it. I am the third owner so I suspect its just a bad design or has been modified by a previous owner. On the other hand, I put some toneboards in it the other day to see how it matched up to some known boards and I was quite surprised to see it was a near perfect match to a Extreamly Well Known Customn Call Makers call.  I purchased a pair of calls from this maker two years ago and did my homework. Now I may go back and see if I can get a working toneboard from that jig. I have learned a heck of a lot about toneboards since I gave up on that one and it may also just have been just my lack of expereance. I have a 2g jig I got from a fellow poster. I also got with it,  a working (and I mean a ROCKING!) toneboard made from that jig as well. I think knowing that jig could absolutly produce that sound made all the difference in the world to me. My first toneboard off that jig was a keeper! Now I have a very consistant approach to how I modify each toneboard I cut from it and I know what my own jig would look like if I ever have the $ to have my own jig made. I will say this, when I do have a jig made, It will be made so the top comes off ! So what is my point here ? Just that there are other jigs out there, but it's buyer beware! and there is more than one design and design can afffect functionality. I know this didn't help one bit, but it's my input regardless. Ultimatly you want a private jig, and any step in that direction is a good step forward.

[builderone]

I am new to this is there a real big demand for these jigs and how much do the custom ones cost I have most of the tools it takes and with a minimal investment I could build these. I build space shuttle windows for nasa and satellite mirrors for work I don't believe these would be that hard. Let me know if there is any intrest.
Chad

[BigB]

Chad,

I think that everybody that makes duck calls and open reed predator calls are using some sort of a jig.  And most of these folks probably have a use for at least 2 or 3 jigs.  The call makers are almost constantly trying to improve their sounds, and with improvements in sounds comes a need for a new jig usually.

The hard part with building a custom made jig from someone's toneboard is to get the exact shape of the toneboard replicated onto the jig.  And once it is on the jig, making the jig hard enough so that several thousand calls can be made from the jig without it changing shape.  There used to be a couple of guys making custom hardened steel jigs based on your toneboard that you send them - Quackerstacker and Webfoot, but Quackerstacker has retired from making them.  There are some public jigs out there sold by a few places.  I think a few have been mentioned in this thread - Hut and Whisky River.  I think that someone bought the Whisky River tooling and is now selling them under a new name. 

Wade's custom jigs go for $300 right now.  The price of a custom jig is sometimes a deterant to folks. 


Brian

[builderone]

Thanks for the info Brian I am going to the steel shop monday and get some square stock to try making them If I can I will give you guys a good deal on them if I can get them right I should have one by the end of the week if all goes right.
Chad

[ghak99]

I've kicked around the idea of picking up a jig or two to use as learning tools.  Keep thinking I'll find a used one, but they seem to move pretty quick.