THO Game Calls Forums
The Art of Handcrafting Custom Game Calls => Handcrafting Custom Crow Calls => Topic started by: Jeff @ Mutt Calls on December 20, 2008, 10:14:57 AM
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I just got a couple of orders (via email) for owl calls. I have the guts that Al sells but not exactly sure how to put them together in a call? I have an idea but would hate to turn good wood down and not get the desired outcome. I have an old owl call at home that has the same style guts I bought from Al; the call was made by M.A.D. I don't want to duplicate the M.A.D. call :nono:
Does anyone have a starting point for me? I'm sure when I put the tool to the wood with half an idea of where I'm going I could figure it out.
In advance, thanks for any assistance.
Mutt~ :bow:
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Mutt I'm not a big fan of those guts I've used them when I first started making calls. What worked for me was to make a chamber in the exhaust part of the call. The tone board fits a 1/2" hole. Drill a 1/2" hole through your blank then open just one end up with a 5/8" drill then turn or use a 5/8" dowel and drill a 1/4" hole in it glue about a 1/4" piece into the 5/8" opening then cut the rest off. This gives you a 5/8" chamber to buffer the sound and give you that throathy sound of the Owl. Now you may need to play with the length of your chamber I forgot how long I made it it has been a few moons ago. I know I started with a 4" blank piece if that helps at all then figure a reasonable tennon to go into the barrel and play with it from there. Hope this gets you started at the very least! :sweatdrop:
Larry
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Thanks Larry, I kinda have this figured out in my head. I wonder if ½" chamber would work and eliminate the step of gluing in a ¼" piece in the end. I have some rubber stuffing tubes we use here on the ship for electrical work. They are conical in shape and have a perfect ¼" hole thru the middle. They fit like a dream in a 5/8" exhaust hole. Need to find the right glue for rubber-to-wood. It might take a little trial and error to get it. My customer wants Gabon Ebony & Pink Ivory in this owl call... Don't want to waste too much of that stuff :no:
Jeff
MUTT~
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Thanks Larry, I kinda have this figured out in my head. I wonder if ½" chamber would work and eliminate the step of gluing in a ¼" piece in the end. I have some rubber stuffing tubes we use here on the ship for electrical work. They are conical in shape and have a perfect ¼" hole thru the middle. They fit like a dream in a 5/8" exhaust hole. Need to find the right glue for rubber-to-wood. It might take a little trial and error to get it. My customer wants Gabon Ebony & Pink Ivory in this owl call... Don't want to waste too much of that stuff :no:
Jeff
MUTT~
Jeff, CA glue works for me on this one..
Jeff
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Jeff I forgot to tell you something else you can do. I must of been having a senior moment! :rofl:
Anyways you can drill 1/2" hole don't go all the way through then drill the last 3/8-1/4" with a 1/4" bit and use a pen turning mandrel with a 1/2" bushing on it. Sorry I forgot that and that will give you the 1/4" exhaust hole and the right back pressure too make the blank about 3 1/2" long that should give you the right chamber too. Let me know if you understand what I just wrote please. ::)
Larry
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Mutt,Slow down and make a practice call or two or more.----
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Larry, I understand what you said. Sounds to me that the barrel should be approx. 3" long and the exhaust lenght determines, more or less, your sound. Most owl calls have the ¼" hole in the end, usually with that little piece of rubber. I made an owl call one time with an old set of guts from an old call. In the end, I think my sound chamber was too short so I had to releive the ¼" exhaust hole with a ½" hole and it sounded good. Reason I'm a little hesitant is I'm using expensive wood for a customer and have but one shot at getting it right. I'm not real handy with owl calls.... but I'm soon gonna be :yes:
Bucko, thanks for the advice but I have to respectfully decline. If I slow down much more, moss will start to grow on me :rofl: :rofl:
Jeff
MUTT~
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Um, Sorry to be the one with the bad news MUTT, but, maybe you might ought to turn around next time you get outside. There's a bit of green tinge on your northern side... :yes: just kdding, it's almost all the way around now.... :rofl:
OK, sorry, I'm just still goofy after a good day, anyways, I like the idea Larry had, as long as you keep the main barrel long enough. I would personally start with what I figure was almost too long of a barrel and then work it down slowly till i found the sound I wanted. I hope it helps. Good luck, I know you'll figure it out and have a great call made and a happy customer.
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Brian, I hear ya loud and clear :tt2: and it seems true some days don't it? I'm sure it will all work out in the end. If I cant figure it out, I'll send my customers ya'lls way.
Mossy Mutt~
Jeff
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Larry, et al, I'm getting ready to start this project shortly when I get home, so I went back and re-read this thread. On one of your repsonses, you mentioned you thought the exhaust of the owl call using the style of guts I have (Al's) should be 3½" approx.? Would that be the overall dimension or should it be 3½" from the tip of the insert? Lastly, would a ½" bore be sufficient for a sound chamber? My mind tells me this.... a ½" bore that is 3½" long would come close to the size ratio (volume) to a 5/8" bore which is 3" long? The ¼" hole in the end of the exhaust is a standard and can probably be altered one way or the other to achieve the correct volume of air passing through it. I don't believe the rubber piece in the end is a requirement. Now that I have completely confused myself, perhaps I'll burn through some pine to find the right design. Man, that rhyme rocked :punk:
In advance, thanks for the past help and future "bail-out"!
Jeff
Mutt Game Calls
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Tell you what MUTT, when you decide to quit "TROLLING" and come ome, let me know and i'll send you one to see an mess with. easy as that. :yes:
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Thanks Brian. I appreciate that. I wish we were doing some trolling down here. Only thing we have caught this patrol is one Mahi Mahi and 218 migrants. I'll give you a shout when I get back on the beach.
Take care,
Jeff
Mutt Game Calls
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which one puts up a better fight on the hook????
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Hey Mutt was having a senior moment for sure I dug out my notes and I made mine using those very guts, 3" long blank on the exhaust end. Drill 1/2" dia hole, 2 3/4" deep, drill the last 1/4" with a 1/4" drill. Now I did go up one size and down one size and I liked the 1/4"dia. hole the best. Give your self about 1/2"+ tennon to stick into the barrel. The Barrel I made was 4" long on the blank. With the gut and tennon you are into the barrel about 2 1/2"+ depends on the length of your tennon. Clear as mudd???
Larry
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Brian, the answer to your question is :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:... those are some poorly folks by the time we find them. It is sad.
Larry, I think I got what your saying. It's in my head but I can't imagine it on the lathe until I do it.
This has got to be most talked about project that has never happened in my life :wacko: I'll get it one day. And by "I'll".... I mean with the help of you fine gentleman!
Respectfully,
MUTT~
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Heres another idea i did for a hooter i did. Instead of plugging it with a drilled dowel knock the primer out of a spent shotgun hull and cut the plastic off it. Sand the bore to fit the brass and it looks pretty classy :punk:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2047/2352380897_a275400611.jpg?v=0)
After the primer is out just run a 1/4 drill though the pocket Just a crazy idea LOL :wacko:
Later
Rich
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I see now what you were talking about Rich. I like that idea.
John
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Rich that is a Great Idea! Thanks for sharing that with us! :thanks:
Larry
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Rich, Thanks for sharing that. I don't want to copy your idea so I will go with a 20 ga hull instead of a 12 ga :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That is a cool idea. It seems the making of an owl call is just like any other call with the exception of the sound chamber. That danged sound chamber is the key.
Mutt
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Ok I got dibs on the 16ga brass!
Larry
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That leaves 410 ga, 28 ga, & 10 ga. Alot of "new" ideas left on the table... any takers?
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Y'all have the brss...I'm laying dibs on the brass with some or all of the case included
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Brian, make sure it's a spent round :rofl: :rofl: Brian, can I offer you a nice Dominican cigar? Least I can do for you sending me a call to check out. I'm sure I'll send a little something back when I return your call :yes:
Jeff
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It could also be done with a cut off 50 bmg
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I've done a little reading and it seems like the Palmers Hoot Tube is one of the best hooters to blow? I have a friend who has one and I've inspected it down as far as I could. One thing I noticed on this particular call is it has a double sound chamber in the exhaust. However; the sound chamber is in the 7/8" diameter range? Some custom call makers prefer to leave the exhaust end open; some prefer to throttle down with the ¼" hole. I wonder if a ½" bore in the exhaust end with a double sound chamber would work? Would it be too constricted by a ¼" hole or better served with an open ended bore? Just some things to play with when I get home and contemplate. I'll head off to Lowes and get some cheap Poplar stock and make it round. Just want to say this has been a helpful thread and thanks to all the contributors... even though I'm no closer to a hooter call, I have a better understanding.
Jeff
Mutt Game Calls
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Aw Jeff, don't swet sending the call back after you look at it. Put it to use for hunting, collecting or firewood. Drop me a note with an address though, It'll get there quicker that way....LOL :rofl:
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Thanks again Brian. You can believe I will make it a collector. And trust me.... any call I send out, the customer(s) will know where the idea came from. Man, you can't put a price on kindness. :bow: I sent you a PM. PLEASE send me your return address. I WILL have something for you!
Jeff
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Not worried about them sorta things, it's just nice to be abale to help out. :bigup: