I like a challange...

[Curmudgeon]

Had lunch today with the guy I have been getting a bunch of antler from. Gave him those predator calls I made from the Red Stag and he was pretty happy. Then he tells me he really wants a deer grunt made from Axis or Whitetail antler. I tell him those have a 3/4 tennon and will take some major horn and he said. "If you can make one from a typical antler, I'll take 10 of them to start". So....I spend the rest of the day drawing pictures of how I can make a deer grunt from just barely 3/4 OD antler. I came home and did this....
3/4 OD antler, 5/8 bore, 5/8 maple dowel with a 31/64 bore(yep) and a small piece of cocobolo that you barely see.  I plan to use 5/8 delrin for the real deal, this is just a prototype. What do you guys think ?

[John_NY]

I think you got it figured out Richard. It looks good. Don't let him see that little piece of cocobolo or he'll want them all done with that too. LOL.

John

[Curmudgeon]

Your right !
I don't know why I used a piece of that for the proto-type?
Truthfully I think just about any other wood would look better next to the antler, especialy a lighter wood like Ash.

[John_NY]

Yeah ash would look good. So would black walnut. I never made one. Do you really need the oring for the flex tube to slide on and hold it?

Make sure you take a picture after you decide which wood to use. I'd like to see it.

John

[HaMeR]

Looks good to me too. Maybe ebony would blend right into the tube for you.

[dogcatcher]

Instead of Delrin or other wood use a piece of walnut and ebonize it.  Then the ebonized walnut will match with the plastic tube.  Google "ebonized walnut" and you will find the formula for making the mixture.

[Curmudgeon]

Good ideas guys! Thanks!
The reason I was thinking delrin was the tube has extreamly thin walls (1/8) for wood. Basicaly I'm thinking a home made gut-sert 5/8 OD, 1/2 ID. I was originaly looking for some brass or copper in 5/8 od. 1/2 ID. The small tube and the wood that you can see are two separate parts. Maybe a  delrin tube and an ebonized walnut stopper?  The o-ring is optional. But you can tell when the tube slides over it and is sitting with the o-ring under the groove in the tube. It does sort of lock in place.
I got the nod from the customer to "go for ten" last night.