New Calls

[Adam @ Bird Creek Calls]

Here are some close ups of the calls I've made in the last two weeks like a said before please tell me anything you guys think i need to approve on. Also do you guys buy you guts or make your own, I'll manly be making goose calls.and what finish do you guys prefer i was thinking two coats of sanding sealer and 2 coats of high gloss lacquer.

This call is blackwood and pink ivory with no finish


Black and white Ebony with gloss polyurethane finish


The one on the left is my first flute made out of bocote with no finish yet the middle is African black wood with rubbed Polly finish and the end is the call above.



The call on the left is black and white ebony with no finish the middle is my first acrylic and the right call is the first call listed




Thanks Adam

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

Hey Adam it looks like you're off to a great start!  To answer your question, most folks here buy their goose guts.  There are guys that make their own though...It can be done.  As you may be finding out, different guts will run better with different barrel and insert bore diameters, lengths, and so on.  As we say all too often here, everything affects everything!

I would personally advise you to stay away from laquer.  It is a very weak finish and there are much better options like spar varnish.  Laquer is quick and easy but it just doesn't hold up. 

Only other critique I'd offer is that you might want to reconsider how you're setting your bands.  With a good portion of the band sticking out from the end of the barrel to receive the insert, you're losing a lot of strength and glue surface.  Your insert will self-center in the hole in the barrel when you use a gutsert, and the call will be stronger if the tenon and the band are the same length. 

[the stig]

I agree with Kc on a few things.  First, You have some great looking calls there...can't wait to see what they look like with a coat of finish.  second, avoid lacquer.  there is a saying "lacquer for show poly for go."  that said, I personally don't like poly as a finish either.  I think it ages poorly and still doesn't seal the wood quite right.  (thin and medium CA soak in to the grain a little more and sanding sealer still works too)  I've started experimenting with CA as a finish and have been quite pleased with the results.  It's a bear when your first learning how to do it but completely worth it in the end.  third, i agree that you should use a full tenon on the bands for strength reasons.  You aren't going to lose out on holding the insert or anything especially with those o rings.  you can still turn the insert to the diameter of the band for the same look you already have.