new to tone boards

[Jeremy Cothern]

Hello everyone. I have been a woodworker for several years and only recently a duck hunter. I'm hooked! It didn't take too many mornings of sitting in the blind before I said to myself, hey I can do this!

Well yesterday I turned my first call. I used a Pintail Waterfowl public jig and could only get a real high pitched sound. Shortening the reed only made the call jam.

I've read all the post about trying different things on cheaper wooden dowels and I am certainly going to do that. My question is though in general what changes affect the call. What does lengthening or shortening the tone channel do? Same for reeds. Should I ever mess with the shape from the public jig?

I'm sure I'll find a lot out this weekend when I make 1000 tone boards to practice on. I was just seeing I'd there are some generalities I can keep in mind when doing so.

Thanks and here's a pic of my first attempt. Looks good. Won't make a sound!

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

There isn't a picture. ;D I'm betting you tried to upload it strait through the site, and it posted anyways with out the picture. You will have to use a photo hosting site to post them, Photobucket is what alot of guys use. Upload the picture and then click on the picture. On the side of the screen somewhere there will be a bunch of codes, copy the IMG code then paste it here. Tada!

As for the toneboards?  I am still working on mine so I can't help you much. Lol. Buy a notebook! Notes will help you a bunch in the future.

[FDR]

Look at the call makers resource area for tutorials on about anything you want to know.
http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/board,109.0.html

First post is all about tone boards.

[dogcatcher]

Your best friends will be a handful of 5/8" hardwood dowels and a notebook.   Cut a dowel to the insert length, drill and cut some boards.  Then try filing to shape and tuning.  As you play with these practice inserts keep notes, as to what happens when you change things on the toneboard.  Your note swill become your guide on how to fix toneboards. 

Marvin

[Jeremy Cothern]

Hey guys, thanks for the info so far. I guess there's no substitute for practical application. I cut up some dowels last night and made a few tone boards. Of the two I did when I got home from work, one actually sounded like a duck. Not as loud or as raspy of a sound as I would like. Then I changed the tone channel depth and got something that sounded like a duck suffering a shot to the reproductive organs!!

A few questions for you guys.
1. Does anyone ever change the width of the tone channel from 1/4" to something else?
2. Does the length between the tip of the insert and the mouth of the barrel matter?

The reason I ask #2 is that when I compare the call I made with the one I bought, the store bought mouth of the barrel is further away from the tip of the insert than the one I made. The barrel of my call is a little shorter by about 1/4".

Thanks again, Jeremy

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

1/4" diameter tone channels are predominant.  You can vary it a touch but at this point I would not suggest it.  1/64th of an inch of difference in tone channel length on that toneboard can make a drastic difference.

As far as barrel length in relation to the insert, yes it matters but not anywhere nearly as much as the insert matters.  A little bit longer barrel should make the call easier to run for somebody that doesn't present perfect air, compared to having the tip of the toneboard very close to the end of the barrel.  Select a barrel length and stick with it.  Then change the insert's features one thing at a time.

Bear in mind that a public jig is a jumping off point.  Exhaust every other option with that jig by building a couple dozen toneboards, varying the tone channel length, the overall insert length, the bore diameter and the bore taper depth.  Then use the jig for a cork notch and start coming up with your own toneboard shape by leaving some wood above the jig and taking a file to it.

[Wade@WEBFoot]

A good rule of thumb with sound boards...

If you are wondering if it makes a difference - the answer, 99% of the time, is YES

Will one swipe with a file in the right place make a difference? Yup

Will tone channel diameter, length, or depth - or any combination or permutation make a difference? Yup

Will barrel length or bore configuration make a difference?  Yup

Keg length, back bore configurations, taper angles, lengths, and such make a difference?  Yup

Length of cork compared to the cork tang, tightness of cork, composition of the cork?  Yup

Flat nose on the sound board tip or comes to a point?  Yup

Now, keep in mind, some of the changes are not earth shatterin, and may take a skilled operator to notice... but in the right conditions (aka mixing of all the variables in such a way) a minor change physically can result in a huge change operationally, sound quality wise, or both.  There are TONS of "fine lines" in a good duck call... and the vary from one design to another.  Finding them and learning to manipulate them based off of your own knowledge and preferences is the part that takes some time.

Experiment and keep notes.  Its a tough row to hoe, but worth it in the end.
Wade

[dogcatcher]

If you have done your homework and read a lot of the old threads, you should realize that starting with the known things that work is the best approach.  Trying to reinvent the wheel with different tonechannels etc., is a lot easier after you have mastered the basic toneboard.  If you try , you will just frustrate yourself. 

Marvin

[Jared at Woodruff Outdoors]

You are off to a great start coming to THO, and if you take the advice of the gentlemen above, you will continue on the right path.  You have made a few inserts, and gotten decent sound...now make 75 more and each time you will improve, or you will learn something new.  The road is frustrating, at times, but well worth the effort in the end.  As has already been said, everything changes everything and notes are your best friend!

Jared