Getting there!!!

[ChuckQ777]

I have stops for 1/4.   Do recommend and particular brand of but or length ?

[ben]

No particular brand but just a metal drilling bit will get you the bottom finish of the hole you want. You can drill the bottom with it for1/2 in. or less just as long as you drill some to finish the hole.

ben

[ChuckQ777]

Getting better sounds and starting to understand where to take material for the sound I'm looking for

My inserts don't come out of my jig identical.  So I have to tune them slightly different each time.  Pumped a few inserts out last night and they sounded great.  But it seems I'm having an issue that I've read others have had.  They get close to the sound they like and then they start to lock up.  Mine are locking up on the low end.

I also dipped 2 inserts in sanding sealer. This may have been a mistake.  After sanding I can't get them to run like they did.   Maybe I'll stick to BLO for now. 

I dip my Salt water plugs in sanding sealer for added protection.

[ben]

Your slope needs to be a little steeper at the end of the tone channel hole or extend the hole just a bit further. this can be done with a Dremel or a 1/4 in. round chisel but just a little bit at a time until it gets there. No finish on the board at all except some oil.

ben

[ChuckQ777]

calls are sounding better!  not as consistent as I would like but ill get there.  Gona take a few out and hunt with them this Saturday!

I switched to a penn 6mm drill bit and made my exhaust hole smaller in an effort to use less air when feed calling, which worked.  The bit I got drills nice but the threads are long and when I use the drill bit stop, it doesn't work well because the stop is on the threads.  Anyone recommend a great 6mm bit?  Ive looked at old posts but they take me to sites where I have to choose, and im not that versed to understand the specs.


ordered a depth gauge, ill see if that solves some my problems. 
   

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

If you can find a parabolic flute bit made by Colt in 6mm, you'll have one heck of a bit.  I used to get them at Woodcraft but they stopped carrying them.  Even if it isn't Colt, you can probably get an aircraft length parabolic flute 6mm bit from McMaster-Carr or similar.  I bought four or five of them before Woodcraft discontinued them, so I haven't looked for one in a while. 

calls are sounding better!  not as consistent as I would like but ill get there.  Gona take a few out and hunt with them this Saturday!

I switched to a penn 6mm drill bit and made my exhaust hole smaller in an effort to use less air when feed calling, which worked.  The bit I got drills nice but the threads are long and when I use the drill bit stop, it doesn't work well because the stop is on the threads.  Anyone recommend a great 6mm bit?  Ive looked at old posts but they take me to sites where I have to choose, and im not that versed to understand the specs.


ordered a depth gauge, ill see if that solves some my problems. 
 

[ChuckQ777]

I got some cheap dewalt bits till I get my engineering degree and can figure out how mc masters website works. Ha.

On a unrelated note I just ran an insert that I made last week and it now sounds great ! 

It was made from 2 year old black walnut stair treads. It was in my garage for over a year. Didn't oil it and now it sounds totally different.  No mistakes as started to number every insert I turn.  My garage is dry but not as dry as my house. 

Should I start to keep all material in my house??? Till turned?  The calls I make are for hunting and would think that material in a detached garage should be the same MC that the calls are run in. 

[ChuckQ777]

just purchased and read "turning custom duck and game calls".  This should have been one of the first things I did 2 years ago.  the book is great and breaks everything down as a beginner would want.

I will be able to use the book as a reference for tools, terms, and general info on many tasks to come!

also my calls are getting better by the day, and my pile of spent inserts is also getting bigger.   ordered some osage to start implementing. 

going to try and harvest some local ironwood and black locust to work with for the spring!  Ive seen osage orange trees hunting a few times but not in any locations that I can harvest.  The ironwood and locust is dead standing and should do nicely.

Once I researched osage, I started to recall all the times ive seen deer and squirrels eating the fruit.