Hey, Marcus...
Lots of differing opinions out there as to whether it's better to start by buying inserts or to tough it out and learn to make your own from the beginning. My opinion is that it's really up to you. But, I would strongly caution you against buying an insert and having a jig made from that insert. Inserts are what make a call a call. So if you take an insert and copy it by having a jig made, you're basically stealing the measurements, etc. from that call maker and claiming it as your own. You don't want to be known as "that kind" of call maker.
In essence, there are two approaches to beginning call making. Neither is absolutely right or wrong.
1. Buy Echo inserts, or any other brand of finished insert and stick them in a barrel you've turned. You're going to want to be careful here to market your calls correctly. Meaning, you're going to need to state up front that a call your selling has a custom barrel and an Echo poly insert, for example.
2. Learn to make an insert from scratch. You can do this by buying a public jig to get a good start on the toneboard shape and then make tweaks to it to get the sound you're looking for. Or, you can make your own wooden jig and freehand your toneboards. Either way, it'll take you a lot longer to produce a finished call. But, almost every single call maker would agree that this path is the most rewarding in the long run.
Either way you go, making duck calls is not a simple process. Be sure you are able to produce a quality product that will stand the test of time. You don't want to put something out there to the public that you'll be wishing you could take back years later.
Those are my two cents anyway. Welcome to the forum.
