I wrote this up some time back (and posted on FB, so if you've already read it there, this is the same thing). My goal with this was to help new callmakers understand what goes into designing the heart of a call- the toneboard.
This is not directions, but a story of my recent work, which highlights what I think are some of the important callmaking and engineering concepts that are important to designing a call toneboard. I've used this method in the past and it works for me.
I had to split this in two segments to fit the forum, so this is first.
Designing and Developing A Toneboard
Jeremy Chinn
02-06-2018
When I designed my first toneboard, it was the late 90’s. I had already been making duck calls for around 10 years. I had been using a jig that is part of my family’s callmaking history. I still have that jig and use it occasionally. It’s one of the most famous designs in all of callmaking, but I wanted my own design!
As I dove into making designing my new toneboard, I truly was on my own. There were no Public Jigs to be had. The internet was around and I had a few callmaking friends on one of the few forums that were around, but callmaking information was scarce. I had nothing but my own experience and tools to guide me. In the end, I designed a great toneboard which I used for almost 20 years. I even won a couple mainstreet contests with a slightly modified version of it and sold a lot of calls off of the jig that I had cut from the design. Most importantly, ducks fell from Canada to Arkansas with that design.
In late 2016, I decided that it was time to design a new toneboard. Ducks have not changed, but customers have (since I built my last jig). My goal in designing my new toneboard was to get a design that can be tuned easier to blow, lower overall pressure, lower backpressure, than my 1999 design. I also wanted to get a lower pitch ‘break pressure’. This is what call the lowest note the call will make when you blow air into it. It’s a good indicator of how low and raspy a call will be. Of course, through all of this, I wanted the design to have a good hail call, great feed call and do everything else I was looking for.
So why am I writing this out and describing this process? I want to describe this process to allow more people to understand what it takes to develop and design their own toneboard and learn more about callmaking in the process. I want to enable people to design something they can be as proud of as I’ve been of my own designs.
I think part of the problem is that new callmakers honestly don’t know what the process is to design a new toneboard. I see so many callmakers who are building calls with public jigs, or using plastic inserts. These are good learning tools, but they are not supposed to be the final step or final solution for the callmaker. They are supposed to be something that a person can learn the trade on and then use to develop their own design and processes from. Everyone may not agree with my opinion, and that is fine, but I’ll stick to my belief. Hopefully we can clear up some mysteries here.
A few things have to be said before starting – First, if you cannot run a call yourself, you need to learn before starting this process. I’m not stating that you have to be a World Champ Live Duck or Mainstreet caller, but it is very difficult to adequately assess a call’s abilities if you have no ability yourself. Second, you must have good technique in making parts. If you cannot make a consistent tennon for the toneboard, then you will have a very tough time measuring accurately what you are making from one version to the next. Build up your wood turning skills, Practice, Practice, Practice! Third and finally, be willing to take critique of your calls openly. Listen to what others say and interpret it the best you can. Ask others questions and listen. If someone is willing to tell you what they think about your call, it is a gift!
To start, I needed a number of things- I needed my old jig, a notepad, digital caliper, lots of reeds, and a bunch of people to bounce ideas off of and to test the toneboards. I eventually added to this list different diameter tone channel and exhaust drill bits, shim brass, lots of extra tonewood and patience.
I started my process by getting tons of opinions from other callmakers, top level callers and entry level callers. I think getting this cross section was important. Top level callers are important because they can usually run just about any call and give good feedback. Entry level callers are important because their skill level is not yet developed enough to run just about anything, and any weaknesses in a design will show up quickly. Other callmakers are important because they understand callmaking concepts like backpressure, etc. and they often speak the same callmaking language again giving good feedback.
In my case, my calls did not have the level of backpressure I wanted, so I made one design change to see if I could alleviate that backpressure. I built several inserts to see what effect different exhausts would have in trying to get the backpressure the way I wanted it. I tried different lengths and different bores. I eventually settled on one length with one bore. I marked my tapered reamer carefully to indicate the bore and measured with the caliper to ensure repeatability. In doing this, I would make a shorter insert, run it to see how it sounded, then change the effective bore. One change at a time.
This brings up one extremely important concept in the whole process. ‘Ceteris Paribus’ – This is Latin for all other things being equal. The reason this is important is because changing factors or aspects of a design of a call will change how it runs. If you change too many things at once, then you have a difficult time understanding which one factor made the call run the way you wanted. It is also true that ultimately, the call runs the way it does as a result of a combination of all of the factors, however, for the sake of designing your toneboard – Change one thing at a time whenever possible.