THO Game Calls Forums

The Art of Handcrafting Custom Game Calls => Handcrafting Custom Duck Calls => Duck & Goose Call Making Tutorials => Topic started by: Benjamin Lyle on August 24, 2013, 05:40:13 PM

Title: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Benjamin Lyle on August 24, 2013, 05:40:13 PM: So, I've had several people asking about how I flute my calls. Since I get a lot of ideas from this forum and learn a ton from other people's tutorials, figured it was only fair to share my method.

1. First off, you must have one of the following: 1) Indexing Head Lathe 2) Alisam Engineering Index Kit 3) Collet Indexer
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/1E8B019F-A2E6-4A86-BBAA-6E11E5A99FFE-31717-0000282AA2ACF2F2_zps46f195ee.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/1E8B019F-A2E6-4A86-BBAA-6E11E5A99FFE-31717-0000282AA2ACF2F2_zps46f195ee.jpg.html)

2. Secondly, you will need a router and build some type of sled for it to ride on.
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/6078D782-0D22-4E28-893C-369954A3FE41-31717-0000282ABC53B9C5_zps10c82b0d.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/6078D782-0D22-4E28-893C-369954A3FE41-31717-0000282ABC53B9C5_zps10c82b0d.jpg.html)

3. Turn your call, lock down the indexer. Make sure your collet chuck and mandrel are extremely tight so the call does not shift on you when you start cutting the flutes.

4. Depending on your design, you may need to shim the sled to make it run on an angle in order to get the desired flute design. You'll see the small piece of wood I have under the left hand side of the sled to make the router match the taper of the call. Once you've shimmed it, clamp the sled to the bed of the lathe.
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/1CFE1A09-114E-4FED-A31C-00C841230769-31717-0000282AB8184503_zps3c7a55eb.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/1CFE1A09-114E-4FED-A31C-00C841230769-31717-0000282AB8184503_zps3c7a55eb.jpg.html)

5. Set the depth of the router and make your first cut.

6. Rotate to the next desired index mark, lock down the indexer, and make the next cut.
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/A5C8C693-1E75-4B0A-8959-E1D50AAC084D-31717-0000282AC1C91EB9_zps6519cab6.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/A5C8C693-1E75-4B0A-8959-E1D50AAC084D-31717-0000282AC1C91EB9_zps6519cab6.jpg.html)

7. Repeat Step 6 until you've cut the flutes around the entire call
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/5A11F9E2-FDE1-4E76-ACFB-CA6185CB46BF-31717-0000282A9E8A6C8D_zpsb873ae5a.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/5A11F9E2-FDE1-4E76-ACFB-CA6185CB46BF-31717-0000282A9E8A6C8D_zpsb873ae5a.jpg.html)

I didn't use anything spectacular to make the sled with. Basically just some stuff that was sitting around the shop. The only thing I had to buy were the sliding glass door bearings for the router to slide back and forth on.
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/5905A6D0-0BBE-4605-B646-DD934D85C185-31717-0000282AB2CD14BE_zps5c96262b.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/5905A6D0-0BBE-4605-B646-DD934D85C185-31717-0000282AB2CD14BE_zps5c96262b.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/4B69DDB4-754D-4C43-90A4-209F7354DEE6-31717-0000282AADA0040C_zps02f0e8e6.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/4B69DDB4-754D-4C43-90A4-209F7354DEE6-31717-0000282AADA0040C_zps02f0e8e6.jpg.html)

For your viewing pleasure, here are a few calls that I've made using this method over the past several years.....
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/A55C6CDA-F4FA-479E-B233-82CD35D56C24-12505-000012899CE6AE31_zpsf932d4b6.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/A55C6CDA-F4FA-479E-B233-82CD35D56C24-12505-000012899CE6AE31_zpsf932d4b6.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/838CC86C-F4DE-46BA-B11D-780735B2FAA6-12505-000012897E418B6D_zpsc2664a10.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/838CC86C-F4DE-46BA-B11D-780735B2FAA6-12505-000012897E418B6D_zpsc2664a10.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/18831DA7-788A-4189-8B7A-C3934750F1FF-12505-00001281AD5F4F22_zps88dde767.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/18831DA7-788A-4189-8B7A-C3934750F1FF-12505-00001281AD5F4F22_zps88dde767.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/17325A1B-DB69-4EFE-9FF1-3AB93A82F0E3-18192-00002A44980FF729.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/17325A1B-DB69-4EFE-9FF1-3AB93A82F0E3-18192-00002A44980FF729.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/DCP02285.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/DCP02285.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/DCP02307.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/DCP02307.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/Picture003.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/Picture003.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/duckcalls435.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/duckcalls435.jpg.html)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/bearkraft/duckcalls247.jpg) (http://s165.photobucket.com/user/bearkraft/media/duckcalls247.jpg.html)

Let me know if there is anything that needs to be clarified further.

Bear
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Andrew of HaddenHailers on August 24, 2013, 05:45:03 PM: Bear that is phenomenal! True artisan there sir!

Andrew
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Mac Dietrich on August 24, 2013, 05:47:28 PM: Sweet tutorial Bear...that contraption is pritty slick to say the least...now ya just need to post a how to put CA glue on the flutes and I'd be set!!! :hysterical: thanks for sharing that brother
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Gouldman on August 24, 2013, 05:55:38 PM: :2up: Nice setup Bear.....
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: jcz on August 24, 2013, 07:46:00 PM: You sir have made my day posting this. My head is spinning trying to figure out how I can make that sled.
:thanks:
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Bob Palmer on August 24, 2013, 08:10:40 PM: That is so cool!!!! :up1:
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: gooseforsupper on August 24, 2013, 08:13:29 PM: Thanks for sharing. Great stuff!! :bigup: :thanks:

Doug
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Benjamin Lyle on August 24, 2013, 09:17:53 PM: Quote from: Mac Dietrich on August 24, 2013, 05:47:28 PM
...now ya just need to post a how to put CA glue on the flutes and I'd be set!!! :hysterical:

Buy the CA in Quarts and Dip!!!!! You're welcome...let me know how that works out for ya!!!! :tt2:

You're welcome guys, I'm interested to see what else you guys can come up with!!!

I wanna see pictures of everyone's setup once you guys start tinkering too!!!!

Bear
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Henry H on August 24, 2013, 09:40:50 PM: Thanks, Bear!
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Mac Dietrich on August 24, 2013, 10:50:09 PM: Quote from: Benjamin Lyle on August 24, 2013, 09:17:53 PM
Quote from: Mac Dietrich on August 24, 2013, 05:47:28 PM
...now ya just need to post a how to put CA glue on the flutes and I'd be set!!! :hysterical:

Buy the CA in Quarts and Dip!!!!! You're welcome...let me know how that works out for ya!!!! :tt2:

Lol yea ill be sure to try that 1!!!
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: J.Rode on August 25, 2013, 10:39:37 PM: Pretty slick Bear, all these years I always thought you used a mill. Very ingenuitive.

Jason
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: mmaloney on August 26, 2013, 10:19:55 AM: I always wondered how you did that. Thanks for sharing! (http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y478/mmaloney127/rockon_zpsdd4256dd.gif) (http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/mmaloney127/media/rockon_zpsdd4256dd.gif.html)
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: Chamberlin Calls on September 06, 2013, 08:12:52 PM: Great write up!
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: John at Finish'em Custom Calls on September 06, 2013, 08:43:59 PM: Awesome. Now I have to try and make the sled so I can try that.
Title: Re: Fluted Call Tutorial
Post by: wlain on September 09, 2013, 08:38:08 AM: Wow! Now that is artwork. The first call in the series of photographs is my favorite.