THO Game Calls Forums

The Art of Handcrafting Custom Game Calls => Handcrafting Custom Turkey Calls => Turkey Call Making Tutorials => Topic started by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 05:48:36 PM

Title: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 05:48:36 PM

Frist thing I do is select a nice piece of wood. Pictured is a piece of air dried Cherry. Direction of the grain has not been a issue for me so you can try it running length ways or up and down short ways and see what works best for you. I like to use pieces 7/8" - 1" thick 4" long and 2" wide you can choose what ever size you like it is not a issue.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking001.jpg)

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 05:53:20 PM

Next I drill the centers out with a 1/2" mortise bit but you may use a forstner bit then clean the sides up with a sharp wood chisel. I drill the box off of center keeping one side 3/16" thick and the other about 3/8" thick on a 1" block.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking002.jpg)

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 05:55:37 PM

Next thing I do is cut one side down/off leaving one lip approx 3/8" high.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking003.jpg)

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 05:59:29 PM

Next I take a small piece of thin wood 1/8" thick and sand a half moon slot into one side using my belt sander. Then glue this piece to the top on the box leaving the lip protrude above the thin piece you just glued. Be sure to clamp it using 3 clamps but not over tight. Don't press all the glue out of the joint.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking004.jpg)

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 06:07:39 PM

Once your box is dried take it to your belt sander and start sanding the sides and ends smooth. Start to shape the box the way you want it to look. When you get it close to finish sanding thats when I start to tune the call. I select several types of wood for my strikers and have them ready to play the call on them. Choose a shape you want for your striker and then tune your box to play your striker. Thickness, length, width and type of wood affects the sound of the call. I make several strikers the same size but different woods and then sand my box until I hit the sound I want then you fine tune it by sanding the lip some rounding it off and you can also drill a hole in the center of the sound board side with a forstner bit and that will change the sound too. Thicker sound board side higher pitched - thinner sound board side lower pitched sound so go slow and check it often.
 (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking005.jpg)

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 06:10:08 PM

In the end you can pretty them up with inlays on the side opposite the sound board or just leave them plain there are hundreds of things you can do to a scratch box to make it your own unique call.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/scboxmaking006.jpg)
Any Questions??
Larry

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: BigB on July 31, 2009, 07:35:26 PM

Very nice tutorial!


How do you play them?  More specifically, how do you hold the scratch box and striker to get the caller to play?


Brian

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Braz on July 31, 2009, 07:59:26 PM

Great tutorial. And I have the same question as Brian, how do you make it work. Thanks for posting this, it's always great to read a tutorial to see how one of our great call makers constructs his or her call.

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on July 31, 2009, 10:02:25 PM

Here's a few pic's of how you hold them with 2 different strikers. Use chalk on the striker boards. Pull the call toward you using some downward pressure and vari the pressure to make the various turkey sounds also vari the lenght of the strokes to get the yelp, clucks and purrs you want. You can even KeeKee on these after you practice a bit.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/sc2001.jpg)
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/sc2002.jpg)
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/PrairieGameCalls/sc2003.jpg)
Please excuse the dirty finger nails I was digging Red Potatos this morning!  :rofl: :rofl:

Larry

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Lonehowl on August 01, 2009, 01:06:02 AM

Sweet tutorial Larry! Thank you!

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: VECtor Calls on August 01, 2009, 01:16:44 AM

 :rofl:  LARRY!  You make that look EASY!   :bigup:

GREAT stuff!  I've never seen a tutorial made on them.

The thing I would really enjoy about making a couple of them, is there is a lot of flat surface on those little callers where I could play with my wood burning equipment!

THANK YOU!

Parker

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: alscalls on August 01, 2009, 08:27:18 AM

Good Post Larry!  :bigup: :bigup: :bigup: :punk: :punk:

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on August 05, 2009, 09:15:46 PM

Quote from: Parker on August 01, 2009, 01:16:44 AM

:rofl:  LARRY!  You make that look EASY!   :bigup:

GREAT stuff!  I've never seen a tutorial made on them.

The thing I would really enjoy about making a couple of them, is there is a lot of flat surface on those little callers where I could play with my wood burning equipment!

THANK YOU!

Parker

Parker you could do some really nice wood burning on those boxes I'm sure. You could do both sides too if you had a mind to.

Larry

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: jqcargle on February 09, 2010, 04:16:45 PM

Hey on the third picture I see a little indention of wood, do you leave that or does it get cut flush with the sides?
Thanks,
Jeff

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Prairie Game Calls on February 09, 2010, 09:30:34 PM

That gets sanded flush with the sides so the top piece fits flat across the opening.

Larry

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: dwk5150 on February 26, 2010, 04:04:23 PM

I have got to try and make one of these.

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: PredatorsEdge on April 08, 2011, 02:18:20 PM

I made one today and I think that my soundboard may be too thick. I get no sound from it just scraping. do you think that I need to sand down the thickness?

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: jimhall69 on April 19, 2012, 02:02:30 PM

Thanks Larry think I'll try one now.Man this forum has been such a help to me. Can't express my appreciation enough. Have read others but not as much help as you all ex specially Larry

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: RG Hand on May 13, 2015, 11:18:11 PM

This topic is several years old but wanted to say  :thanks: for posting it.  My previous attempts at scratch boxes have not gone very far.  This offers some insight that I think will get me over the top.

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: R.FINCHUM on May 14, 2015, 08:00:11 PM

i have never tried to make a turkey call. Most every other kind, but I just couldnt get my mind around one of these. thanks. I will make one now.

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Flat Creek Turkey Calls on December 27, 2017, 09:38:25 PM

How come I can’t see the pictures of this scratch box call.???

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Al_at_THO Game Calls on December 27, 2017, 10:05:04 PM

The photos are hosted on Photobucket, which recently decided to change how people can see their photos.  Here is a link to a fix that will allow you to see all Photobucket photos on the web

http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/topic,24312.0.html


Al @ THO Game Calls

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Flat Creek Turkey Calls on December 29, 2017, 12:15:39 PM

Quote from: Al_at_THO Game Calls on December 27, 2017, 10:05:04 PM

The photos are hosted on Photobucket, which recently decided to change how people can see their photos.  Here is a link to a fix that will allow you to see all Photobucket photos on the web

http://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/topic,24312.0.html


Al @ THO Game Calls

Thanks Al.....

Foxfire did not work for me but i added Chrome and it worked....
Nice scratch box...I made two yesterday with different technique...both have their own sound....

Im gettin ready to try the way you made yours....
i believe they may be a little less work....

thanks for sharing  God bless Al....!

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Al_at_THO Game Calls on December 29, 2017, 01:04:49 PM

Larry is the guy you want to thank for the tutorial.   Check out his web site for some beautiful callers

http://prairiecalls.com

Good luck with yours!  Post some photos when you get time.

AL @ THO

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Louis Cisneros on January 13, 2018, 06:53:28 PM

I can not see the images why?

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: Al_at_THO Game Calls on January 13, 2018, 08:40:58 PM

Because you are acting like an ass.  You did the same exact thing last night.

If you cannot be civil, and treat the members of this forum with some respect, the same thing that happened to you last night will happen again.

No one- NO ONE - here owes you a damn thing. 

Leave your manners at the door and the door will be locked so you wont be able to see ANYTHING

Al @ THO Game Calls
Owner - THO Game Calls Forums & Store

Title: Re: How I make Scratch box calls
Post by: JP ( liljohn ) Wilkinson on January 15, 2018, 01:08:25 AM

Al your my hero !  :hysterical: