Teaser pics....

[Yotehntr]

Some one here will be getting some calls pretty soon... (I'm kinda slow making 'em) I've taken a few pics during the process... shortly after he asked me to make them I ordered some Desert Ironwood burl (in small blocks) then I ran across a whole burl... couldn't resist and broke the bank..

The burl...

Noticed a little screw in it... avoided it during the cutting so didn't have to buy a new blade.


The call is a Desert ironwood burl barrel with an elephant Ivory bead and the toneboard will be (it's not done yet) Buffalo horn.  There will be an enclosed reed call matching it. This was during the finishing process... you can see the swirls in the finish that will have to be sanded/polished/buffed out.
Still on my pin mandrel

The burl has small sections that are outlined in a gold color.. tried to get a pic of it... (reminds me of a Petoskey stone) Here it's sitting on my buffing wheel...


The mouth piece has a small hippo Ivory insert (just for accent) and the main portion is buffalo horn... the toneboard is buffalo horn.


I'll post up pics when I get it completed... just wanted to let him know I'm working on it!    FWIW all these pics (except the last) are just cell phone pics.

[Todd Rahm]

Damn!! Thats beautiful!!!!!!!!! 

[FinsnFur]

Yeah that wood has got some unbelievable figure in it dont it. Wow.
At first I thought the the piece of wood was a bee hive. 

[slagmaker]

What Todd Said!

[KySongDog]

That is one good looking call.  Someone is going to be very happy.   

[Frogman]

Looks awesome!!


Jim

[BigB]

Nice stuff Brad.  Top shelf stuff!!!!  I love looking at that stuff.  The figure is just incredible.   


Brian

[Hawks Feather]

Nice looking call and chunk of wood.

Jerry

[Yotehntr]

Thanks guys!  Well I was bustin my hump to get the enclosed reed call put together...  took a piece of the burl and had to cut another "tube" from hippo ivory for the bead... I'd used up all the stuff I had for enclosed reeds... they're a little smaller in diameter than my open reeds.... well after cutting the call out gluing up the bead... getting it all put together but the finish... well the burl was a lot darker than I expected when I started putting the finish on..     durn I hate it when that happens... the call looks great... except it looks like a piece of ebony for about 2/3 of the way around ... I'll be remaking it, a matching set is supposed to.. well... match! lol  I'll be a bit more delayed than I expected on the completed pics. (sorry folks) I won't bother completing this one for now... I mean I'll make it up but let who ever buys it see it then say they want it.. instead of an order.. I try to make those look as I would expect.     sorry just a "Brad" thing as my wife would say.   

[FOsteology]

Who would have thought that something that looks like an ugly hornets nest on the outside, would be so striking underneath. Absolutely beautiful calls being made from that chunk of wood!

[Yotehntr]

After writing that I thought... heck folks probably wonder what I mean.. so here's the one I'll be remaking... It's desert ironwood burl barrel with a Hippo Ivory bead.... just the ironwood looks more like ebony...    can't have that... the next one will be pretty like it's mate.   

[HaMeR]

That is one fine looking call right there!!    Heck that enclosed reed call is damn sharp!! 

[Yotehntr]

Sorry this is dragging out.. I worked on it some tonight... (nervous energy)    This is more what I had in mind.. (hope it's more to his liking also)... 

The "glue up"... desert ironwood burl turned to dimension with Hippo Ivory glued on.  (don't have any elephant this size)


The bead has been cut... the excess removed...


The call has been turned... I love the figure in this piece... mind you there's just a little oil on it here, no finish.... it'll shine up nice with the CA..

[HaMeR]

Show off!! 

You'll make him happy with either one of those Brad. 

[FinsnFur]

Whats that white hood looking thing in the background? Is that your dust sucker?

[Yotehntr]

Whats that white hood looking thing in the background? Is that your dust sucker?

That it is    funny you asked I loosened up the chuck and this blank dropped and disappeared in an instant... I've had debris that was  pencil eraser sized go in and it'll dent the vacuum where it hits.  I figured this would tear the fan blade up and no telling so I ran across the shop to turn it off... well I beat it (some how) then I started taking the thing apart to find it....  checked everywhere looking for it... at the entrance of the dust collector there's an upside down "y"  with cut offs to change where the "suck" goes... either to the lathe or my big bandsaw... I either cut it off at the perfect time or the blank was to heavy to go completely vertical and was laying in the other side of the "y" on top of the cut off..     That's a 1st either way, and I'll be trying to avoid a replay. lol 

[FinsnFur]

So you can divert your suck hole?
That one would make Collins scratch his grape.

It looks like a pretty nifty set up. Maybe put a piece of 1/4 inch wire mesh over the duct opening.

[Yotehntr]

lol or just don't drop large pieces of wood in front of it!     

Well I finally got them done!  Here they are... Desert Ironwood barrels.. the open reed has an elephant ivory bead, and buffalo horn toneboard.  The enclosed reed has a Hippo Ivory bead and buffalo horn mouth piece with a Hippo insert.

Here with a Hippo tooth... to be a call one of these days.. 

[Todd Rahm]

Sweet look'n set and I really like the pic of the calls with the tooth. 

[HaMeR]

Purdy darn nice Brad!!   

♦