What would you do?

[KySongDog]

Al
When you come up with an innovative design, such as the Bonker, why not get a patent for it? Or is the cost to do so prohibitive?  I'm not up to speed on patents but there has to be a way to protect one's creative work. 

Semp

[Greenside]

I believe Will Primos got something  like 3 million from HS for a patent infringement on a diaphragm call.

[THO Game Calls]

Matt,

Nothing to feel guilty about.  If the tone boards helped you learn to design one of your own, that's what it's all about.

I have about 15 commercial open reed calls in one of my boxes.  I use them to study how they were mede.  The more you think about this stuff, the better call you will make.

Al
THO Game Calls
www.thogamecalls.com

[Arkyyoter]

Wonderful thread.....good information, provacotive.....thanks guys.


Joe

[FinsnFur]

Now joe's gonna go copy everybody 

J/K Joe

[MattS]

I am trying to come up with something new.  Al, can you send me some details and dimensions on your Bonkers 

[THO Game Calls]

The barrel is between 1 3/4"and 2"  long, 1  1/4 wide.  The mouth piece is 2 3/4" long, about 1 inch at the mouth end....  the bore is 1/2"


Or, you just buy one and figure them out for yourself.




AL
THO Game Calls
www.thogamecalls.com

[THO Game Calls]

Oh - I forgot -

The mouthpiece has an agressive vortex air intake that alows me to seat the reed deeper in the cqll making this a very easy to blow call.

AL
THO Game Calls
www.thogamecalls.com

[THO Game Calls]

Sorry - I guess I am just taking this the wrong way.  It doesn't seem that funny to me.  Perhaps I am missing something -

Time for a break for a while.


Al
THO Game Calls
www.thogamecalls.com

[Todd Rahm]

Imus said what?

[MattS]

sorry Al, I shouldn't have gone there. Man do I feel like shat now.

[Ladobe]

Plant your duff with some graph paper and a pencil and start drawing some ideas.   Not one or two, but dozens or even hundreds.   Then start spinning some out of cheap wood (I used basswood) to see what they really look like in form and if they will be comfortable to use.   May take months or even years, but sooner or later you'll hit on something you like and that you can call your own.   

I think what frustrates some of the older tenure call makers (including myself) is that so many of the new generation spinners don't want to invest the time and effort themselves like had to (because there wasn't much out there to copy then).   They want to shortcut everything by either being shown how by others or copying what others have proven by their our time and efforts.   An artist that copies another's work is not an artist.   Holds true with being a custom predator call craftsman too.

FWIW

[Jimmie in Ky]

And if you can't draw worth a crap just grab some cheap wood and start playing with it.Don't worry about boring it to make a call. Play with the designs and learning to work the wood. You would be surprised at how fast the ideas will come. JImmie

[MattS]

I am an engineer, I know all about sketching designs.  Most design concepts I will do in cad.  I get a lot better feel on how its going to look.  I can also put a wood grain on the cad model.

That comment towards Al's design dimensions was jokingly pointed towards the topic of this thread.  I apologive to Al for bringing his call into it.  I would never want to or have the ability to copy one of his designs.

[quackerstacker]

the graph paper and pencil is a great idea. i have almost a whole note book full of sketches and doodles of duck calls i have designed.

steve

[THO Game Calls]

Matt- no big deal - we're good.

I think everyone, including me took it wrong.   We'll get over it.  Time to move on and make some calls.   Having seen some of Matt's calls, I doubt he will have to resort to copying anyone elses work. 

Al
THO Game Calls
www.thogamecalls.com

[Bopeye]

Yep...........Al and Matt both make fine calls so I really doubt they will copy each other. I don't know if it's my natural ability to take most things as humor, but I felt like Matt was actually paying THO a compliment and trying to be funny at the same time.
Just my take on it.........

[vvarmitr]

^^^^ Ditto, Bopeye.

[kiyitec]

With all the copying talk and jokes, I thought it  was A well placed jest. 

     Remember the things missing from text- tone and emotion, let alone the rib poke'n Al would have received in the the process.

I am going to "copy" Al this weekend hopefully.  Been studying the tutorial section of my favorite site.  I'll see if I can geterdone so you guys can laugh at me!  ~KT

[Arkyyoter]

If all ya'll will please send me one of your calls, and one of your tone boards .......