Novice decoy carver needs help

[MJ1657]

And last but not least, thanks to MJ and Archerysniper. The wooden pickle comment had me rolling for about 10 minutes. (why did you paint it brown? I didn't, it's blood from when I cut myself carving that for you.)lol

You know me and the sniper are going to want to see your decoys in person under water this winter.

I keep a perm house easily big enough for four out on the ice all winter in the area. Its quite often sitting empty just waiting for someone to use it.

[MJ1657]

I also picked up a old jewlers ginder/buffer that works nice on copper and brass.

Natural colored Northern Pike with brass fins. Now that sounds interesting........

[chad austin]

You know me and the sniper are going to want to see your decoys in person under water this winter.

I keep a perm house easily big enough for four out on the ice all winter in the area. Its quite often sitting empty just waiting for someone to use it.

I absolutely look forward to it. Assuming it's something I want to pursue I will need to find a saw and a couple of spears. Can you guys give me a little info on the East Central MDAA or where I can find a little info? Also, would you mind if my son and I just showed up and sat in on one of the monthly meetings at wintergreen's?

[MJ1657]

We have a HSOforum with our info. Absolutely come to our meetings we look forward to having guests.

If you want to try spearing out before you invest in equipment there are a bunch of us on this site that would borrow you some so you can try it out. Every second Sunday ECMDAA is going to have a spearing event on a local lake. Like I said earlier my house is available to anyone on the site when im not using it. Archerysniper might even have the hole opened up for you.

[BOUNCED]

I have carved decoys for over 20 years and I still screw up as much as I get it right

Amen

Some decoys are just meant to be scrap wood to get the stove in the spear house going

[jasonmichalski]

I'm working on a natrual sucker with brass fins now the lines will be cut in on the anvil with a cold chisel to leave a clean look the brass polished up with a mirror finish. I just got some sheet brass, copper and alumium.

your decoy would have looked great natrual too, I had a hard time painting over the burn detail. I'll take a pic of the sucker tonight.

[merkman]

Alright,

I have been kicking around the idea for a while but have never started, after reading this thread I actually started to carve my first decoy.

Here is the progress so far (ie here's my pickle ).

I might "cheat", grab some beer and head over to a mentors house for help with the fins, weighting, and swimming.

So far the "pro" carvers have nothing to worry about...

[pikestabber]

Looking great, Merk! Now once you spear your first fish on that bad boy it will be game over. Be ready to block out several hours a week to carve more decoys

[jasonmichalski]

its really not bad it takes time. try to cut the shape in one cut for each side and leave it a little bigger so its easier to carve smooth and keep adding center lines as you cavre it make it easier. I draw out each step on the blank before I cut, carve, and paint.

P3011189 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

P3011194 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

P1131180 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

the decoy on the left is what got me started its about 100 years old from the market days on the Saginaw Bay used for walleye and perch, but pike come in to it too, I draw a scele copy I used as a base pattern for my frist decoys.

P1131179 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

your start looks alot like mine did but my third decoy I had it down.

P1131202 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

just have fun make decoys your way.

[chad austin]

Jason,

What did you use for an exhaust fan in your paint booth? I am re-roofing my house this weekend and I am also wondering if I should exhaust out the roof or an exterior wall.

Thanks again.

[Archerysniper]

We have a HSOforum with our info. Absolutely come to our meetings we look forward to having guests.

If you want to try spearing out before you invest in equipment there are a bunch of us on this site that would borrow you some so you can try it out. Every second Sunday ECMDAA is going to have a spearing event on a local lake. Like I said earlier my house is available to anyone on the site when im not using it. Archerysniper might even have the hole opened up for you.

Yep it should be open and I'm started my 4x8 center hole today after falling in love with Dealers house last winter.

[jasonmichalski]

Jason,

What did you use for an exhaust fan in your paint booth? I am re-roofing my house this weekend and I am also wondering if I should exhaust out the roof or an exterior wall.

Thanks again.

In the pic Its backed up to a big paint vent fan and goes out the roof. I was at my dads because I stay there sometimes when I work out of town. I blocked up 3/4 of the vent. At home I took and framed a window in my walkout basement because my house is a few years old and didn't want to make holes. The booth has a filter and a vent pipe hooks into the bottom center and goes to a caged fan and out thought a flapper covered vent in the center of the framed in window, and I crack up a window on the other side of room for in comming air.

[jasonmichalski]

here are pics of my old grinder and of the brass finned decoy I'm working on with copper eyes.

[skippie]

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[chad austin]

I am now able to get back to the garage being I re-roofed my house last Thursday & Friday and cleaned out the rest of the garage and both sheds and the rest of the honey-do-list. My son and I should be back in business by the weekend.

Jason, I just bought the same woodburner as you for $60 with 4 pens to boot. How do you like yours? Have you used it much?(I think I recall you saying you just got yours as well)

[jasonmichalski]

Jason, I just bought the same woodburner as you for $60 with 4 pens to boot. How do you like yours? Have you used it much?(I think I recall you saying you just got yours as well)

I scaled and detailed 4 decoys with it and I love it. its easy to make pens and tips and even heavy cords to get more heat to the tips.

I payed around 80 fot the unit pens and box with supplies and odds and ends, so you did good.

[Laska]

Some of my first deaks with some others....

2 years in...

4 years later....

First Replica...

Working Realistic Smallie- Havent clear coated it yet...

Vikings Nord.... 3-1 right now?

Muskie before clear...

Black Volitan Lionfish

As you can see over time and hard work things come together and can progressively get better, my first decoys really well you see them haha, BNS knows... Sorry I havent put any input in yet, bookmarked the archery page and kept forgetting to get on the spearing forum.

The page merk posted for weighting- I didnt like it, not enough information- and mis directed information on wieghting- I do this for a living- and most of that can send you off the beaten path. I started from the Mike Holmes article, I recently discussed his article in detail with him in person- funny thing was he told me my "s" shape decoys wouldn't swim right til he tested them @ perham. nods of approval from Bob Johnson,Gary Hull, Harley Regan & Mike Holmes on my swimming keeps me going! Keep working @ it and it will be more rewarding than you could ever imagine.

Your first decoys, Merk and Chad look great! I can say enough for how happy I am to see more guys coming into carving decoys and keeping our sport alive. I strive for the swimming aspect of decoys primarily and its a fine art that takes time to get down but once you do, it opens up alot of windows for crazy decoys like dragons,lionfish and 13 point buck fish

If anyone on here needs help Im more than willing to take a phone call, I talk to guys weekly that call weekly on decoy carving questions... Search my name with decoys behind it and you'll get my number I cant post it on here.

Here's a video I did on weighting a walleye decoy:

As far as the colwood burner- its the best there is in my opinion, with pat kennedy scale tips. otherwise I only use a detail master wood burning pen for really fine details.

General tools I use:

Dremel with stylus 36" extension- carving 80grit sanding drums

Drill Press=lead cavities I use forsner bits- and eyes.

Hot pot

Tin Snips

Orbital Sander

180 fine sanding pad

Iwata airbrush

Cant go wrong with Paint pens either

Loctite 2 part expoxy glue 5min quick set

Band Saw - 1/4" blade- 6tpi

You can get lure eyes- 3/8" is my general working decoy eye size with a 3/8" forsner bit- makes the eyes clean and fit perfect.

Hope this helps guys...

[merkman]

I still have the Goby in the collection... that one has never seen water.

[jasonmichalski]

This post has some great advise, wish I had some of this advise when I started carving.

[chad austin]

I agree, I really appreciate all the replies and the replies to come as I'm sure I will have more questions as I get further along. I didn't expect to get the replies that I got here (not doubting you guys I just didn't think that many people still did it) and if you search on the computer for info on carving decoy's there isn't much out there in the way of information on how to go about it. I still have a few more things to purchase before I can go any further with the ones that I have but I will keep posting here as I progress. Thanks again guys!!

[chad austin]

Here's another question for you guys that have them. I am looking for an airbrush but there are so many options out there and I have no clue where to start. What are you guys using, single or double action, tip size, are you using a compressor for an airbrush or do you just regulate pressure from a bigger unit. There may be other things that I am not even considering and if there are please let me know. I've got a budget around 150 and would like to have a working system for that money, can this be done? I am not apposed to buying used either, I just need to know the particulars of what to buy...

[jasonmichalski]

Here's another question for you guys that have them. I am looking for an airbrush but there are so many options out there and I have no clue where to start. What are you guys using, single or double action, tip size, are you using a compressor for an airbrush or do you just regulate pressure from a bigger unit. There may be other things that I am not even considering and if there are please let me know. I've got a budget around 150 and would like to have a working system for that money, can this be done? I am not apposed to buying used either, I just need to know the particulars of what to buy...

Double for detail a single would for sealer and clear. I have four different airbrushs a cheap hobby single Action, H.F. Cheap double action, a badger 100 gravity feed extra fine double action, and paasche VL3 bottom feed double action. I'm going to pick up the VL1 and VL5 needles. I use vinyl paints from Cs coating systems, they are water proof, chip resistant, scratch resistant, flexible,and Worm proof. It also has a 15 dry time between coats and handling.

[jasonmichalski]

I have used a standard 2 gallon compresser but I now use a paasche silent airbrush compresser. The badger has a inline moisture filter, the all 4 connect to a control box on my paint booth which then comes from a pressure regulator water debris separater with auto drain and then to an adjustable air drier and then finally comes from the compress which has a low pressure regulator, water/debris filter on it.

[Laska]

check out hobby lobby, if you have one around you use there 40% off coupon and go 2 seperate times and pick up an iwata dual action AB and a compressor for $150, for around 250 of value... Its what I did!

[chad austin]

Laska,

That is awesome, THANK YOU. The coupon is available for online use as well. If you could only have one brush to start off which Iwata would you recommend? Also which compressor? I will be ordering tomorrow and Tuesday, like you said you can use a 40% off coupon per day