Call Makers News Duck Calls » Tool Discussions

Duck Call Making Tool

admin — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:08:30 +0000

There are several duck call making tools available to secure your duck call blank for turning. I own several mandrels that work great, however I find that the #2MT Alignment Tool works best for me especially when I turn acrylic game calls. It allows me the ability to install and remove the blank quickly and easily. I also use a 60 degree bull nose live center mounted in the tail stock to securely position the blank onto the #2MT Alignment Tool. Here are a couple of pictures of the tool that is secured into the headstock of my Jet Mini Lathe:

Here are a couple of pictures of the duck call barrel positioned into place and ready for turning:

Here is a picture of two #2MT Alignment Tools that I have. The one in the top of the picture is one that I cut short in order to use it for polishing the inside of the barrel. This allows me to reach further into the barrel. The one in the bottom of the picture is the standard #2MT Alignment Tool:

The final picture shows the acrylic duck call barrel mounted onto the #2MT Alignment Tool and ready for sanding and polishing:

The Little Torch by Smith

admin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 04:02:51 +0000

The Little Torch by Smith Equipment is an excellent choice for flame polishing your acrylic duck call or goose call barrels. Below you will find more information regarding this torch. However, please also visit our “Shop Talk” section for picture and video tutorials on using this setup for flame polishing your duck call barrel.

When you pick up The Little Torch^(TM), you know immediately that you are holding a magnificent instrument which will enable you to extend your skills far beyond all previous limits. Whether you are in the first stages of learning your craft or have mastered it completely with more limited tools, The Little Torch will open a new world of possibilities for you. It has a great feel in your hand and is just a fraction wider and longer than your middle finger.

This superbly balanced torch with a rugged aluminum alloy body weighs only 1.5 ounces. The Little Torch features a thin, extremely lightweight hose which provides added maneuverability. In short, The Little Torch is designed to meet the most exacting industrial standards for a small, multi-purpose torch.

The Little Torch has unmatched flexibility — it can be used with several fuels including acetylene, hydrogen, propane, propylene, MAPP®, or natural gas. It produces a perfectly controlled, completely stable flame hot enough to melt commercially weldable metals, glass and even ceramics. It may also be used with special heating tips to melt up to 3 oz. of metal.

The Little Torch has twenty-one tips available to provide a wide range of flame lengths and heat output for various metals and thicknesses. However, the number 5 tip works best for me for flame polishing your acrylic duck call barrels. The operator can vary the flame length to his/her exact requirements by adjusting the oxygen and fuel gas valves on the torch body.

The Little Torch has many engineered-in safety features. Color coded hoses and valves help prevent errors in setup and operation. Over 80 years of Smith experience in the manufacturing of welding equipment gives you assurance of quality and satisfaction. Listed below are a few more features of this awesome little torch:

Infinite Control
Weighing only 1.5 ounces, The Little Torch^(TM) is easily maneuvered in areas impossible to reach with conventional torches.
Variety of Flame Settings and Sizes
Produces a perfectly controlled, stable flame hot enough to melt commercially weldable metals, glass and ceramics with thread-thin flames up to 6000° F.
Unmatched Flexibility
Works with any commercially used fuel gas, and strong, flexible hoses connect to any standard pressure regulator.
Optional Compressed Air/LP Tips
Provide softer flames and eliminate the need for compressed oxygen.
Exclusive Heating Tips
Multi-orifice tips for heating or melting up to 3 oz. of metal.

For more information and Frequently Asked Questions, visit the following websites:

Little Torch

Lacy West

Smith Equipment

The Little Torch is manufactured in the in the U.S.A. by:

Smith Equipment

2601 Lockheed Avenue

Watertown, SD 57201-5636

I purchased the following set up at Welding Supply.Com for flame polishing my duck calls:

23-1014 kit which includes a 249-99 pre-set oxygen regulator, 249-500 pre-set propane regulator, two cylinder holder rack, 11-1101C torch, number 5 tip, 8ft. hoses and complete instruction manual.

2327-3 3” extension in order to reach inside of the duck call barrels

14014 Magnetic torch stand and tip organizer. It is a solid metal stand that comes with holes drilled and numbered for tip sizes 2-7. Just a twist of the wrist easily removes the torch from the magnet. The magnetic clip mounts easily on the torch body.

Be sure to visit our “Shop Talk” section for picture and video tutorials on using this setup for flame polishing your duck call or goose call barrel.

Call Makers Center Vise

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:58:05 +0000

Drill press centering device

The pen blank drilling center vise is a great tool to center your duck call blanks for drilling the center hole. It is a great tool to add to your drill press table that will aid in holding and centering your call barrel blanks when drilling. I purchased this one from Penn State Industries and highly recommend it.

I mounted it on a solid oak board with an aluminum pan underneath. The pan is to prevent all of the lubricate used when drilling the blank from spilling onto the shop floor. This entire piece is designed for quick and easy removal. Here is the full product description:

Pen Blank Drilling Center Vise – Drill through the exact center of your duck call blanks… The jaws on the “drilling center” move in and out together to insure precision center drilling of your blanks. Just set up the vise once and drill all of your blanks in the exact center. There’s no need to change the setup regardless of the blank’s size or shape. Holds blanks up to 1-7/8″ square.

New Feature - The vise now includes a “scrap waste sleeve”, just a 2″ by 1/4″ piece of scrap (a piece is included with the jig). The scrap piece can be flipped, slid and reversed to get numerous uses out of a single piece. And when its consumed, must cut yourself a new one from 1/4″ plywood.

Acrylic Drill Bit

admin — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:05:54 +0000

If you want a drill bit that will cut through your acrylic duck call barrel blanks with ease and exit the blank without chipping, then this is the one you’ve been looking for! This drill bit will also drastically minimize your duck call barrel bore sanding as well. You can purchase it at Webfoot Custom Calls.

I have used it numerous times for drilling my acrylic blanks and highly recommend it! Here is the full product description:

Straight Shank Drill Bits – Shank is same size as the bit.

WEBFoot’s Acrylic Drill bits are the culmination of lots of research and input from many call makers. The special grind on the tip of each of the Acrylic Drill Bits aids in reducing heat, clearing chips, and leaving the best possible surface finsh. Follow these links for more information on properly using the WEBFoot Acrylic Drill Bits: Acrylic Drilling and CCO Review and Information.

These bits feature a 90° drill point, 0° rake, and a special radial grind on the point to aid in large diameter drill entry without the need for a pilot hole (web thinning).

Custom sizes are available but have a longer turn around time. Contact us if you do not see the size that you need.

Pictures of drilling results were performed with a 5/8″ Straight Shanked Acrylic Drill Bit.

Available in:

7/32, 15/64, 1/4, 3/8″ – Drills are ≈ 5.5″ – 6.0″ long with 3.0-4.0″ flute length

1/2, 39/64, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4″ – Drills are ≈ 7″ – 8.5″ long (Reduced shank bits have a 1/2″ shank – Straight shank bits have a shank the same size as the drill) with flute lengths ≈ 4.0″ – 6.0″ long.

7/8″ Reduced Shank – Short Length Drill is ≈ 5″ long with 2.5-3″ flute length.