DeepWoods Calls

How would be the best way for one to get started making his own calls?

Oh theres lots of ways...
Id suggest using a couple of your bestest newest found resources....  Rob - a call maker and owner of this site and me.... that what I do 0 call making tools, supplies, book, and all that sort of stuff.

What kind of calls you thinking about building, and what kind of intensity are you planning on having?  THat will kind of dictate how we might nudge or direct you to start.  Then of course once youre hooked, we'll give you the bad news and point you towards the proper "Call Makers Anonymous" Meetings...

I was interested in making a couple of call for my son and some friends, Goose and duck.  Just a few calls.

WEll there are lots of ways to start that fire...
Just depends on how much you want to throw at it moeny wise, and how much your willing to sink your teeth in and use plain ole hard work and determination - not to mention... how good the call will have to be before its "good enough" in you rmind.

You have a sound file of you blowing a call?  Post it up if you do... that would help me know where your coming from.

SHy of that the basics.... for an arkansas style calls

THings that have proven invaluable to me and would have been even more so had I had one when I started:

Mandrel - If youre looking at one of my mandrels, this could have some choices that you might not know the answer to...  Do I want recessed cuts?  How long will my call be for the recessed cuts?  What diameter?
   When it comes to mandrels and beginers, they will save you lots of headaches... but the specialization that I offer as an option can leave you with something that needs more customization to match you settled on style down the road.  So I recomend not getting recessed cuts, and add them later once you know your size.  Duck call barrels are usually about the 3" mark give or take 1/2"  Goose calls vary more, and that affects the sound more so than on a duck call.
 Mandrels allow you to turn the call with the hole already bored, so you are turning in relation to the bore, rather than trying to bore in relation to the outside diameter... again not easy to do it that way.  I ruined more than I made, after spending all the time finishing them.


Good drill bits, bits cut differently from bit to bit... choosing wisely it s a good way to limit headaches, especially with a mandrel of any sort.
Usually 5/8 for a duck barrel and 1/4" for the Keg.

Drill chucks and lahe chuck for boring.  Mainly for boring kegs straight.. more so than for boring blanks, but handy if you dont have a drill press big eough.  I know, been there done that.  Used to bore barrels after they were finished and bore kegs by hand, by eye.
  The drill chuck holds the bit like a normal drill, but mounts to the tail stock (non drive end of the lathe) and holds teh bit still while the work piece turns.  You can use a larger drill chuck to hold a keg thats already been turned to size to facilitate drilling it straight.  The Lathe chuck mounts to the head stock (motorized end) and holds the work peice...  

A good book on lathe operations.. really helps to achieve some shape or style you are looking for.  The library is a heck of a good resource for these.

Mylar from Norrell Plastics in Memphis TN, Cork (I use valve cover gaskets from the auto parts store)

Start with pine so you can gain cheap experience.  Then never use pine again.. it doesnt make much of a call. (I started on green willow from the back yard, then again, I was using a drill press like a lathe... which didnt impress dad much)

Various rasps files and sandpaper for making the tone boards from scratch.  Some good heavy cut wood rasps and some finer cut metal files for that last bit.  Sandpaper for finishing... I use 220 to 1500 in steps... but you can go as far as you want.

A computer.. so you can hop on and search the forums for your questions, and then ask if you dont find the answers.

A WHOLE LOT OF PATIENCE...  it WILL take time.  Thats why its so much of an art rather than a science.


When it comes to short cutting knowledge, time, and learning with money... thats where things like my public jig will come in.  ITs a short cut to a soundboard... though not perfect, very close and a little tuning will get you about anywhere.  It is a great tool... assuming its affordable, because it helps you start with a working piece, so you can learn from there instead of having to fight all the way through from no sound to bad sound to horrible sound, to better sound, to "damn tuned it too much".  It takes out those first three steps  :lol:

Another good resource is some other forums...  but Id be leary of a peoples or two on some of them.  There are people who are just in it for what they can get out of it... and that usually doesnt go well.

Wade