To lathe, or not to lathe...

[Krustyklimber]

I always say to myself...

"If you're really working hard, there is probably a machine that can do this job a lot easier"

Like a lathe...

But you can't make some shapes with one, like these calls;







I did once make a cylindrical bodied call, for AK Yoter;



That is one of the calls, I am most proud of making.
I did all the work by hand, using a hand drill, the dremel, files and sandpaper.
It has a .003 inch runout at the bell tube, and about the same variance from one end to the other.
Pretty nice, for handwork, I guess.

The bad part is... that call took nearly twenty hours to complete, and had a retail value around $40 (Todd will probably sell it for hundreds of dollars).

I know waterfowlers often jump at the chance to add "artwork" to their calls...
Is this the case with predator calls?
Do any of you think there is a need/market for handwork, or would you rather I just had a lathe, and was able to up production, and lower cost... at the expense of some loss of style, and a lot less soul?

It's not about function, we all know a call made on a lathe, or one handcarved will both call critters equally well, it's not about wood or shapes (Bob's Broomstick Rhino is a perfect example of that).

So it comes down to desire I guess... I know my brother is a syn/stainless guy, he don't give a hoot for fancy woods.

How many of you are fancy wood guys, and how many are syn/stainless guys?

I am seriously thinking of taking out a loan, to purchase a mini lathe and tooling.
But I have a bad reputation for getting in over my head with business projects, and I do not want this call making to get away from me... I am gonna think it over long and hard first.
I am enjoying the heck outta making them, I'm just not making a dime off it.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Krusty

[AlaskanYoter]

Heres an option. Get a lathe and turn a line of calls with it, and sell for a reasonable price (your price). Then have a custom line that you hand carve for a higher price.(limit prodoction to so many a year).
For example lathe calls for $15-$30, and your customs $75 and up. You'll probably have to do something to make your customs stand out from the rest of your line ie different label or marking and numbered 1 of 10 a year.

Just simpletons oppinion,
Todd

PS Keep the one piece open reed call. Theres not very many quality open reed calls out there that are all wood.

[GonHuntin]

In my opinion, a big bulky call is like a big bulky woman......both will serve the desired purpose......but you wouldn't want your friends to see you with either one! ;D ;D


Krusty

Art and beauty are in the eye of the beholder.....there are lots of call makers out there that couldn't give me one of their calls because I think they are UGLY! I'm sure some think the same about mine.........no two calls I make are exactly the same......may sound goofy, but I let the shape come out of the wood as it turns......it would be a lot less work to use a duplicator......but then they would all be the same......I look at each piece of wood and, when possible, turn it so that the figure in the wood is most visable.......

[Hooter]

Big bulky woman keep you warm in the winter.

Hooter

[Moose57]

He Krusty,
Tool Crib has the Jet Mini Lathe on sale for $199.00. And free shipping. And there is $25.00 off until the 22nd for orders over $199.00. The info is in Catalog #461. Feb 2004. Just the bare bones lathe. No tools or anything. I got one and am very pleased. Total: $174.99 to my door. Try www.amazon.com/toolcrib or call 800-635-5140.
Hope this helps,
Paul

[LoneHowl]

Krusty, Im with Todd. If you get a lathe, turn your line of "standard"calls,then carve your "super customs" .I think you will enjoy a lathe, you can do much more than what you see in anyones calls on any board, trust me. My opinion is that you are a fast learner and if you have the patience and skill to carve wood like that, youll do well with lathe.Yoou an also combine the two talents into one call.

If you decide against a lathe, go to Harbor Freight online or actual store, and spend 25.00(yes 25.00, I have one) on the small 1x30 stationary belt sander/grinder. Very small and cheap looking(it is)but actually very handy. You can quickly shape and finish your calls on the outside, then you can hand carve the inside and misc,outside details. Would save a ton of time I bet.

If you get a lathe, I can help you out with some tools, although they are cheap ones. Or you can get em cheap( like 8.00 a set) on Ebay.
Just a thought ;D

[bluedog250]

Thanks guys! Now I want a lathe too!
I have been wanting one for some time just to play with, Now I have a reason to get one! To see how many pieces of wood I can make into dust and chips!

[Krustyklimber]

Thanks guys,

Todd, you're far from a simpleton, you should know by now I value your opinion, regarding calls, very highly.

GH, the pics are not lifesized... do you mind if I ask what makes you think (or if you do) that my calls are bulky?

And I don't think you sounded goofy one bit, but Todd calls me "the Zen call maker".

I say the same goofy kinda stuff...
I don't make calls, I make dust.
I just feel the call inside the wood, and take away the parts that aren't a call.
I just keep fixing mistakes, until there ain't none.

Most of the time, I have no idea what a call will look like until it is well underway to being done.

Hooter, that logic has not been lost on me...
Fat bottom girls, make the rockin world go round. (Freddy Mercury)

Moose, Thanks for the heads-up. I remember discussing lathes before, on another board, but wasn't sure which one is for me yet.
That's a pretty big investment for me, and I am still having trouble flying it past my "loan officer"... it's difficult to show any real demographics relating to call sales, or that the market is there to capitalize on at all.

Lone Howl, you seem to have a better grasp on my finances... a $25 machine I might be able to afford.
Yes a belt sander would ease some of the steps for me tremendously.
With the time I'd save, I could probably burn out a few of them a year, and still come out ahead.

Yeah I know I would really enjoy working with a wood lathe again, I was legendary at my highschool for some of the burl bowls I made (after I made a screw on chuck head in metal shop) I believe there is still one in the display case.
Later on I was a machine operator, for a company that sold parts to Boeing, and made hundreds of thousands of parts on the metal lathe.

I know I could "rough out" call bodies on the lathe first, and then handwork them to an "out of round" shape, but like GH says, this doesn't pique my interest enough.

Bluedog, at least you have easy access to lots of mesquite, that way you can BBQ with the mistakes!

Krusty

[GonHuntin]

Krusty

If you go back and look at my post, you will notice that the first paragraph is not addressed to anyone in particular......and that the second is addressed specifically to you! I don't consider your calls bulky, at least not until I actually handle one! From the second photo you posted, it is easy to determine that particular is not bulky by looking at the size of the call in comparison to the lanyard! I really like that call and the looks of the call on the right in your first photo! I would be proud to carry either one! (How much did you say they sell for?)

I have looked at photos of a lot of "custom" calls.....and, to be truthful, I'd much rather carry Bobcat's "broomstick" call than many of the customs I've seen. There is a fairly well known call maker that asked me to trade calls with him......I politely declined because I wouldn't carry one of his ugly calls to a dog fight! ;D Yet, other people rave about the ugly things! I won't name any names, because I don't want to hurt any feelings.....

some folks think this is "automotive art"....


but this is more to my liking!

[Joe]

Jet stuff is of high quality....I have a Jet table saw in my shop......it weighs about 400 lbs but it is right on and never gives any trouble.....

Joe

[Krustyklimber]

GH,

I wasn't sure if you were calling my calls bulky that's why I just asked. I didn't figure you were.

All the calls in these pics, and indeed most of the calls I post, already have good homes.

The "bolongna cut" call (like the Harley pipes) is mesquite, and belongs to a pretty well known caller, here's what he said about it;

"Ive gathered a modest number of calls over the years, mostly custom jobs, guys have sent me or I swapped something for. I don't believe Ive seen one this nice before...
Most of the custom calls I have are very nice pieces of work, but pale to the example he sent me.
Rather like looking at fine production rifles, then handling a Dakota....know what I mean?
...Oh! it has terrific sound with the double reed system. It produced some amazing yips and barks on my way to town yesterday. I thank you much."

LOL I had to go look up Dakota Rifles to know what he meant...

The other call, one of the triangle series, belongs to a good friend of Bearmanric and myself. I bet Bofire would fight you to the death to keep possesion of that call... I can't remember what he named it.

To me, that is the ultimate compliment. Calls have been named Bloody Murder, Deathcry, Bark Bark and more.



The triangle call (on the right here, before finish) is the same pictured above. The stretch howler next to it, is a full round piece (a mesquite branch), and the triangle calls came of the mouthpiece end of it, and were quartersawn.
The point of the triangle is the center of the branch.
I made two calls for Bofire, one open reed and one closed reed. One for one of the guys I shared bear camp with last fall (a saxaphone player who played waterfowl calls like a master) I can't wait to see him next fall and see how awesome he is with an open reed predator call.

The other quarter I cut in half, and made a small closed reed call, with a squeaker reed in it, I traded to an Aussie for a pile of fox whistles.

The cool thng for you, is I still have the last quarter piece left.
I have it bored already, and could make you a call similar in size to CritR Call (slightly larger).

I'd be as proud to know you were going into the field with one of my calls, as you would be to take it with you... maybe moreso.
Having other experienced call makers value my calls means a lot to me.

I have only been making calls for a year or so, and I didn't hunt predators for a year before I started making calls... by the time I'd made a dozen of em... I was selling them.
Unlike most custom call makers I didn't start looking for a sound I couldn't find, I was just looking for something to do with my fidgetty hands.

That I lucked out and had some talent at it, and that I found a sound that is unique and effective, is still a miracle to me.

If you want to buy one of my calls, here's the procedure... you just open up your wallet, and I'll start taking money out until I feel good ;D ... or until you start crying (whichever happens first).

Naw, just kidding... we need to work out some kinda trade.
I loved that lil call next to the Rayovac...

Krusty

[okcoyote]

hey Krusty..................

i am not a call maker but just a plain ole caller... i would like to know what it takes to buy one of your calls......if u seen what was in my wallet you'd be the first to cry.. . but seriously how does one go about acquiring one of ur calls. i really like open reeds



okcoyote

[GonHuntin]

Krusty

I really like this one:



Can you make something like this with the wood you mentioned? How long and wide is this call?

Funny thing about that small call......it didn't start out to be a small call......the blank split towards the end while I was turning it.......so I just chopped it down and the mini call was the result! Lots of people wanted that little call......so I guess I'll have to make a few more.....I can sure do one for you while I'm at it!

[Krustyklimber]

okcoyote,

The way to go about it is this, send me an e-mail [e-mail] telling me you are interested in a call.
That puts a record by date in my e-mail, and that's how I run my waiting list.
I then contact you, and we discuss what you want in a call, types of wood available, and what I might have up my sleeve already.

I know how that opening up yer wallet and crying can be...

I like open reed calls too.

GH,

It has been a very long time since I held onto that lil call, I think it was (by the length of the toneboard) about 3" long tip to tip, and the bell is oval about twice as tall as wide
The blank I have now, is about 1/3 shorter, like if you cut off the the bell square.

The angled cut is a lot like your tiny call, I had an accident, which I cut off.

I have a collection of custom calls, that were all made by different makers, from the same flame maple as AK Yoter's call. Like my flame maple Rhino...
If possible I'd like to send you two pieces of it, one to be made into a call for me, and one so you can make yourself a call too.

I love a good trade more than a ham sandwich! ;D

Krusty

[LoneHowl]

"But you can't make some shapes with one, like these calls"

Hey Krusty, actually you can, with the right chucking system(which I wiil never afford)
Sorby and other makers have an offcenter, cam type chuck system that you an turn very off center or triangular shapes. But its very expensive
Id rather just shape em up with a belt sander myself.

PS I still got that maple and your call is inside of it.