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I finished the base coats of paint last night and hope to finish up the feather detail tonight. With all the rain we've had and drop in temps I might have to put it in the oven to get the oil paint to dry.

This one is a trveling decoy for a VA forum.

Nice looking bird.
Did you do anything to stiffen the tail up?

Thanks man. No the tail actually pretty thick. It just looks thin because of the way I shaped it.

Ah gotcha.

Spent some time in the shop painting on the bird last night. Lost track of time and man am I paying for it this morning. All thats left is to blend the iridesent colors into the head and back.

What do you diver guys think, keel or pad weight and strap?

I say keel. And that is a good looking decoy.

PM me a price for a block. Gotta give it up that's some impressive work!

Thanks for all the kind words guys.

PM sent Flightstopper.

nice looking decoy

That thing's awesome. I need to learn to do that. The only thing stopping me from trying it is lack of a bandsaw.

I got my band saw for under $200 at Harbor Freight 10 years ago. Most of the time you can carry your blocks to a cabinet shop and have them cut them out for you for little to nothing. If you make it down this way I'd be more than happy to let you use my saw. Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

Bufflehead wrote:

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

How hard is it to make bouy decoys? I would like to try it.


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obxbufflehead wrote:

Bufflehead wrote:

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

How hard is it to make bouy decoys? I would like to try it.


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cut a buoy in half, cut out a head, attach head with a screw and paint. you can use plywood to make a head and keel all in one piece like a silhouette or make the head and keel seperate out of 1" lumber. plenty of buoys in the marsh

Bufflehead wrote:

obxbufflehead wrote:

Bufflehead wrote:

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

How hard is it to make bouy decoys? I would like to try it.


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cut a buoy in half, cut out a head, attach head with a screw and paint. you can use plywood to make a head and keel all in one piece like a silhouette or make the head and keel seperate out of 1" lumber. plenty of buoys in the marsh

Thanks. I'm going to have to do that. I need some buffs and they won't sink if they get shot.


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Bufflehead wrote:

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

I managed to cut half way through my middle finger and right into the knuckle. Of course Im left handed, but luckily I'm ambidextrous. I was scared to death that first time back on the saw after surgery and 3 months of physical therapy.

Bouy decoys can be as simple or as complex as you want them. Many guys here cut the "bullet" bouys in half and make a one piece silo head and keel that inserts into the front of the body.
The following are all made from crab pot bouys.

Baysider wrote:

Bufflehead wrote:

Baysider wrote: Just dont do like I did and stick your hand in it.

x2 i cut the tip of my thumb off and part of the fingernail making bouy decoys when i was about 14 or 15. luckily it was far enough out that it healed up and grew back.

I managed to cut half way through my middle finger and right into the knuckle. Of course Im left handed, but luckily I'm ambidextrous. I was scared to death that first time back on the saw after surgery and 3 months of physical therapy.

Bouy decoys can be as simple or as complex as you want them. Many guys here cut the "bullet" bouys in half and make a one piece silo head and keel that inserts into the front of the body.
The following are all made from crab pot bouys.

That can and widgeon are awesome! I know right now mine won't look anything like that. Mine would look more like the brant.

And @bufflehead. What kind of paint would you recommend using for working decoys?


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Dremel to carve them out?

obxbufflehead wrote:
And @bufflehead. What kind of paint would you recommend using for working decoys?

if you just simple decoys to hunt over, on buffleheads and blackheads, i use ace hardware rust stop, flat white and flat black. mix the two together to get the grey for the bill.

Bufflehead wrote:

obxbufflehead wrote:
And @bufflehead. What kind of paint would you recommend using for working decoys?

if you just simple decoys to hunt over, on buffleheads and blackheads, i use ace hardware rust stop, flat white and flat black. mix the two together to get the grey for the bill.

Ok thanks. I am going to try it this weekend.


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Baysider wrote: I was scared to death that first time back on the saw after surgery and 3 months of physical therapy.

i can imagine

And this is a stupid question but do you have to have a bandsaw to make them?


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Not sure if you have to be a member here but this is a link to a tutorial on how to make them. He uses a bandsaw, but a coping saw with a good blade with work. Ive also heard that a sharp break knife will cut foam and cork. A fine rasp is good for shaping.

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=6330;search_string=bouy%20coot;session=9e3545ad0b54c09f655493ea8957f0a8#6330

obxbufflehead wrote:And this is a stupid question but do you have to have a bandsaw to make them?


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no. the only thing you need any kind of saw for is to cut the heads and keels. you can split and shape the buoys with a knife.

Baysider wrote:Not sure if you have to be a member here but this is a link to a tutorial on how to make them. He uses a bandsaw, but a coping saw with a good blade with work. Ive also heard that a sharp break knife will cut foam and cork. A fine rasp is good for shaping.

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=6330;search_string=bouy%20coot;session=9e3545ad0b54c09f655493ea8957f0a8#6330

good info right there. i couldn't see the pics but he explains how to do it

A jigsaw is all you need for cutting the heads and keels. The Ace brand paint is good paint. If you see any large areas of black on my decoys it is flat oil Ace paint. Good stuff, dries fast, and very flat. Much cheaper for painting the entire back or breast of a diver rather than using $15 artist oil paint.

Baysider wrote:Not sure if you have to be a member here but this is a link to a tutorial on how to make them. He uses a bandsaw, but a coping saw with a good blade with work. Ive also heard that a sharp break knife will cut foam and cork. A fine rasp is good for shaping.

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=6330;search_string=bouy%20coot;session=9e3545ad0b54c09f655493ea8957f0a8#6330

Thanks.


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Finally finished the paint on this one and added the keel. Coated it with varnish this morning and it'll go into the rig in the morning.

Baysider wrote:Finally finished the paint on this one and added the keel. Coated it with varnish this morning and it'll go into the rig in the morning.

That looks good.

Baysider wrote:Finally finished the paint on this one and added the keel. Coated it with varnish this morning and it'll go into the rig in the morning.

That looks amazing.