DIY Turkey Box call

[Deerthug]

So I got an idea to make my own turkey box call using 1/4 inch poplar for the base, paddle and sides and pine for the blocks. I must say it came out pretty good, altough I need to work on getting the tone right

[nyantler]

tone has to do with thickess of the sides.. tapering them thinner at the top works good... allows for better vibration of the wood.. kinda like the principle behind a violin.. its all about the thickness.... AND the type of wood.... certain woods resonate better than others... trial and error will get you there.

[Deerthug]

I just thinned out the sound boards and reassembled the call. What a difference it made! Thanks for the tip NY Antler. Works great! Can't wait to test it out this May!

[Deerthug]

Ok so I decided to make another box call out of 1/8th" Basswood stock for sound boards and 1/4" stock for base and paddle and 2" poplar square blocks. I've also been wanting to try Pyrography so I decided to make my first project the paddle on my box call. Here are some pictures. I think it came out pretty nice.

And this is what it sounds like:

http://s1099.photobucket.com/albums/g382/jmasiakos/?action=view&current=DIYturkeyBoxCall.mp4

[burmjohn]

Turkey thug, classic Nice work

[Deerthug]

Thanks John. Do ya think I'm getting antsy for May 1st?

[nyantler]

Now you can try using different woods to get different sounds... the other thing you can do carve the paddle so that it is rounded on the bottom.. not sure if you did that already... it will give you better contact with the side walls... if you taper the sidewalls also (thicker on bottom thin on top) you will get better resonation as well. The closer together your sidewalls are the higher the pitch... farther apart the lower the pitch

[Deerthug]

Now you can try using different woods to get different sounds... the other thing you can do carve the paddle so that it is rounded on the bottom.. not sure if you did that already... it will give you better contact with the side walls... if you taper the sidewalls also (thicker on bottom thin on top) you will get better resonation as well. The closer together your sidewalls are the higher the pitch... farther apart the lower the pitch

Thanks for the tips. The latest one i made is a one sided call which I did taper the top of the right soundboard. I also rounded the side of the paddle that makes contact with the sound board. I would like to make one out of cedar but I don't know where to get single pieces of cedar from. The major hardware stores sell it by the pack and they are too thick. I don't have the right equipment to rip the pieces down to 1/8 or 1/4 inches. I was hoping to buy some cut to size like the basswood and poplar I bought at Home Depot and Michaels.

[nyantler]

Thanks for the tips. The latest one i made is a one sided call which I did taper the top of the right soundboard. I also rounded the side of the paddle that makes contact with the sound board. I would like to make one out of cedar but I don't know where to get single pieces of cedar from. The major hardware stores sell it by the pack and they are too thick. I don't have the right equipment to rip the pieces down to 1/8 or 1/4 inches. I was hoping to buy some cut to size like the basswood and poplar I bought at Home Depot and Michaels.

Actually the Bass wood is a good wood to use... you might find thinner cedar pieces by using lining that they make for closets and cedar chests... I think Home Depot and Lowes sell a thinner tongue and groove cedar that might work great for your purposes... violins are made usually with maple backs and spruce tops... any softwood shaved and sanded to the right thickness will give good resonation as sound boards... just keep messing around and you'll find the right tone. Thats how they did it in the old days... you can use hardwood for soundboards too... they just need to be sanded really thin... but because they are harder they can be made thinner than softwood and still hold up

[Deerthug]

I think Home Depot and Lowes sell a thinner tongue and groove cedar that might work great for your purposes...

I did see it there and thought about getting a pack for $30. I may have to do that. Maybe I can make a few and sell them to make my money back? LOL.

[ants]

Looks good.....nice work. May 1st....COME ON ALREADY.....

[Pav2704]

Looks great!!! the turkey prints definately make it. How cool would it be to call in bird this year using your own box call!!!

[Deerthug]

Thanks! I've had it sitting near my wood stove the last few days to dry out the wood more and boy does it sound great!! I can't wait to use it in about 29 days!!

[132 eight pointer]

Nice job. Good luck , hope you call one in with it.

[landtracdeerhunter]

What coating can u put on the underside of the top, where it touches the side to make the sound ?

[Deerthug]

What coating can u put on the underside of the top, where it touches the side to make the sound ?

I stained it with a oil based stain and sanded down after it dried. Look to see where the paddle bottom and chalk that area up and it should work well.

[tj1187]

Stop by some construction site, tell the guys what you are doing and I bet one of them wiil rip the wood on table saw for you in acouple of minutes. If you were closer Iwould do it for you, but I am way out East. East Hampton

[Deerthug]

Thanks Tj. I'm going to test the one i made this coming May. No more time to make any new ones. Got my hands full with our new puppy. Lol.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Thanks Deerthug, like your box call u made.

Edited April 24, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[Deerthug]

So I was at Costco with the wife this past Sunday doing some shopping. As I'm walking down the BBQ accessories aisle I get a wiff of cedar. I turn and look and there I see pallets full of 1/4" thick 12" x 4" cedar planks used for BBQs. I've been going crazy just to buy a single piece at homedepot to make a cedar box call. Guess what I'm gonna try to do tonite? That is of course if my puppy Milo leaves me alone for an hour. LOL!