MAR 16

2009

How To – Make Your Own Turkey Friction Call Part 3

Home > How To – Make Your Own Turkey Friction Call Part 3

Part Three of a Three Part Series

This is the final part of a three part series on making the “pot” portion of your own turkey friction call. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. There will be another series on making the striker.

Safety
Be sure to follow all eye, ear, and body part control safety precautions when working in the shop.

15) I’ve formed the rim, sanded from 150-220 and marked some lines for grooves I’ll cut with the skew and burn in with some wire. Then I sand to 320. I’ve also applied two coats of cellulose sanding sealer to the inside.

16) I flipped the blank over on the screw chuck and turned it to final thickness with a bowl gouge. When I’m finished with the thickness I’ll round the edge, sand from 150-320 and apply two coats of cellulose sanding sealer.

17) I’ve marked the hole pattern with a template. I use a forstner bit and two step process for clean holes. First I drill all holes from the outside so that just the tip of the bit is through. Then I flip the blank and drill through from the outside.

18) I drill the pedestal out with a forstner bit to the same depth as the inside bottom of the pot.

19) I’ve signed the bottom with an India Ink Pen (see picture further down). I clamp the pots by the pedestal, spray them with Custom Oil matte finish and place them upright in a can to dry. Once dry I’ll steel wool them, blow them off and then repeat. Tip – I don’t wear gloves when finishing so I wash my hands with cooking oil and then soap. The cooking oil neutralizes the finish and gives me smooooth hands.

20) I’ve applied Goop or Household Glue to the pedestal, inserted the CLEANED sound board and clamped it with an expensive can of beans. I check the sound board a couple of times to make sure it hasn’t slid to one side before it dries.

21) I’ve applied Goop or Household Glue to the surface lip, inserted the CLEANED surface, giving it a slight twist and clamped it with another expensive bean clamp.

And that is it. I made about forty-five pots before I settled on a design and sound I was happy with.

Resources:

Custom Calls Online – Forums, supplies, etc.

Turning Custom Duc k and Game Calls by Ed Glenn and Greg Keats

Stumpy Glassman stumpyglassman@yahoo.com - Glass and Slate.

Brownell’s – Custom Oil Gun Stock Finish

Bud & Betty Game Calls How To Build a Friction Call DVD

happy hunting turning, dv

Note: I used to share the dimensions of the calls in return for a picture of a maker’s first call; a little pay back for my development efforts. However, too many dishonest people have failed to keep their end of the bargain so I no longer share the dimensions.

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brian

thanks your for this well make it easy for me to make a call

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Brian,

Thanks for the visit and the comments.

happy turning, dv

tjdumez

how much space do you usually leave between the sound board and friction surface?

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

TJ,

Thanks for stopping by the blog and leaving a comment.

I don’t have any secrets, but that’s a question I’ll only share the answer to in an e-mail. You should already have it in your in-box.

happy turning, dv

Ryan

Dusty,

I understand that the glass seats on the lip formed inside of the rim (rim being called the outside edge) of the pot, but from the pictures I can’t tell if the center pedestal makes contact with the friction surface. From the directions it sounds like you put adhesive on the pedestal. I may be interpreting wrong, but I would appreciate any help provided. Thanks.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Ryan,

Thanks for visiting dv’s Mostly Archery. I answered via e-mail for you also.

The striking or playing surface sits on and is glued to the lip formed inside of the rim as you say. The sound board sits on top of the pedestal and is glued to the pedestal. There is a space between the sound board and the striking surface.

If you have any other questions please ask.

happy hunting, dv

John

Dusty,
That was a great 3 part series. My daughters want to make their own turkey calls, I would also like to know your dimension of the lip that holds the soundboard. Does the sidewall and bottom thickness affect the call sounds? what do you prefer for these dimensions? Since I am not an expert in using a lathe, do you think using a forsthner bit would work to shape the pot and also apply a wood washer for the soundboard stand?

Once again, thanks for such great information.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Thank you for the kind comments and thanks for visiting dv’s Mostly Archery.

I sent you the dimensions via e-mail. All dimensions affect the sound, but despite those who believe this is magical, mystery, rocket science I firmly believe that woodsmanship trumps all and sounds come second.

Forstner bit, lathe or router with a glued in sound board washer of metal or wood – all good. This method does create one more glue line that might fail, though. You may want to check out the links at the bottom of this page at Shipley’s Custom Sawing or consider purchasing Bud & Betty’s “How-To Build A Friction Call” Video at this link.

Good luck and if you have more questions please ask.

happy call-making, dv

Paul Bohler

Dusty
I have been making box calls for about eight years now and would like to move onto “Pot Call”. Your 3-part series is very
helpful and it answered “some” of my questions. I guess I have some of the same questions as the other guys, like how much space is between the sound board and the friction surface and what do you suggest for the thickness of the bottom and sidewalls? Who can I order sound boards and the friction surfaces from? Any other tips for a beginning pot maker?
Thank’s, Paul

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Paul,

Thanks for reading along and leaving a comment.

I e-mailed you the dimensions you asked for.

Tip – It is cheaper in the long run to buy a good quality call from an outstanding custom call maker than start making them yourself. Then you can build furniture for your other half instead. However, none of that is as fun!

happy turning and happy hunting, dv

J. D. Stover

Great post. I have same question about sound board and striking surface distance. I have been hunting turkey for 30 + years am now retired and will have new lathe in 1 week
thanks for info.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

J.D.,

I e-mailed you the information you asked for. In return I’d like to see a picture of your first turkey call.

Thanks for reading along and leaving a comment.

happy call-making, dv
Cjacobson1

I would also like to learn the distance between the sound board and surface as well as dimensions of the pot. Any help would be welcome. thanks, Chris

Anonymous

Chris,

Can you shoot me an e-mail to dus@hotmail:disqus
Anonymous

Chris,

This ridiculous Disqus comment program is driving me crazy – can you drop me an e-mail? The address is on my “About” page. Disqus won’t let me post it here. Sorry about the acrobatics.

happy hunting, dv

http://na Louis Bryant

Hi Dusty,

I really enjoyed your 3 part series. I am interested in making some call boxes, but basically have the same questions concerning measurements and the how much space is between the sound board and the friction surface and what do you suggest for the thickness of the bottom and sidewalls?

Thanks,
Louis Bryant

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Louis,

Thanks for reading dustyvarmint’s Mostly Archery and leaving a comment.

I’ve e-mailed the dimensions you asked for.

happy call-making and ask if you have any questions,

happy hunting, dv

Jeremy

What are you calling household glue. I use a gorilla glue that dries clear. So on the pots that have a glass on glass you cant notice the glue. I also use cedar pot with a copper surface on alot of my calls.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Jeremy,

Thanks for reading the blog and leaving a comment.

I use a product called GE Household Glue that is similar to silicone for the calls that have logos on the bottom of the glass. My normal Goop seems to eat the logos.

happy hunting, dv

clayborn dotson

dusty, thanks for all the information you give on making friction calls, could you please give me the dimensions for the thickness of the sides and the bottom,also the space between the sound board and the striking surface, thank you clayborn dotson.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Clayborn,

I dropped you an e-mail with the information you asked for.

Remember, there is a cost to the information I provided – a picture of your first completed call.

Thanks for reading dustyvarmint’s Mostly Archery and leaving a comment.

happy hunting, dv

robert

dusty, first off thanks for the instruction and pictures to go with them.i would like to know if you have a drawing or blue print you could send me . and also what are your favorite woods to make the pot from. thanks again, ROBERT

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Robert,

I used the drawing from Shipley’s Custom Sawing and developed my exact measurements over time.

Favorite wood? Too many woods, too little lifetime. Cherry, Osage orange, walnut and a number of other woods are all my favorites.

Thanks for reading dustyvarmint’s Mostly Archery and leaving a comment.

happy hunting, dv

dwayne

I was interested in finding out what everyone else is wanting to know, the dimensions, thickness, sound board material, height and so on. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for publishing this 3 part series it was very helpful. This is a hobby I’ve been wanting to get into for awhile now just not had the time.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

dwayne,

Thanks for reading dustyvarmint’s Mostly Archery and leaving a comment.

I sent the information you asked for – remember the cost for this info is a picture of your first finished call.

happy hunting, dv

JOSH

I have been tring to make some calls for about a month now and am about to pull my hair out!!! I would love some dimensions for sides bottom and pedestal and suggestions on sound board material.

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Josh,

If you pull out all your hair you’ll look like me and that ain’t good.

This information has a cost and that is a pic of your first finished call.

I’ve e-mailed the dimensions you asked for and I look forward to receiving your picture.

Thanks for reading the blog and leaving a comment.

happy hunting, dv

johnnie

dusty great series i have been making calls like the old lynch jet slate and am ready to try my hand at turning a pot and striker call. i would also like all the info every1 else has asked for,pedistal dist. bottom and wall thickness and any other advice you would like to share thanks johnnie

http://www.skinnymoose.com/mostlyarchery/ dustyvarmint

Johnnie,

I have e-mailed the information you asked for.

Remember, the cost for this is a pic of your first finished call.

Thanks for reading the blog and leaving a comment.

happy hunting, dv

John Vissage

Hi Dusty, thanks for some very interesting info, I have been making the old time long box call for some time now and would like to try my hand at a pot call using glass as the striking surface. Please send the related dimentions that you use to the above email address. Again, thanks for “striking” up my interest in making a pot call. John
Anonymous

I am having a hard time making a good sound. I am either getting a really raspy sound or a dull sound. Do the thickness of the walls and bottom matter? Is there a special ratio between the distance from soundboard-bottom of pot and distance from soundboard-bottom of slate? thanks for your help as I am eager to get a good sound out of one of my pots before gobble chasing time.
thanks, bill

Anonymous

I would recommend checking your striker dimensions. The tip should be no larger than .031″ and the upper portion, just below the balance, should be no larger than .035″. happy turning,
Jerry
Subject: [mostlyarchery] Re: How To – Make Your Own Turkey Friction Call Part 3

David

I am also new into the call making world and have been tinkering with box calls for a while. Found that the wood used made all the difference. I just received my first wood lathe and I am considering taking a crack at a pot call, especially since it is my favorite type of turkey call, but have the same questions about the dimensions. Rather than turn good wood into chips can a sketch with dimensions be obtained?
jd

great blog, thanks for sharing. If you could see your way to sharing I would like to take a run at making a call or two.. like those before me – could you share the measurements you recommend for the walls and floor as well as the distance from the sounding board to the striking surface?

How To – Make Your Own Turkey Friction Call Part 3

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