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Ducks

TEK

Joined
Dec 22, 2004
Messages
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Location
Brunswick,Ohio
duck

Are you talking about decoys? The only thing I found is how to turn a duck for a cute decoration. It's more of a cute caricature, than anything realistic.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
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Website
www.freewebs.com
Duck turning

This is one thing I know how to do.
All you do on the lathe is turn out the blank into a cylnder or orval then start carving until you get the blank looking like a duck.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2004
Messages
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Location
Spring Lake, Michigan
Before plastics took over the duck decoy business, most decoys were make of wood. I have carved a few, after shaping out the rough form on a band saw, but I wouldn't try to turn one myself. Obviously, the best antique versions were all hand carved and had varying amounts of detailing.

Problem is, both market and sport duck hunters didn't need fancy decoys for hunting. Plus most couldn't afford the cost of several dozen fine, hand carved decoys. Yet most all duck hunters used a lot of wooden decoys. I have been told by several old-time duck hunters that a great many of the old hunting wood decoys were indeed mass produced in factories on duplicator lathes. (At least in part) No one was able to tell me exactly how they were made but I believe they managed, somehow.
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
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I've seen some only marginally representational decoys, so I suppose something painted off the lathe might have worked. Might want to ask the question on one of these places.

http://www.ducks.ca/
http://www.ducks.org/

Some of the folks are pretty scholarly about their hunting passion, as are some turners.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2004
Messages
46
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1
Location
Massachusetts
In Woodturning Methods, Mike Darlow explains how to turn a duck as a multi-axis project. I've never done one but basically you turn the feet and body between centres then mount it off-centre, on a new axis parallel to the first, and turn the neck and head. What you get is more of a cartoon duck than a decoy.

Graeme
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2004
Messages
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Location
Royersford, Pa
I can't believe everyone missed the obvious answer

Start with a block of wood and cut off everything that doesn't look like a duck.

Mike
 
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
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Location
billerica, ma
Personally, I'd be worried about mounting and stability. You could mount a duck in a chuck (hee, hee, made a rhyme) but it would tend to flop around alot. Between centers wouldn't work either. You'd just end up with duck on a skewer and it would stall out every time you engaged the edge. And, speaking of which, how the heck would you get a clean cut going?

Only thing I could think of in turning a duck would be to freeze it first. And, frankly, why go to the bother when you'll get much better consistancy and finish with a nice chuck roast.

Dietrich
 
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