The next step is to hollow out the pot. I start out with a 1/2″ gouge to remove most of the wood and then square up everything with a home made tool. I took a piece of 1/8″X1/2″ tool steel and welded it to a 1/2″ diameter steel rod. I then glued this into a 3/4″ dowel rod for a handle. It makes an excellent wood turning tool. I cut the depth to within 1/8″ of the bottom.

Next I cut a small ledge in the rim to hold the slate. I bought these slates from http://www.customsawing.com/ .

Check the fit.

Now I work on the outside of the pot and cut some decorative grooves.

I do the initial sanding of the pot with 120 grit sanding sponges and then finish with 320 grit paper and then steel wool. I then give it a coat of beeswax finish.

Dennis

Now we need some sound holes. I mark the inside of the pot in six places with my precision indexing and marking system.

My index marks.

And marker.

Ready for the drill.

I decided to make two different sound holes in this one. Three 3/8″ holes and three 1/2″ holes. I grabbed my forstner bits and headed for the drill press. Use a back up board to drill through so you won’t splinter the bottom of the pot when you pass through the bottom of it.

We are finished with the pot for the time being.

Dennis

Now I set up to make the striker. I make the strikers out of Hickory so I start with a piece of stock 1″X 1″X 8.5″ and mark the center on both ends.

Then I mount it in my lathe and cut down the corners with my Great-Grandpa’s draw knife. This makes the stock removal easier and is easier on my nerves as I don’t worry as much about launching a high speed piece of wood out of the lathe. Been there a couple of times too many. 😯

Now I round out the stock.

I work on the head first and go on through the sanding stage for it. The design is strictly whatever looks good at the time, there is no set pattern for this.

Now I start working the rest of the stem down to size, around 1/4″ in diameter.
Almost there. It is down to about 3/8″ so I make real light cuts from here on out. It would be easy to launch across the shop at this stage.

Down the the finish sanding stage.

I put on a coat of beeswax and cut it free of the head and tail stock, sand down the ends and seal the head with beeswax. I leave the tip bare.
Finished striker.

Now for the final assembly. The little raised portion in the pot that is left where the bolt held the pot to the mounting plate serves a purpose. This will be a slate-over-glass call and I glue a small 2.5″ diameter glass disk to it with liquid nails. This gives the call a little more resonance. I bought the glass disks at the same place as the slate.

Now I glue in the slate. After autographing and sealing the bottom of the call with beeswax it is ready for the woods.

These calls are pretty easy to make and are great to give as gifts to family and friends for birthday presents and such.

Dennis

Steve, I will do some searching and see if I can find the drill press version and post a link for it.

Duncan, My lathe is a cheapie I bought at Harbor Freight many years ago. It isn’t very big (only about 3′ long) and is light enough that I can set it under the workbench out of the way.

WIcanner, Here is a soundbyte.

Dennis

Here ya go Steve. This is the drill press version.

http://www.newoutdoorcore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5493

Dennis

This is a newer version of my lathe. Mine doesn’t have the disk sander.

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-40-inch-lathe-with-6-inch-sander-45276.html

Dennis