Dixie Decoys, LLC is proudly owned by an active duty Marine. I may try it out on a cheapo and bust it open to see the results. Learn More . You know of any reason not to use the canned spray foam? A good way to avoid the bill becoming disproportional is to carve the majority of the head before even rounding the ends of the bill. Just $1 per month . Hard high-tech composition decoys. Michael R. Shea Published Aug 28, 2012 12:09 AM EDT, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. They make incredible Halloween decorations and are perfect for scaring away specific birds that can harm small pets and gardens. If you want to use the mold you made it will either need mold release or to be super smooth. While experts can make the details look easy, novices will find that painting intricate detail can be frustrating. Published Mar 8, 2010 9:02 AM EST, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Decoy Flocking Kits allow you to minimize glare, creating a realistic look from the sky. Designers and DIY . If you like easy, simply plunk down a credit card at a major sporting goods store for a Turkey Skinz. For new carvers, acrylic paints are the cheapest and easiest to work with, as oils require mixing, cutting and other aspects that require more extensive knowledge. Lance shows how to paint decoys to bulk up your spread for the fall. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. I was thinking about filling some decoys with foam. Cut a keel from the furring strip and epoxy in place. This allows the carver to have a better bill-to-head size reference and the head shape to be representative, allowing the bill to essentially flow out of the head. Published Jul 7, 2020 1:46 PM EDT. You are using an out of date browser. Chuck was a great friend and unfortunately passed away a few years ago. Homemade duck decoys can be painted to attract different varieties of ducks. For the stake, use an 18-inch length of 3/4-inch PVC pipe. You must log in or register to reply here. Wrap a layer of burlap over the foam. Some sealers may raise the grain slightly, so make sure to knock it back down with small-grit sandpaper or even steel wool before priming. Homer Decoys gives you a step by step how to burlap foam decoys. Walking into the hole, you might forget they are there as our EVA foam reduces noise in transportation to an almost eerie quiet. Web: https://homerdecoys.com, 2023 | Homer Decoys | All Rights Reserved. Its just $1 per month . Apply mastic and let it sit for 24 hours. Like I said I have never made any decoys with it but I think it should work just fine. Just let them drain and fill the holes with a squirt from a hot glue gunIf you are really OCD drill out the hole a little bigger to remove the rattling shot, that can be a game in itself :lol3: .Just a warning, that 2 part expansion foam is an absolute mess. Pretty Crafty there. Be sure that the parting line is drawn along the exact center of the decoy. As the wood smooths, start decreasing the grit size incrementally down as low as 250 to ensure that small defects and scratches have been removed. These decoys are great for hunting crows, but many people use them in their backyards and gardens. No external heat source is required when making decoys of this material. Laying out decoys properly is imperative to the finished product actually looking like a duck. Start on the top of the head, go down the neck and back and all the way around to your starting point. Wrap a layer of burlap over the foam. Once you get the amounts dialed in you should be able to mix and pour and have it out of the mold in 30 minutes or so. A timing system is used to sequence the . Spray foam is a type of insulation that expands after you spray. A few suggestions would be to not do the burlap method and restle coat them instead and use the saved cash on a few gallons of polyurethane foam. The splashing element, created by a hidden bilge pump, is adjustable via control flaps. Carve a duck head from the basswood or find a plastic head online. JavaScript is disabled. It should be dry and ready for Steps 2 and 3 in two weeks. Email: [emailprotected] In all applications, paint or prime the entire decoy in one color, likely white or black depending on the outer color of the finished decoy; i.e., a white base for canvasbacks and black for black ducks. Here are several options to save you cash, yet give you the astonishing results a feathered decoy can offer. Cut a keel from the furring strip and epoxy in place. Learn More Spring By Like on a pontoon, Heyday decoys two keels work together to replicate true duck behavior and keep the decoys swimming straight without the unnatural side-to-side drunk duck darting that is characteristic of single keel decoys. Learn More . While aesthetics are important, dont get too wrapped up in making the perfect decoy the first time it takes lots of practice to turn a vision onto reality. Scuff the PVC with sandpaper and spray-paint it a dull color, like matte black. Once the head is nearly complete, using Apoxie Sculpt, set the eyes and then finish smoothing the head and blending transitions. Using mostly garage or shop items, most carving newbies have everything they need already, keeping initial investments to a minimum. Just $1 per month , Lure in big gobblers using a home-made turkey fan decoy, By With an emphasis on traditional style combined with modern decoy technology, Dixie Decoys brings you waterfowl hunting gear that connects you with the past while providing all of the advantages today's sportsmen demand on the water. The Fool 'Em Finish - yet another reason Heyday's lifetime duck decoys work so well. Start with the basics and work in whatever details your hands can create. Just as silo decoys can create a sense of motion, so can multiple poses in decoys. Banded Birds - Black Ducks - 6, Mallards 19 (3 Jack Miner) BW Teal - 2, Wood Ducks - 1, 1 Ross and 1 snow Goose (Both reward bands) , Canada Geese - 15 (2 neck collars), Morning Dove - 1. At the point it's still pourable but you don't have much time left. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. First, drive the -inch conduit into the ground until sturdy. Pour salt or borax onto the butt end to preserve the fan. Homer Decoys Bodies and Heads are made using all recycled materials in the United States. Probably saved me from ruining a couple dozen decoys. Next, add white paint on the upper rear tail feathers. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. A forum community dedicated to duck hunters and hunting enthusiasts. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. The main thing to remember is that ALL details should be symmetric, and the decoy, if cut in half down the length of the body, should be a mirror image. Decoys can be made with lots of detail, or rather basic, letting the paint do the detail work. However, I work at a taxidermy supply company and we make forms from two part expanding foam and the stuff is pretty easy to use. It protects the lining of your house, and can even assist in the heating and cooling of your house during those unbearably cold or hot days. This decoy, which sits on a foam-filled base, sprays water to create ripples and also simulates a mallard drake stretching its wings. Because delicate skins dont always hold up to the rigors of the turkey woods, check out MOJOs Fan*Tom. Sanding can really make features stand out by creating sharp, precise transitions. I am trying to think about the time it will take to get the top placed on the mold. For most new carvers, it takes some time to figure out the perfect amount to remove with each pass, and this skill will be developed over time. You would probably still want to burlap the finished product just for extra durability. Homer Decoys has been making decoys the old fashion way for over 2 decades, there isnt a style, way, shape or form we havent tried. Overall, have fun, get creative, and work to get better. The problem with the mold release is that it gets into the foam and makes it impossible to get the glue to stick. Join PopSci+ to read sciences greatest stories. Give 'em the ol' Texas trash bag treatment. 1can does about a dozen and it seems to hold up pretty well. Wrap a layer of. Because the HydroFoam material itself floats, and because it's so durable, weight is further reduced by hollowing out the entire decoy body. For true blanks, start by either drawing your own pattern or using one from a decoy pattern book. Pretty neat project Henry! That way you can save your hard-earned cash for all that ammo youre going to need this season. JavaScript is disabled. This texturing creates realistic shadowing for a more natural looking decoy. 1. Removing the UpRight Weights transforms the decoy to an unprecedented level of "ultra-light." Front and rear stainless steel Easy Attach Eye Bolts that will never fail. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. Dixie Decoys Utility Pants $39.99 $79.99. You can attempt to keep the wings attached to the entire skin or remove them prior to skinning. Start off by taking minimal material with each pass, and increase this amount as confidence builds. Trim the flesh and fat, being sure to remove the milky-white oil glands. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tips, tricks, optics, hunting, gunsmithing, reviews, reports, accessories, classifieds, and more! Turn a Heyday floating mallard decoy over and you'll immediately notice the HollowCore body. Thats awesome man. Next, join the 10-foot sections of conduit using the butt-end connector. By utilizing pre-made cutouts or kits, you can make decoys with minimal tooling investment, allowing anyone to whittle out a few special blocks for the upcoming season during drab summer months. Not only will they never sink, but HEYDAYs HydroFoam makes for a lightweight duck decoy that is more durable and quieter than any plastic decoy, thus making it easier and more enjoyable to transport, deploy, and pack up. Cool you put some thought into it cant wait to see finished product. http://www.amazon.com/Pourable-Flotatio B0047R4AQW, Shotshell, Reloading, Ballistics, & Chokes. After one or two base coats have thoroughly dried, start working in outer colors and details using appropriate colors and techniques. This story was originally featured on Outdoor Life. Its a simple task, but these holes really bring a decoy head to life and allow carving to commence. It can be a challenge,. You will see it change from an amber brown to a light yellow. You just mix it 50/50 and pour it in and the stuff goes a long way. Drill a couple 1 1/4" holes in the bottom of the decoy with a hole saw (fore and aft), and a 1/2" or so hole on the bottom of the head, figure out how much foam you need with the expansion rate, pour it in, trim off what comes out of the holes. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Strutting gobbler decoys are hot items now, and for good reason: They work. It is important to remember that defects will become more visible once paint has been applied, so take some time to check and double check that every area of the decoy is silky smooth. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. The less dense the foam is the quicker is expands. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Dixie Decoys FrogSkin Timber Camo 1/4 Zip. Step 1. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. I was wondering if anyone has done this and how it worked out? Sunday is gonna be good. www.foamdecoys.com Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Whether you're hunting duck or goose, we've got decoys for both. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. In order to make a decoy that doesnt look like a head and body were just screwed together, make sure that, during carving, you frequently mock-fit the head and body together to ensure their profiles are suitable matches for one another. To take it hunting, fold the fan in half or thirds lengthwise and stuff it in your vest. Sorry this is long, but I wanted to share a little project I am working on. Stand-still. | All of this natural movement enhances realism making HEYDAY decoys more effective. UpDate 3 on the "MINI" ScoterZillias: Something new, something different for the 2020-2021 Special Seaduck Hunting Season here in Maryland Seaduck Duck Hunt. So clear your Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. We are proud to be the official decoy of GameWay Farms. |, Lynx Trail Cam Video: A Sound Like Youve Never Heard Before, Waterfowl & Retriever 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Whitetail Journal 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Bowhunting World 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Predator Xtreme 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Great Gear: Howa Hera H7 Bolt-Action Rifle. Using three long heavy T-pins, tack the fan onto a large cardboard box, and push the pins all the way through for a secure hold. Save money by making your own waterfowl decoys. Once the roughed-out decoy is complete, begin refining the shape of the decoy by drawing half lines down the center of the body, side of the body, and around the crown of the head. Dixie Decoys Drifter Sport Shirt. While decoys can be made a variety of ways, for the purposes of this instruction, the equipment list below focuses on generally available tools that you might already have around the garage, helping to minimize initial investments. Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. While carved decoys are certainly more expensive than manufactured plastic decoys, they add some nostalgia and a personal touch to an otherwise standard decoy rig. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Ended up turning out pretty well. If you have a streak of Bob Vila in you, then this next option might be more your style. It is still plenty workable as it starts to expand. DIY styrofoam decoy - aminate the foam boards into a duck-sized block and start carving until it resembles the shape of a resting bird.