# American Chestnut, I hope I've done it justice.



## FLQuacker (Apr 12, 2018)

Half blasted crystal surface.

Red smoked acrylic soundboard.

Graphite with Chestnut top striker

Reactions: Like 9 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 3


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## Nature Man (Apr 12, 2018)

Right handsome wood! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Lou Currier (Apr 12, 2018)

Why is the striker plate 1/2 clear?

Reactions: Sincere 1


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## FLQuacker (Apr 12, 2018)

@Lou Currier...that is just an option for this type of surface. It can be 1/2 blasted or complete blasted. (or no blasted)

It eliminates the requirement to "scratch" up the surface with gritted paper or stone to function.

When I use an "artsy" type soundboard as with the smoked red acrylic and want that to show thru, I use 1/2 blasted.

Reactions: Like 2


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## FranklinWorkshops (Apr 12, 2018)

Great job. Glad to see my old chestnut have another life.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 12, 2018)

Very nice Wayne! I cut some chestnut up the other night into pot call blanks. Was waiting for these pictures.... now I can start on mine.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## FLQuacker (Apr 12, 2018)

@Eric Rorabaugh

Be gentle with it. Not sure how you drill your soundholes but I use forstner bits and don't drill all the way thru..just let the point protrude then flip it over and drill back thru. This stuff will tear very easy on bit exit otherwise.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 12, 2018)

Ok. Thanks. I use forstner bits too. We'll see how it goes. Luckily I have some extra of this.


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## Wildthings (Apr 12, 2018)

FLQuacker said:


> Red smoked acrylic soundboard.


Would like to see a better picture of that


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## FLQuacker (Apr 13, 2018)

Getting that shot has proven more challenging than the actual construction :)

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 13, 2018)

@Wildthings you can see it on brookside game calls website but @FLQuacker pic is just as good... actually better.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## FLQuacker (Apr 13, 2018)

As a side note..personally, I don't like the sound of acrylic.

I'll eventually find a striker that I'll settle with. But the call just never ends up being a "go to"

Usually IF I'm looking for effect with a clear top, I use the camo glass or do something myself (I also have a vinyl cutter).

Yesterday, I sold 2 calls I made last year. I never used them. Had I owned the 3rd striker he played them with he would never have had the opportunity to buy them :)

LOL..I guess I got a weird marketing plan. But this isn't a business for me.

People call and ask what I got, bring a pocket full of strikers, and I don't think I remember anyone leaving without something.

They're happy and I make about $2 an hr...I'm happy too :)

Reactions: Like 5


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 13, 2018)

Wow! $2/hr. You're doing better than me! I haven't sold the first thing yet. I guess I'm paying about $8/hr. just to do this!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## Ray D (Apr 17, 2018)

Great looking call. I have some American chestnut I purchased here a few months ago but haven’t made a call with it yet. 
On a side note, try drilling the sound holes before you turn the pot...Work’s really well for me.


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## FranklinWorkshops (Apr 17, 2018)

Ray D said:


> Great looking call. I have some American chestnut I purchased here a few months ago but haven’t made a call with it yet.
> On a side note, try drilling the sound holes before you turn the pot...Work’s really well for me.


I agree. Because many woods like to splinter around drill bits, I normally drill any holes before I do the final pass through the planer or sander. That cleans up lots of bit damage. I also may drill a very small pilot hole and then drill the final hole from both sides since I know exactly where the point of the drill is going.

Reactions: Like 2


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## bearmanric (Apr 21, 2018)

Very nice. Rick


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## Bill Ragosta (Oct 11, 2018)

Awesome call. I have some American chestnut from a tree that grew and died on my own property. I milled it and had it made into a hoosier cabinet, dining room table, two blanket chests (one for each of my sons) and a coffee table that I built, along with a handful of picture frames for my wildlife photographs, but I still have a few precious scraps and would love to build some pot calls with it (I've previously done a few box calls in chestnut, but not the wood from my place). Really nice finish on yours, what is it, may I ask?


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## TimR (Oct 11, 2018)

Nice looking call, I’d say you did that chestnut superb justice!


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## FLQuacker (Oct 15, 2018)

Bill Ragosta said:


> Awesome call. I have some American chestnut from a tree that grew and died on my own property. I milled it and had it made into a hoosier cabinet, dining room table, two blanket chests (one for each of my sons) and a coffee table that I built, along with a handful of picture frames for my wildlife photographs, but I still have a few precious scraps and would love to build some pot calls with it (I've previously done a few box calls in chestnut, but not the wood from my place). Really nice finish on yours, what is it, may I ask?



Think it was poly over some oil....

I'll say green cut chestnut is a different wood altogether for woodworking and calls. It's hard to get, but it's out there.

I have some left from a project, for a few pot calls.

No disrespect meant to those that sell the reclaimed at all. There's plenty of applications for it. This call was reclaimed.

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Bill Ragosta (Oct 15, 2018)

Thanks. I'm almost out of the few scraps that I had from "my tree", but I've got my eyes on a few others. One's much smaller than mine was, but fine for this sort of thing and the other one is said to be larger than mine was, although I haven't seen it to confirm. Obviously I wouldn't touch them until and unless they succumb to the blight.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 15, 2018)

@Bill Ragosta, what size chestnut are you looking for? I just had a guy give me some that he cut down in his yard.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 15, 2018)

https://woodbarter.com/threads/chestnut.36547/


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## Bill Ragosta (Oct 15, 2018)

If he cut it in his yard, it's almost surely a Chinese chestnut and not American chestnut. Still nice wood and I'd still scarf it up if the guy will allow you to (and if you're confident that it doesn't have metal in it).


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 15, 2018)

I believe it is Chinese Chestnut. I picked up several pieces of it. I cut a little up the other day and it had some curl to it. I think I still have some American Chestnut boards I got from an old barn. If I do, I may get rid of a few pieces.


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## Scruboak (Nov 1, 2018)

I would be interested in some american chestnut if you still have it. At lease enough for a few pot calls


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## Bill Ragosta (Nov 1, 2018)

Scruboak said:


> I would be interested in some american chestnut if you still have it. At lease enough for a few pot calls



I'm not really interested in selling and I don't have much, but I suspect I could come up with enough for a few pot calls if you had anything interesting to trade.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Nov 1, 2018)

Simon if you Bill don't come up with a trade, I have some wormy chestnut boards I'll be cutting into pot call blanks.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Scruboak (Nov 1, 2018)

very cool I only have a 2x2 stick left and have been holding onto it for a year afraid to turn it cause I always say they sure don't make that anymore. Just let me know when you rip some up and maybe we can trade out something or I can just buy some. I mostly stock up native species. Have lots of flame boxelder right now but isn't dry and a few logs ive not cut into yet


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## Ray D (Nov 1, 2018)

@Jason Martin had some for sale a while back. I picked up some nice pot call blanks from him.


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## Bill Ragosta (Nov 1, 2018)

Scruboak said:


> very cool I only have a 2x2 stick left and have been holding onto it for a year afraid to turn it cause I always say they sure don't make that anymore. Just let me know when you rip some up and maybe we can trade out something or I can just buy some. I mostly stock up native species. Have lots of flame boxelder right now but isn't dry and a few logs ive not cut into yet



I'd be happy to give you 2 or 3 pot call blanks for a bowl blank of the box elder. Wouldn't need to be dry as far as that's concerned. Hit me up with a message and we'll work it out.


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## Jason Martin (Nov 1, 2018)

I do have a good source for American Chestnut in all sizes. I stock 2"x2" and 1"x4-1/4" for box calls and pot calls. Let me know if you are interested.

Reactions: Like 1


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## FLQuacker (Nov 1, 2018)

@Jason Martin 

Reclaimed?


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## Scruboak (Nov 2, 2018)

Yes jason I am interested mostly 1x4 size. Let me know what u want for it and any possible history to it


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## FLQuacker (Nov 2, 2018)

@Scruboak

https://woodbarter.com/threads/chestnut-pot-call-blank.36645/

https://woodbarter.com/threads/pot-call-size-zebra-wood.36664/#post-502769

https://woodbarter.com/threads/pot-call-blanks-and-scales.36638/


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## Jason Martin (Nov 2, 2018)

@FLQuacker yes it is reclaimed.
@Scruboak I will get some prices. I don't have any history on it...


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