# New to call making and turning



## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Turned my first slate last night. Slate over glass. Sound isn’t that great. I have space between the slate and rim of the pot. Any help would be appreciated

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Feb 15, 2020)

@Bigdrowdy1 
@Eric Rorabaugh 
@The100road


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

Let's see the bottom as well. With pot calls, EVERYTHING matters to the sound. More info is needed. Is it a hollow sound, too high pitched...? What distance from the top of the soundboard to the bottom of your striking surface do you have? What's the distance from edge of soundboard to side of pot? What's the diameter of your pedestal? Hope you took notes. When starting to make calls take A LOT of notes of measurements. 1/64" will make a difference, types of wood will make a difference. A blank from the same board but different spot in the board will affect the sound. You will learn this the more you make. I have cut calls apart if they didn't sound right to look at the meaurements inside. I have messed up a bunch of calls and slate when I first started. Heck, I took one apart just the other day because it sounded like crap.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

Oh, and the striker makes a difference also.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## TimR (Feb 15, 2020)

I think I’d better stick to bowls and peppermills!

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Sound board is better than a 16th away from the pot wall almost 1/4 from the striking surface. It’s a dull sound almost to a deep yelp


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## Wildthings (Feb 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Let's see the bottom as well. With pot calls, EVERYTHING matters to the sound. More info is needed. Is it a hollow sound, too high pitched...? What distance from the top of the soundboard to the bottom of your striking surface do you have? What's the distance from edge of soundboard to side of pot? What's the diameter of your pedestal? Hope you took notes. When starting to make calls take A LOT of notes of measurements. 1/64" will make a difference, types of wood will make a difference. A blank from the same board but different spot in the board will affect the sound. You will learn this the more you make. I have cut calls apart if they didn't sound right to look at the meaurements inside. I have messed up a bunch of calls and slate when I first started. Heck, I took one apart just the other day because it sounded like crap.


AND what type of glue did you use to attach soundboard to pedestal and slate to call. The gap you mentioned is really not a concern

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Wood chipper said:


> Sound board is better than a 16th away from the pot wall almost 1/4 from the striking surface. It’s a dull sound almost to a deep yelp


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

The distance between the soundboard should be twice the thickness of the soundboard. I usually have about 1/8"-3/16" between the sides. The side of the call is really thin to me but that shouldn't be it. What's the thickness of the walls and bottom?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Wildthings said:


> AND what type of glue did you use to attach soundboard to pedestal and slate to call. The gap you mentioned is really not a concern

Reactions: Like 2


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## Wildthings (Feb 15, 2020)

I always used a piece of the slate to set the distance between the soundboard and bottom of scratching surface

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)




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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> The distance between the soundboard should be twice the thickness of the soundboard. I usually have about 1/8"-3/16" between the sides. The side of the call is really thin to me but that shouldn't be it. What's the thickness of the walls and bottom?


Close to 1/4 or less. Both bottom and side walls


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Noted: take better measurement next time


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## Wildthings (Feb 15, 2020)

Wood chipper said:


> Close to 1/4 or less. Both bottom and side walls


I think if you narrowed that distance closer to 1/8 your sound will improve. Lots of other factors though! Do you have a picture of interior pedestal with nothing installed?

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

You beat me to it Barry @Wildthings

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Wildthings said:


> I think if you narrowed that distance closer to 1/8 your sound will improve. Lots of other factors though! Do you have a picture of interior pedestal with nothing installed?


No sir I sure dont


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> The distance between the soundboard should be twice the thickness of the soundboard. I usually have about 1/8"-3/16" between the sides. The side of the call is really thin to me but that shouldn't be it. What's the thickness of the walls and bottom?[/QUOTE


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

What would be some best wood for the pots?


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

I've used a bunch of different woods. Hickory, Osage, Maple, Mesquite, Cherry, Walnut, stabilized/cast woods, etc. I haven't had any softer woods work too good except for Eastern Red Cedar and I really don't like it too well for pots. You can find anything you want on here. Some of the stuff you can get here on WB.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

There's guys on here that are A LOT better at calls than I am. 
@The100road
@FLQuacker
@LabsRUsII
I know there's more but my finger was getting tired and needed a break!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> I've used a bunch of different woods. Hickory, Osage, Maple, Mesquite, Cherry, Walnut, stabilized/cast woods, etc. I haven't had any softer woods work too good except for Eastern Red Cedar and I really don't like it too well for pots. You can find anything you want on here. Some of the stuff you can get here on WB.
> 
> View attachment 179958
> 
> ...


Those are really nice. So a soft wood is not that great for making pots?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

Thank you. IMO no. I've never had luck with them but others may have.


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## Steve in VA (Feb 15, 2020)

When I first started making pot calls, I took three existing pots I had (cheaper ones) and took them apart.

I took exact measurements of everything using calipers. I then took the measurements from all three and for each measurement got a high, low, and average to use as starting points. 

I still don't know what I'm doing! 

What I have found is great sounding calls and someone who can run them well sound great in your family room, car, on YouTube, or in competitions. Killing turkeys depends on one thing; his mood!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

Steve in VA said:


> Killing turkeys depends on one thing; his mood!



So true!!! I have heard crap calls in the woods and said somebody can't call worth a darn...it was a hen!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## B Rogers (Feb 15, 2020)

IMO the striker can make the difference. And as others said, if a Tom’s hot, you could use a dog squeaky toy and call him in.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Maverick (Feb 15, 2020)

B Rogers said:


> if a Tom’s hot, you could use a dog squeaky toy and call him in.



Note to self....when I go turkey hunting take my dogs squeaky toy.

Reactions: Funny 4


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## B Rogers (Feb 15, 2020)

Maverick said:


> Note to self....when I go turkey hunting take my dogs squeaky toy.


Don’t knock it till you try it. :)

Reactions: Funny 1


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## myingling (Feb 15, 2020)

looks like your on your way wondering what size surface your using 3in or 3 1/2 ? and iam sure u been over to tho forum tons of call building info their https://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/board,3.0.html?PHPSESSID=f82b05f03902a7fc1938ab85f0deb91b

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 15, 2020)

myingling said:


> looks like your on your way wondering what size surface your using 3in or 3 1/2 ? and iam sure u been over to tho forum tons of call building info their https://thogamecallsforums.com/index.php/board,3.0.html?PHPSESSID=f82b05f03902a7fc1938ab85f0deb91b


Yes I have thanks. 3.5 but looking to go down to 3 as well


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Feb 15, 2020)

I started out making both. I never could get a 3 1/2" to sound right for me so I quit making them. Mine always sounded dead.


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## Ray D (Feb 16, 2020)

I prefer the 3 1/2 inch playing surface with the 3 inch sound board.... I just don’t get the rollover I’m looking for with a 3 inch playing surface.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wood chipper (Feb 18, 2020)

Wildthings said:


> I think if you narrowed that distance closer to 1/8 your sound will improve. Lots of other factors though! Do you have a picture of interior pedestal with nothing installed?


This what the inside looked like

Reactions: Like 1


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