What's on your Work Bench - NOVEMBER 2017

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
Good morning, All~


I've been cranking out gunning bird re-habs full bore since September. At the end of October, a bunch of LL Bean birds went back to the Bay State.


In addition to a wide variety of repairs, I gave lots of attention - involving spar varnish and oil-base primers - to sealing the bodies and heads.




The batch included 7 big Black Ducks - the Deluxe Oversize model. Here they are as they arrived early in the summer (the preener in the foreground is a Coastal).


(Click on any image to view in full-size.)



View attachment sm Blacks BEFORE.JPG




Here they are ready to head East.


View attachment sm RP 15.JPG




Although these are gunning paint jobs, I always take a few extra minutes on the faces of Black Ducks and hen puddlers.



View attachment sm RP 18.JPG



Thirteen Beans Coastals arrived as mostly Blacks - but went back as Gadwalls, Pintails, Mallards and a handful of Blacks. The standing bird had been very blocky - and in 2 pieces - so, once put back together, I re-shaped the body entirely.



View attachment sm RP 22.JPG



These 18 Brant had seen many years of hard use. They began life as Beans Coastal Canadas. Several needed major reconstructive surgery.


View attachment sm RP Brant BEFORE.JPG




I carved more delicate bills on each and then re-configured the paint schemes to suggest the buoyant stern so typical of Brant.


View attachment sm RP 10.JPG




George Soule did a fabulous job with the curves on these feeder/preener heads.



View attachment sm RP 11.JPG



Back in September, I posted 13 Chesapeake Decoy Company Mallards and Blacks going back to Long Island this coming weekend (SSWA Duckboat Show at Cedar Beach). The final part of the job was carving Gadwall heads for 2 headless bodies. I put ballasted flat keels on them, coated them with epoxy + sawdust, and carved a crosshead Drake and a relaxed Hen.


View attachment sm Gadwall 01.JPG




I had long planned to carve a pair of Gadwalls for my own rig. But, in about 40 years of carving, these were my first Grey Ducks. Perhaps I'll have time after the season for a pair of my own.


View attachment sm Gadwall - Drake CLOSEUP.JPG




Back to the bench. Ten Wildfowler Canadas and 11 Wildfowler Brant await their finish paint.



All the best,



SJS


 
Great work Steve, i really like the heads both carving and paint. Real eye candy. I think you are starting to get the hang of it[;)].
 
Beautiful work on the Gaddies Steve and you know how I feel about those brant. I won't see you at the show this year, I can't think of the last one I missed....bummer.
I took a detour by mom's house yesterday on my way to Main St, all looks sound.
 
Good morning, Rutgers~

Sweet sprig - with great combing work.

I just came in from a few hours in the shop. These Wildfowler Geese are heading toward the finish line:

View attachment A sm Wildfowler Geese - in process.JPG

These Brant have Wildfowler heads on home-made black cork bodies. I do not know who made them. They are awaiting a bit more paint on their side feathers - and their necklaces.

View attachment B sm Brant - in process.JPG

Here is the First One Done

View attachment C sm Brant - first one done.JPG

Here are 3 more "transgendered" Butterball - 2 GHGs and a Herter's Model 63 Bluebill:

View attachment D sm Butterball.JPG


All of these birds are migrating back to Long Island in time for Sunday's Duckboat Show.

All the best,

SJS
 
Nice , simple job on the Canadas. Hey, when will the guys on the island realize that they have chosen the weekend of the NYC marathon for the bash at the beach? Not good for folks who have to cross Staten Island to get to the Belt.[w00t]
 
Pretty much done cedar &a oils . Thanks for looking.
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Good morning, Dave~

Very nice! I'm glad to see that nice soft stippling on the backs. No self-respecting Redhead would stool otherwise.....

All the best,

SJS
 
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