benp
Well-known member
Figured I'd start a whole new post so if someone tried to search it sometime in future all the information will be in one spot and not in workbench posts.
So yeah started this project over a year ago I believe and it went through changes as I built it.
I drew up a pattern and by the time I made the decoy the body size was decreased to save on weight and make it easier to make certain parts, so it is smaller than life size especially the wings which are smaller than they should be to be in proportion to the body but still works fine.
The head is detachable as are the wings and tail fan. Wanted the head to be able to come off for safety and so it wouldn't be damaged in transit. The fan I made from a turkey I shot years ago, I pulled the feathers out and hot glued them to thin plastic strips and then drilled a hole on the bottom so they would pivot to fold up for carrying. The plastic pieces have braided fishing line attached in series so when I fan it out they all fall into place.
Here is the head painted up and you can see the back of it where it hooks into the head board.
View attachment E0F70417-E0C3-4E11-A585-1109D61E5D73.jpeg
Head hooked on the frame. Should have taken more photos of this
View attachment 582C8027-F5A3-4F0A-B6CA-46F1CA097B0B.jpeg
This is one of the wings, thought I had one that showed all the wires installed but couldn't find it.
View attachment 98D8D1C6-1446-420F-8919-5F36BF9B9D8C.jpeg
The wing covered up
View attachment 0B34643A-3CAB-4DE0-B2BD-4328A9FE47AA.jpeg
Here the bottom part I have added canvas and attached it to the center rib. I then did the top separate and attached it to the some point.
View attachment 47511ADD-BD07-40C6-83D6-ED49A3E721B8.jpeg
View attachment 14D897E9-F04E-4A75-8DCF-B8DF65984CD5.jpeg
View attachment A7F274CA-E4C2-4A18-B2EC-F778E52B575A.jpeg
Here it is all finished up and ready to hunt. Which is a day late since season cams in yesterday but I didn't go. Too much of a chance of rain for me.
View attachment 065DFDB6-976A-4252-98DC-E35FEB90034C.jpeg
View attachment F98CC870-5666-4103-9B45-C2AE1076A8B9.jpeg
I drew up a revised pattern after I made this one so if anyone else wants to try or if I decide to make another one. It's drawn to scale to make the same size bird I made with 1cm=1 inch I believe except for one part is 1/2 cm = 1 inch
View attachment 6C6A14E9-E1B7-4A37-8562-900414CE6D85.jpeg
So this was a challenging project that put my canvas skills to the test and learned a lot from it. I hope to add a hen next year and maybe another after that. Hoping for a feeding hen and a walking hen.
The next picture I post will hopefully have a dead Tom next to the decoy.
So yeah started this project over a year ago I believe and it went through changes as I built it.
I drew up a pattern and by the time I made the decoy the body size was decreased to save on weight and make it easier to make certain parts, so it is smaller than life size especially the wings which are smaller than they should be to be in proportion to the body but still works fine.
The head is detachable as are the wings and tail fan. Wanted the head to be able to come off for safety and so it wouldn't be damaged in transit. The fan I made from a turkey I shot years ago, I pulled the feathers out and hot glued them to thin plastic strips and then drilled a hole on the bottom so they would pivot to fold up for carrying. The plastic pieces have braided fishing line attached in series so when I fan it out they all fall into place.
Here is the head painted up and you can see the back of it where it hooks into the head board.
View attachment E0F70417-E0C3-4E11-A585-1109D61E5D73.jpeg
Head hooked on the frame. Should have taken more photos of this
View attachment 582C8027-F5A3-4F0A-B6CA-46F1CA097B0B.jpeg
This is one of the wings, thought I had one that showed all the wires installed but couldn't find it.
View attachment 98D8D1C6-1446-420F-8919-5F36BF9B9D8C.jpeg
The wing covered up
View attachment 0B34643A-3CAB-4DE0-B2BD-4328A9FE47AA.jpeg
Here the bottom part I have added canvas and attached it to the center rib. I then did the top separate and attached it to the some point.
View attachment 47511ADD-BD07-40C6-83D6-ED49A3E721B8.jpeg
View attachment 14D897E9-F04E-4A75-8DCF-B8DF65984CD5.jpeg
View attachment A7F274CA-E4C2-4A18-B2EC-F778E52B575A.jpeg
Here it is all finished up and ready to hunt. Which is a day late since season cams in yesterday but I didn't go. Too much of a chance of rain for me.
View attachment 065DFDB6-976A-4252-98DC-E35FEB90034C.jpeg
View attachment F98CC870-5666-4103-9B45-C2AE1076A8B9.jpeg
I drew up a revised pattern after I made this one so if anyone else wants to try or if I decide to make another one. It's drawn to scale to make the same size bird I made with 1cm=1 inch I believe except for one part is 1/2 cm = 1 inch
View attachment 6C6A14E9-E1B7-4A37-8562-900414CE6D85.jpeg
So this was a challenging project that put my canvas skills to the test and learned a lot from it. I hope to add a hen next year and maybe another after that. Hoping for a feeding hen and a walking hen.
The next picture I post will hopefully have a dead Tom next to the decoy.