Foam Decoy Repair

Jay K

Active member
I was sold a dozen or so foam brant decoys by my cousin. The price was right (under $100) but they need some TLC. For example, the tips of the bills on 2-3 decoys is broken off. My plan is to repair and patch them, restle coat, and re-paint.

What is a good method for re-shaping/patching protruding broken parts of decoys?

Surface patching?

I debated replacing the heads but I would like to keep the set relatively "matching" in terms of components.

Thank you.
 
For the bills, you might try a product called Apixie Sculpt.

Member Steve Sanford here has/had a tutorial on foamer repair on his website.
 
I'm willing to bet that Steve Stanford has a tutorial about that on his website! Just check one of his posts for the link
 
For repairing dents and dings in foam i have had good luck using polyester glazing putty found in auto parts stores.
Apoxie sculpt for wood or hard plastic head repair.
 
Good evening, Jay~


Sure enough, one of my posts may be helpful. Try this one:


https://stevenjaysanford.com/brant-decoy-rehab-painting/


That project did not involve bill repair. Got photos?


If most of the bill were missing, I would probably insert a rough-sawn wooden bill set in thickened epoxy - with final carving on the bird, once the epoxy has cured. Fortunately, Brant have short little bills!



All the best,


SJS





 
As luck would have it. I find myself needing to repair a broken bill. As I was deploying my decoys this morning, I noticed one of my E-Allens had a crack in the bill. Checked it and sure enough, half the bill was just hanging loosely on by the dowel.
Needless to say that decoy stayed in the bag and has a date this afternoon with a bit of glue.
 
Thanks so much gentlemen. Lots to consider.

Steve, I must have read your tutorials at least a dozen times. I have written down all the paint codes I will be using to order the paint from your tutorial.

I'll see if I can get some pictures up tonight. The bill itself on two birds snapped off about 1/3rd the way up the bill. One of them, I found the tip of the bill so that will just get a stainless steel nail into the main part of the head with some epoxy. The other bird, I can't seem to locate the bill. I think for that bird, I pay have to form a new tip from wood.
 
Yes, I assumed that these were assembled, keeled and painted by you, like 95% of the e. Allen decoys Lou sold.
 
Steve Sanford said:
Dave & Jay~


That's one I would reinforce - with a dowel or nail imbedded in thickened epoxy - to make it stronger than the original. (I have some of the same decoys).


This post includes my newer Behr colors for Brant (the dark brown Espresso Beans gets use on lots of species):


https://stevenjaysanford.com/...ainting-homer-brant/



All the best,


SJS

Steve,

In my case there was a 1/4" wood dowel already imbedded within the bill. It was stuck tight to the portion which cracked and separated. I slid right out of the hole on the body side. I coated the hole, the dowel and the mating surfaces with JB Marine Weld epoxy.

I don't honestly know what caused the bill to crack and separate. The dowel and all exposed surfaces were unharmed, no visible damage.
 
I would go with Gorilla Glue, since it expands thoroughly around the structural support and adheres tenaciously. I have used epoxy on finishing nails on Lou's heads and not had consistently good results...often they still snap when banged against the exterior of the boat.
 
To my knowledge there is no way to stop E Allen bills from snapping. Even when fit with a dowel, nail, or decking screw they still snap far too easily. Using care isn't enough to prevent this. The root problem is the head foam is of insufficient density and strength. I quit using my E Allens for this reason. Too much care and repair is needed.
 
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Agree on the E Allans. It's best to address the bills up front. I use a galvanized 16d finish nail and repair with Gorilla glue when needed. I have used Lou's diver decoys for a lot of years and find them to be a great decoy. Will not use a decoy that does not self right on my long lines. I have a rig of 20 Bufflehead from Lou's first batch. I just repaired the first broken bill with Gorilla Glue.

RVZ
 
Excellent point, Eric, and a flaw so very easily rectified via the production process when the urethane skin is poured into the head mold. The principal reason these decoys have fallen from favor, sad, because they are resilient overall and float well.

I haven't had any snap among the ones I reinforced with G. glue, though.
 
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RLLigman said:
Excellent point, Eric, and a flaw so very easily rectified via the production process when the urethane skin is poured into the head mold. The principal reason these decoys have fallen from favor, sad, because they are resilient overall and float well.

I haven't had any snap among the ones I reinforced with G. glue, though.

I have had the same discussion with other owners of E Allen decoys. Seems some species are more prone to breakage than others but overall I cannot fathom why this issue has not been corrected. Great looking decoy but it can't withstand the normal rigors of hunting so the public isn't going to go for it, especially with today's alternatives. Denser foams or tougher skins have been used by numerous manufactures to provide the needed strength. I wish E Allen would do the same.

In the not too distant past there were no realistic plastic decoys and E Allens gave the hunter, who was willing to put some time into them, a great alternative to expensive hand made wood/cork decoys. I personally found them fun to make and paint. Now that lifelike plastics are widely and cheaply available the hunter has a lot of options that weren't around twenty years ago. In spite of this fact I would use E Allens if the bills could withstand the punishment hunting dishes out. Even reinforced I haven't found this to be the case. Again, I don't know why E Allen hasn't corrected this glaring issue.
 
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