What's on your WORK BENCH ? - February 2020

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
Good morning, All~


I am multi-tasking about 10 different orders right now - mostly gunner rehabs. This batch includes" Beans, McCormicks, Herters, Wildfowlers (Old Saybrook and Quogue), Ken Harris, Down East Sport Craft.




View attachment Work Bench - 31 January 2020.JPG



These are old Herter's Model 81s. They began life as Brant in the late 1960s. I replaced the factory heads with my own Pine Canada heads in the early 80s - and hunted them for many seasons, both on saltwater and on rivers hereabouts. I am rehabbing them for a customer. They have new plywood tail inserts (longer than the originals - which I think helps overall proportions); epoxy + Homer Coat skin; and will get flat keels (Mahogany with lead ballast). The original molded-in cast iron keels rusted and flaked from the salt; some had almost broken free of their foam surroundings. Prime coat is flat oil; topcoat will be Behr latex house paint.



View attachment Herrters Model 81 w SJS heads and tail inserts.JPG



This pair of Ken Harris (central New York State) Whistlers needed rhinoplasty. The Drake just needed everything glued back together; the Hen needed a new prosthesis.



View attachment Ken Harris Whistler Pair - head-to-head - John Fraser.jpg





New paint was restricted to the bills and heads.


View attachment Ken Harris Whistler Pair - John Fraser.jpg



This head is a bit of a whim. It is carved from an Al McCormick pattern (his No. 8). We will have a small tribute to Mr. Decoy at the March 7 Long Island Decoy Collectors Annual Show. As did Al, I began with Western Red Cedar.


View attachment McCormick Head - No 8 profile carved.jpg



I will be finishing it "bright" - probably with several coats of varnish after I sand it to a fare-thee-well. Instead of paint, I will suggest some of the details with burning.


View attachment McCormick Head - No 8 quarter carved.jpg



More on the "Al McCormick Tribute Head" in a separate (later) post.


All the best,


SJS











 
I prefer the lines of the brant heads painted as canada geese over the traditional Bean canada heads...better lines, particularly the bills.
 

Arrangement of watercolors on cardboard I have done for a good friend over the years.

His wife Linda does the mat & frame work. She does a very good job.

The wigeon pair is the painting I did, and posted last month.

There is much satisfaction knowing ones art work has a good home, and is appreciated.

VP




View attachment Bob Martino collection 2.jpg
 
Nice job saving that old piece of history. Back in the 70?s my Dad tried a bolt action shotgun - a marlin goose gun 12 with a 36 inch barrel. I hope you take it and shoot it next season.
 
Tom Whitehurst said:
Nice job saving that old piece of history. Back in the 70?s my Dad tried a bolt action shotgun - a marlin goose gun 12 with a 36 inch barrel. I hope you take it and shoot it next season.
I drooled over that gun back in the day. I know it well.
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
Arrangement of watercolors on cardboard I have done for a good friend over the years.

[size 4] Wow, Vince.

I remember seeing all of those here on the forum over time. Especially loved that pheasant when you posted it.

Certainly gratifying to see that your art is being displayed so beautifully, and being appreciated and enjoyed by good folks.
 
Steve, if the piece is going to be taken to hunt over, I usually fill a snuff can and glue it into the bottom, OR, put a few tablespoonsful in a small zip lock and put it in, also. The object here is to keep the decoy stable with an attached keel. I have also put most of the ashes directly into the sarcophagus if it will remain on a shelf. The bluebill will hold most of the remains,[;)]
Man, that old Mossberg brings back memories from grad school. Loved that vari-choke!l--shot a lot of rabbit, squirrel and quail with that gun. Eventually traded it and a bit of cash for a used Ithaca model 37, first pump.
 
Thanks, George~


Here is a pair of Al McCormicks. Both needed minor repairs (filling) to the bodies. One had never had eyes, the other had eyes that were broken or missing.


View attachment McCormick Black Duck Pair - repainted by SJS.JPG



We (LI Decoy Collectors Ass'n) are presenting a small tribute to Mr. Decoy at our March 7 show in Hauppauge. In studying up, I was amazed at how many different head profiles Al made.


View attachment McCormick Black Duck 02 - Drake on bench.jpg



I am always drawn to his low-headed postures - trying to keep warm through Great South Bay Winters....


View attachment McCormick Black Duck 03 - hen on bench.jpg



I keep my paint simple - but not compared with Al.


View attachment McCormick Black Duck 05 - hen head.JPG


Only my Hens get to show their speculums (specula for you fellow Latin students). I fake the iridescence with 3 shades of purple.



View attachment McCormick Black Duck 04 - hen back details.JPG



All the best,


SJS





















 
Last edited:
Vince : Nice paintings, I never cease to be amazed by the posts on Duckboats of both decoy carvers and flat art painters.


Ken Zaborski
 
Last edited:
Vince,

You make the watercolor flat art look easy and beautiful, my first attempt at a watercolor decoy is decent to me but looks more acrylic-ish than watercolor, over Working the paint too much.

My wife wants to do watercolor so she picked up some supplies at hobby lobby today, so I tried my hand at it while she tried paining flowers. Oldest son was painting an assortment of stuff, the little one is already in bed.

View attachment EB824275-CB67-4913-A901-E35F76D8308F.jpeg

View attachment 4B171510-A408-4F0C-B84A-9901787CFA0E.jpeg
 
All~


Here is a nice old Wildfowler - from Old Saybrook I believe - re-painted for a friend. I love that head posture - have not been able to find another like it (in suitable worn-out condition.)



View attachment Embacher WF Mallard Drake 03 - rolled on bench CLOSER.JPG



Here he is in full profile....


View attachment Embacher WF Mallard Drake 01 - profile on bench.JPG



And on the shop floor. (No liquid water in any of the ponds hereabouts for "as hunted" photos.)


View attachment Embacher WF Mallard Drake 04 - rolled on floor.JPG



I matched him with my own birds - also older balsa Wildfowlers from either Old Saybrook or (mostly) Quogue. There are some Deluxe Oversize Beans and Herter's Model 72s in the photo, too.



View attachment SJS Wildfowlers plus - in process.JPG



All the best,


SJS



 
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