Five Bean's Coastals and One Herter's Model Supreme

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
All~


I has become a nice custom that member Dave Diefenderfer stops by this time of year on his annual sojourn between Virginia and Vermont. Susan and I enjoy his company over a meal - fresh Mallard this year - and he usually picks up and drops off an assortment of decoys or other gunning paraphernalia.


So, last Sunday, Dave picked up the 6 Waveriders and 4 Hilliards that I had returned to fighting trim. He left with me 7 decoys and a wonderful decoy anchor (to add the my collection that hangs from my shop ceiling). Although up to my ears in decoy and boat commitments, I could not help myself - and turned my attention to his birds - probably before he crossed the State line....


I decided I would share my process, in my usual step-by-step manner, here. The first step is always the intake phase, with the requisite BEFORE photos. Here are the 5 LL Bean Coastals. Four came in Goldeneye (hereafter known as Whistler) attire, one came disguised as a Bluebill (hereafter known as Broadbill).


View attachment Beans Goldeneyes BEFORE A.jpg



The obverse view. Three were fully intact, two needed keels, and only one head was "free range".


View attachment Beans Goldeneyes BEFORE bottoms.JPG



These 5 will all be finished as Whistlers - 3 Drakes and 2 Hens. But, long before the new paint goes on, each needs its own special attention. The bottoms are sealed with Spar Varnish.



The bottoms of the two without keels were first filled with a mixture of ground cork (Black Cork) and Titebond III. I used my orbital sander with 100-grit to fair off the cured filler. I wanted to seal this area before installing new Pine keels - which have already been fashioned and received their own sealing coat of Spar Varnish.



View attachment Beans Batch - bottoms.JPG



My approach in rehabbing any decoy is to treat it as if it were my own decoy. So, it must be soundly constructed and durable. It must look like the bird at the time-honored "half-gunshot away" distance - but it must also stand scrutiny on close inspection.


Thus, all heads and keels will be firmly attached to the bodies - and the bodies will have a tough, watertight skin. The paint pattern will include all of the main visual cues that the birds themselves use. With respect to this last, I had to override the Bean's paint pattern on the heads. The Goldeneyes (Common, Barrow's, Bufflehead) and the Mergansers (Common and Red-breasted) share a plumage trait in that the head feathers and dark coloration break abruptly to a much lighter neck color right at the throat. I think of them as wearing turtlenecks. All of the Bean's Whistlers I have seen carry the head color right down to the base of the neck. This is no doubt convenient in the factory - but it forecloses the "look" of this species - at least to my eye.



Note how I have corrected this by dressing this Hen Whistler in a nice new White turtleneck sweater. The Drakes have gotten similar fixes.



BTW: I have painted each of the heads with a thin coat of latex at this stage - to approximate the final paint. However, I will still coat this - after a couple of days curing in front of the stove - with Spar Varnish to seal everything well.



View attachment Beans Goldeneye Hen - highhead.JPG



You will also notice the empty eye socket. In the batch, only a single eye was missing entirely. However, the "What would I do if these were my birds?" test requires that I replace them all. All of the eyes were either loose or dull. The 3 Drakes now have new bright Yellow eyes with pinpoint pupils. The Hens will get Pale Yellow eyes - with normal pupils. I had to order them - so progress on the Hens will just have to wait.


Did you notice that I modified the head further by carving a shallow eye groove? I do not do this on all Bean's decoys - but it always improves them. Like the eye color, it is one of those features that is unimportant for gunning purposes - but makes a difference when handling them. I want gunners to think "Somebody paid attention." when they set out or pick up their rig.


The Sixth Decoy is a great bird - the first Herter's Model Supreme Bluebill that I have ever held in my hands.


View attachment Herters - Model Supreme Bluebill Hen - profile.JPG



The Model Supremes were first sold in the 1940s and had Balsa bodies and full keels. They were life-size. I have a bunch of the oversize Model Canadas in Mallard/Black Mallard and Bluebill (long ago converted to Whistlers).


View attachment Herters Bluebill Hen - back.JPG



I am guessing someone re-installed the head - but never trimmed the dowel. My 1955 Herter's catalog shows a brass screw eye - and not a cross-bored hole - for attaching the anchor line. I imagine the head was originally fastened with just a screw eye - as was the case with the Model Canadas.



View attachment Herters Bluebill Hen - dowel and keel.JPG



The chest and bill tip need some augmentation - probably later this morning. Since this photo, she's already had 2 new eyes installed.



View attachment Herters Bluebill Hen - head and chest.JPG



Bean's has long had the convention that the heads on Drakes were upright and those on Hens were tucked. I exercised my Total Creative Control (the only way things are done here at Pencil Brook Boatworks & Decoy Infirmary) and mixed it up a bit. I especially like the Drake (3 o'clock in the photo) with the tucked head. It is the posture I think of when I think Whistler. This particular decoy was the one disguised as a Hen Broadbill.


Note the White "wing patches" - really the speculum and middle wing coverts. As with the heads, I quickly put some latex on - to help me organize the paint later in the process. I often do this with just marker or chalk at this stage - to be locked in place by the Spar Varnish.


View attachment Beans Goldeneyes and Herters Bluebill - in process.JPG



Stay tuned. I will post progress as it happens (and I can find the time).


All the best,


SJS

 
very enjoyable, and thoroughly explained. Steve, I learn so much from this site. thank you for sharing your knowledge.
 
Steve,
Looking forward to another in depth "How To" segment on the Sanford Show ...LOL. I love reading through your tutorials, very informative as well as the wonderful pictures.

Dave, You are a lucky guy to be receiving such nicely done rehabbed decoys. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Zane
 
Steve, did you have any issues with the Titebond black cork mix heating up while sanding it and becoming gummy?
 
Last edited:
Rick~


No problems thus far.



I was surprised to find - as I was discarding yesterday's unused batch - that some of the Titebond within had not yet cured. I have avoided epoxy for this job simply to use a more "traditional" binder. I believe most black cork is manufactured with no added binders per se - just the natural resins under heat and pressure. In any event, the sanded - finally by hand with 80-grit - surfaces look quite natural and blend nicely with the rest of the bottom.


The keel areas in question were sealed with spar varnish yesterday - and just got slathered with 3M 5200 when I bedded the new keels.


All the best,


SJS

 
Good morning, All~


A few more steps completed yesterday.


Most of the tail boards were sound - only one had softened and was beginning to deteriorate. On that one, I saturated the Masonite with straight epoxy, then filled the edge with epoxy + fairing compound. Otherwise, all tails were epoxy-coated followed by a sprinkling of fine sawdust from my bandsaw. The sawdust - once cured overnight - sands much more easily than hardened epoxy and also provides nice "tooth" for the spar varnish and paints.


View attachment DD2 - 01 Epoxy + sawdust on tail insert.JPG



Here they are resting by the stove. The Herter's Broadbill Hen also had some of her missing Balsa replaced with thickened epoxy.


View attachment DD2 - 02 Tails epoxied + sawdust.JPG



The two Hen Whistlers got their bills painted. This will likely be the finish paint - later coated with 2 coats of Satin Spar Varnish for protection. Most of the bill is painted with Behr INTELLECTUAL (PPU 18-19) - a dark grey that reminds me of the Herter's Wing Gray I first used as a kid. The yellow near the tip is the same I use for bills on Drake Mallards and Blacks: Behr CURRY POWDER (PPU 6-01). The nail, of course, is Black.



View attachment DD2 - 03 Hen bill paint.JPG



One bird needed its head reattached. Bean's used a variety of methods for head attachment over the years. Most of this rig has a 5/8" dowel run down through the keel. It is held there with a small nail. I have seen brass used in some decoys, steel in others. A similar nail secures the head itself to the dowel. On such birds the heads are set straight ahead. The heads on the 3 Drakes in this rig were all secure - and all set straight ahead.


The screw hole in the end of this dowel tells me that it was a turnable head - and held in place with a washer and screw.



View attachment DD2 - 04 Dowel through body.JPG



This decoy has the multi-position feature - although I discovered only a single hole. I drilled another so I could turn the head slightly to starboard. The head on the other Hen looks to port.


View attachment DD2 - 05 Second head pin locator hole.JPG



This pin locks into the hole.


View attachment DD2 - 4 Head pin.JPG



Because I want this head to be repairable/replaceable in the future, I bed it in a relatively weak caulk.


View attachment DD2 - 06 DAP caulk.JPG



Bean's typically used a galvanized flat washer and flathead screw to secure the head to the keel. I will be using a s/s fender washer and a panhead screw - the latter an inch longer than the original screw so that it can bite into "new" wood. I pilot drill for it first.


View attachment DD2 - 07 - longer pilot hole.JPG



I want squeeze-out all around the base of the head - so apply a generous amount of caulk.


View attachment DD2 - 08 - Ample caulk for squeeze out.JPG



The keel gets a much more permanent adhesive caulk - 3M 5200. I happened to have an "almost done" tube open from my most recent duckboat restoration - so I used it on this (and one other keel). I would normally select a less expensive product, perhaps Locktite PL 300.


View attachment DD2 - 10 3M 5200 for keels.JPG



Continued in next post.....


SJS









 
Almost done for this post....


The excess caulk is wiped - with fingertip and paper towel. There is a good seal all around. It will keep out both water and the decoy's anchor line.


View attachment DD2 - 12 - Wiped head-body joint.JPG



The keels are fastened forward - via the head screws - but rely on the 5200 most of their length. The Jorgensen clamps are padded with half-inch foam (from a camping pad) to protect the soft cork body from compression. I will keep them clamped near the stove for a couple of days.


View attachment DD2 - 13 Clamped keels in 5200.JPG



The Drakes will get sealed with Spar Varnish later today. The Hens will rest until their new eyes arrive in my mailbox.


BTW: If you want some light background reading, I present a similar rehab and painting here:


https://stevenjaysanford.com/painting-goldeneyes-tutorial/



All the best,


SJS

 
Bill~


Yup. 5200 has proven itself to me over many years as a powerful adhesive. While angled dowels into cork - or McCormick-style bolt into the tailboard - provide good mechanical fastening, any other fasteners just locate the keel until it's clamped in place - in my opinion.


All the best,


SJS

 
No green on the heads? I thought you did that your earlier Whistler repaints. Ducks won't notice but I remember it looking classy.
 
Patience, Young Man....


The entire decoy has since been sealed with Spar Varnish. Next will come a White oil base coat, then Black. Then - and only then - will the topcoat go on. The Drake heads will get 3 shades of Green - but still a couple of days away.


All will be revealed!


SJS

 
All~


A few more steps forward....


I had filled the chest of the Herter's Bluebill with epoxy + fairing compound. It needs a full overnight by the stove to fully cure - but I caught it in the "green" stage and shaved off obvious excess filler with my X-acto.


View attachment DD3 - 01A - Filler shaved on Hen.jpg



Final fairing occurred the next day - with a medium rasp followed by 80-grit sandpaper.


View attachment DD3 - 02 Herters iller faired.JPG



I faired the bill a bit - but tried to keep the original rough look, with some tool marks evident.


View attachment DD3 - 03 Herters bill faired - but rough.JPG



Here she is marked and varnished - the sealer coat.


View attachment DD3 - 04 Herters marked and varnished.JPG



All the Drakes were sealed with varnish, too. I had varnished their bottoms the previous day. When I varnish an entire decoy at once, I hang it to dry - either outside in the sun or inside with the stove going. Any excess tends to collect on the tip of the tail - where it is easy removed.



View attachment DD3 - 01 Drakes with spar varnish.JPG



When fully cured the varnish is hard, crisp and easily sanded. I scuff sand with 120-grit to give it tooth for the base coat.


View attachment DD3 - 08 Scuff sanding.JPG



These Drakes have been scuff sanded then marked with yellow chalk - for the major areas of White. That little Whistler is a Wildfowler I re-painted a few years ago.



View attachment DD3 - 09 Drakes sanded and marked.JPG



Rustoleum Flat White oil is the base coat. On this species, the White and Black base coats may serve as the topcoats.



View attachment DD3 - 10 Drakes primed with White.JPG



This Hen is painted with Rustoleum Flat Brown that I have darkened with Flat Black to make a good body color for Black Ducks.


Although no further painting is needed for her to earn her keep as an effective gunner, she will nevertheless get much more attention from my brushes.


View attachment DD3 - 11 Herters Bluebill base coated.JPG



These 4 decoys will get their bottom paint later today.


All the best,


SJS













 
All~


Getting close to finish paint on the Bean's Whistlers - and done with the Herter's Bluebill.


Bottoms painted with Pettit 3303 - Dull Dead Grass. On the Drake Whistlers I carried it up under the tail. In life, this area is a mottled warm grey - but not critical on a gunning diver.


View attachment DD4 - 01 Bottoms painted.JPG



I neglected to mention earlier that about half of the heads were reinforced with a 4-inch deck screw. Such heads were just a bit loose - but removal and re-installation would have been too much effort (as in "The juice ain't worth the squeeze.") Although deck screws are not truly rust-proof, I made sure each was sealed thoroughly with both Spar Varnish and the bottom paint.


View attachment DD4 - 02 Extra head screw.JPG



The Model Supreme oil base coat was top-coated with the same color in a flatter latex - Espresso Beans.


View attachment DD4 - 03 Herters Espresso Beans base.JPG



I marked the major detail areas with a White chalk pencil.


View attachment DD4 - 04 Herters marked up.JPG



I stippled a medium grey on the back - to suggest the vermiculation.



View attachment DD4 - 05 Herters back stippling.JPG



The Black areas were marked with pencil on each Drake.


View attachment DD4 - 06 Drake marked up.JPG



I painted the larger Black areas - with Rustoleum Flat Black oil - and let them dry before putting in the details. Otherwise, I know I would make a mess whilst handling the bird.



View attachment DD4 - 07 Drake major Black areas.JPG



Note how I left just a bit of White collar showing behind the neck.


View attachment DD4 - 08 White behind neck.JPG



The aft edge of the side pocket comes to a point - and is edged with Black.


View attachment DD4 - 09 Flank.JPG



Continued....


SJS

View attachment DD4 - 03 Herters Espresso Beans base.JPG
 
Back to it....


I stippled the Broadbill's side feather barring with Mocha Latte.


View attachment DD4 - 10 Herters sides barring.JPG



All 5 Whistlers are mostly base-coated - except for the heads on the Hens - still waiting for their new eyes.


View attachment DD4 - 11 Beans five base-coated.JPG



After drying most of the day, I added some details - still with oil paint. The Drakes get 7 (or so) curve aft - but I have always drooped them downward. I believe that practice is properly known as an "artistic conceit". I also edge a corresponding number of side pocket feathers.



View attachment DD4 - 12 Drake scapulars and side pocket edging.JPG



The Hens get 2 "wing bars" - the trailing edges of their wing coverts. I also painted in the primary groups.



View attachment DD4 - 13 Beans Hen - covert edges and primaries.JPG


Now every bird is fully base-coated. The latex topcoats can go on tomorrow.


View attachment DD4 - 14 Beans Five - ready for latex topcoats.JPG



I accentuated the edges of the side barring with some pale grey stippling - and softened the leading edge of the White in the speculum.



View attachment DD4 - 15 Herters scapulars, speculum, side pocketr edging.JPG



All done - although I had to wipe off some running Spar Varnish on her bill.


View attachment DD4 - 16 Herters Hen Bluebill - DONE on bench.JPG



I hope to photograph all of these birds on the water later this week.


All the best,


SJS







 
Good morning, Jeff et al~


At long last I have finished the Drakes. Still awaiting the new eyes for the Hens. Nevertheless, I finished what I could on the females. First, a much darker Grey on the back and tail - Behr INTELLECTUAL.


View attachment DD5 - 01 Hen back and stern.JPG



Then the sides and chest got a base of medium Behr SUEDE GREY.


View attachment DD5 - 02 Hen sides and chest.JPG



Then back over that with some INTELLECTUAL to suggest feathers on the sides and chest.


View attachment DD5 - 03 Hen overpaint on sides and chest.JPG



I mixed up an "almost Black" base color for the Drake's heads - with Flat Black and just a bit of Behr PASTORAL. You have to be outside to perceive the hint of green in the base color.



View attachment DD5 - 04 Drake base color.JPG



I used PASTORAL to add color to the cheek and brow.


View attachment DD5 - 05 Drake with Pastoral.JPG



Here I have added a bit of Chromium Oxide Green - acrylic pigment from the tube - as a highlight on the Drake. I have used a slightly paler grey - Behr ELEPHANT SKIN - to edge some of the side and chest feathers on the Hen. ELEPHANT SKIN is the same color I use for Drake Mallard bodies.



View attachment DD5 - 06 Pair on hearth.JPG



This Drake is all done - ready-to-hunt.



View attachment DD5 - 07 Drake on bench.JPG



Here is the Chromium Oxide Green highlight on just a bit of the head - and Spar Varnish on the bill. Instead of the Oxide, I have also used Behr BOTANICAL GREEN for this purpose.


Jeff~ More to your satisfaction?



View attachment DD5 - 08 Drake on bench CLOSEUP.JPG



All five on the hearth. The Hens get their new eyes as soon as they arrive in the mail....



View attachment DD5 - 09 5 Whistlers on hearth.JPG



All the best,


SJS



 
Wow,
Those came out perfect. Your work never disappoints, along with your progress report posts. Thank you for taking the time to share.
Mike
 
I swear I heard a flock overhead--winging south on the cold to open water on the Kennebec--pause as they went over the house just because I opened those photos.

My salt-crusted faded originals and sloppy repaints just don't have the same class.
 
Back
Top