All~
Although I'll be hunting Long Island the next few days, holiday company has departed and the sub-zero temps will keep me comfortably occupied in my shop hereabouts.
I have a bunch of boats lined up, one gunning coffin, and a variety of decoys. This note is just a sampler of some I have begun.
These 3 Herters Model 72 Broadbill lost their bills in service. The lost piece was found for the Hen - so she got an easy repair, plugged with whittled White Pine and epoxy. The 2 Drakes need prosthetic bills. These are White Pine set in thickened epoxy.
species
These 7 Herters Model 63 (the life-size model) puddlers came to me painted as Wigeon. I'm not sure what they will become - but they have been coated with fine sawdust + epoxy.
The previous owner branded the foam bodies - the first I've seen of this practice on Durlon. The flat bottoms make these some of Herters earlier molded decoys. I am not sure when they added the extruded keels - maybe the 1970s?
This is an earlier Herters - 1940s or 1950s - the over-size, balsa-bodied Model Canada. Joe Daly knows of my affinity for these birds (my Dad had some when I was a young gunner) - and found this nice Drake for me.
The old bill repair was fairly solid, but....
All of the fasteners - one 6 penny box nail and 3 tacks - were all located toward the aft end of the loose piece- so could split through the thin wood.
The box nail was tenacious - but surrendered to a variety of prying and pulling tools.
The new White Pine bill is held with thickened epoxy and a galvanized shake nail that runs with the grain of the wood. He is now curing overnight by the stove. The new (larger) will be placed a bit aft of where the originals had been.
This corker - a traditional Long Island decoy made from a single slab of 2-inch "life-preserver cork" - was converted to a Hen Broadbill sometime during its hard working life.
I am very happy with the result. My job was to return it to a Canvasback - but to keep (or re-create) the wear and wounds of a veteran. I will post some of the step-by-step when I have more time.
All the best,
SJS
Steven Jay Sanford
Pencil Brook Farm
South Cambridge, NY
http://www.stevenjaysanford.com
Although I'll be hunting Long Island the next few days, holiday company has departed and the sub-zero temps will keep me comfortably occupied in my shop hereabouts.
I have a bunch of boats lined up, one gunning coffin, and a variety of decoys. This note is just a sampler of some I have begun.
These 3 Herters Model 72 Broadbill lost their bills in service. The lost piece was found for the Hen - so she got an easy repair, plugged with whittled White Pine and epoxy. The 2 Drakes need prosthetic bills. These are White Pine set in thickened epoxy.
species
These 7 Herters Model 63 (the life-size model) puddlers came to me painted as Wigeon. I'm not sure what they will become - but they have been coated with fine sawdust + epoxy.
The previous owner branded the foam bodies - the first I've seen of this practice on Durlon. The flat bottoms make these some of Herters earlier molded decoys. I am not sure when they added the extruded keels - maybe the 1970s?
This is an earlier Herters - 1940s or 1950s - the over-size, balsa-bodied Model Canada. Joe Daly knows of my affinity for these birds (my Dad had some when I was a young gunner) - and found this nice Drake for me.
The old bill repair was fairly solid, but....
All of the fasteners - one 6 penny box nail and 3 tacks - were all located toward the aft end of the loose piece- so could split through the thin wood.
The box nail was tenacious - but surrendered to a variety of prying and pulling tools.
The new White Pine bill is held with thickened epoxy and a galvanized shake nail that runs with the grain of the wood. He is now curing overnight by the stove. The new (larger) will be placed a bit aft of where the originals had been.
This corker - a traditional Long Island decoy made from a single slab of 2-inch "life-preserver cork" - was converted to a Hen Broadbill sometime during its hard working life.
I am very happy with the result. My job was to return it to a Canvasback - but to keep (or re-create) the wear and wounds of a veteran. I will post some of the step-by-step when I have more time.
All the best,
SJS
Steven Jay Sanford
Pencil Brook Farm
South Cambridge, NY
http://www.stevenjaysanford.com