ok thanx for the replys on the last one....i talked to him about it today...he is making me use poplar because it turns easier and its good to learn on....anyone use poplar?? i think it might be a little soft..but hey..its better than noting....and cost me a whole .35$...also will gluing boards together have any effect on sound?? he wont let me use the 2x2s..hes making my cut poplar boards to 1.5x1.5x 10 and glue them together then turn that...will that have any effect on sound at all? maybe the glue will effect it somewhat...im not sure....thanx alot....

I' d rather use a laminated striker, so I wouldn' t worry about glue affecting the sound. I assume you' ve glued wood before, it doesn' t take much. Keep us posted.

PBB

I havn' t used poplar but have used some soft woods. I whittled one out of cedar awhile back after you spoke of whittling your own strikers. (thanks by the way ) I really like it on slate when I want to call soft.

thanx...i glue often in there....and something like this that i care about a little more than shelves and gun racks and other things i made in there i will put the time in it and do it properly....tscott...it sure is hard sometimes and time consuming and they dont always look great but they sure do sing better than most mass production ones....i think im going to order some various wood dowels to make my own with...it will be nothing to cut them and put a top on them and call it done...i thought about getting a lathe of my own but i decided i will need something to do when im older and not into the hobbies i am now...and woodworking will definently be one of mine...so i will save the fancy stuff for later...but until then using my knife works fine...and getting some diffrent woods i cant find in dowles will make it easier...i cut 2 out tonite speaking of whittling wiht a knife...someone on here recomended i use a branch from a tree the size of the striker back...i got 2 choke cherries tonite...they sing nice...thanx whoever recomended i try that i cant remember but it works..only thing i found some woods that are still on branches have a soft core....i thought that would make a problem so i didnt use them woods....i have apple drying for tomarow or next week....cnat wait to turn mine in shop! i will tell you guys how it turns out....thanx...i never thought a soft wood would work to well....thanx..

mauser, Soft wood will work as well as Hard wood. I use poplar in my laminated strikers to get the white look in the striker. Some wood just will not turn for me seems it has know back bone to it. Most strikers are smaller then 7/8 ths at the largest point, so there is no need to start with anything any bigger then 1x1 and I use a length of 8-8 1/4 long so 10 would be the best. When turning remember not to turn one end down to fast, this can start a woble in the wood and you will have a off unbalanced striker. Good Luck...BT

hey mauser i made some using just a poplar dowel I picked up at lowes and some old corncobs that I sanded down to look nice and they turned out great. I did use a spray varnish on the wood and that brought out the sound a little more. It is a nice mellow sound that would be great for in close calling.