finished the striker...
 

i finished the poplar striker i told you guys i was going to turn in shop...i made it thick and big and its still way to light...barely made a noise....cut about and inch and a half off or so...sanded it down on the tip to make it a bit smaller...now it has a awful loud squeeling sound on my glass...i will play around a bit more but i doubt it does much...the wood seems way to light and soft to work for a good solid striker...but the design came out rather nice...and learning the lathe from a professional was a good expirience..but he didnt help much after i got it in the lathe...i did all the design work with the straight edge chisle...it works..i got a nice desing for my first i think..just wish it would work! oh well..i learned the lathe and i think i might buy one this summer becuase i really enjoyed turning that striker....just thought id fill you guys in..i know a few wanted to hear how it turned out....im not going to stain it because it doesnt work so i wont bother taking a picture...maybe next time.....thanx for your help guys....

RE: finished the striker...
 

That a boy ! , your on your way bud ! ...BT

RE: finished the striker...
 

Hey congrat' s on getting it done. Still play around with it, you never know. I had to throw a beautiful walnut pot away on my first series of calls. I' m sure there will be plenty more :D

RE: finished the striker...
 

tscott...you make pots?? how do you make them?? on a lathe??? im definently thinking hard of getting a lathe to turn strikers but id like to make wood pots too..i think a lathe will do it but im not sure..i cant really justify buying a lathe to turn strikers when i can do it by hand..but if i can turn pots and make the whole call they will sell alot better then just a striker...the main purpose would be for my own calls but to get my worth out of it id sell a few...if i can make pots on a lathe im more then likely buying one...i just cant see how it works on a lathe but i duno how else you could make a pot?? thanx.....

RE: finished the striker...
 

is that all u have to do to get sound? i made some and they arent making anything. im pissed cus i am trying to make all my calls this year and the iowa season starts pretty soon. just get it smaller in the tip and in length as well? thanks. who_else

RE: finished the striker...
 

no no no!!! that can ruin your striker if your not careful!! mine made more of a turkey sound until i cut them...what kind of wood is it?? whats the top like?? one piece or 2?? ive had real heck with solid ones just being fat at the top about 7/8th inch and narrowing down to a normal size at the tip around 5/16ths or so....but if u distinctly cut the back out and make it look like a 2 piece and have a pretty consistintly sized rod it seems they make the sound...but i havent finished playing with top designs..its has alot to the sound...also the legnth and thickness does too....and the type of wood...only way to find out what works for your style is play around..ive wasted many hours with a knife becuase my design wasnt a sound making one....good luck....also make sure your tip is sanded with fine paper and rounded or flat or however you like yours...a little oil on the ends from you touching them or anything will kill the sound...make sure they are sanded and dry....make sure no finish got on them either.....get some good wood and experiment....you will find that perfect design some day......good luck!

RE: finished the striker...
 

mauser06,
First I started buying them from http://www.customsawing.com The one walnut pot that was ruined was from them. I am getting ready to start making some of my own with a router. I' m in the process of making my own templates because I can' t find the ones I want. I' m hoping by next year to get a lathe from http://www.harborfreight.com/ to turn my pots and strikers. Also hoping to try my hand at turning some tube calls. I have quite a few I have made from other materials already. My strikers are two piece using a 5/16" dowel rod and an ash top. These strikers require a shorter length though for some reason, they are usally around 8" instead of the common 8 1/4"

RE: finished the striker...
 

thanx tscott...were in the same boat it sounds like...i am thinking of ordering some things from custom sawing myself...but would love to turn my own pots and make it all by hand....im thinking a lathe over the summer will do me good...thanx alot...