...a little off the beaten path...!

Hi everyone, it has been a while since I posted. A few months ago I was turning hollowforms which I often shared here. Then my wife's cousin asked me to make a turkey pot call for him. .....and that is where I have been spending my shop time!

For those not familiar with a turkey pot call, they are approximately 4+ inches in diameter and about an inch thick....give or take... The sound is produced by rubbing a dowel like striker on a friction surface....traditionally of slate, and now often glass, crystal, aluminum or copper and amplified and conditioned by internal soundboards. I thought I would share a few of the my latest......with pretty casual snapshots!

The first is of old, barn dried wormy Cherry with dual friction surfaces - etched glass and slate, the second is Mimosa showing the slate with glass on hidden surface, and the final is a work in progress of Chinaberry which will have a single friction surface.

Thanks for looking! - Arlan

Very nice work, Arlan!

Arlan - good to see you posting again! Very nice work on the turkey calls! Beautiful woods and designs!

Arlan those are beauties. Really nice wood. Well done.

I saw these when you posted on CCO, you brought a real refreshing change to the old style of turkey pots.

Marvin

Beautiful work, Arlan. There are several types of friction turkey calls (pot style being popular) and then, in general, there are two categories of hand made calls. Those that are made for field use and those that are crafted primarily for display. Your creative designs could be used in the field quite well, but frankly the designs are more attractive than many award winning designs that I've seen for pot-type friction calls. Really! Check out some of the national award winners from the last NWTF annual banquet.

Given the unique sound chamber design with open ports and slots, how does your wife's cousin like the sound quality? What materails have you used for the soundboard?

Again, really gorgeous and creative work, Arlan.

I've never seen a Turkey Pot Call before. Thanks for sharing. Excellent work.......Ron

Oh, I like these! They should have those long beards running.

thats deffinatly off the patb

wow...when you get tired of those make bigger objects all strange and with those intricate holes and shapes!!!!you have great hands!!!! have fun...

Thanks everyone for the nice comments. I am enjoying this very much....especially the mixed media aspect of it. When bringing a different perspective to the traditional folk art of call making, one must maintain a respect for the tradition, never lose sight that they must be fuctional, and are truly judged on their performance in the field! I love the challenge and it brings together many of my life interests. Thanks again for looking.