Question for decoy makers

[rabbittrapper]

I am making my own decoy(first one) and was wondering want grit of sandpaper to touch up some saw blade marks? In some places the saw didn't want to cut so I have to touch them up. They aren't deep just little nicks.

[jasonmichalski]

start at 60-80 and end at 200-300 if you want a real nice finish

[rabbittrapper]

Ok thanks

[jasonmichalski]

I use a 1" belt sander with 120 grit to rough sand and then hand sand the finer grits

[rabbittrapper]

I will be using a palm sander for the bigger things . Then touch it up with my hands and sand paper.

[jasonmichalski]

I will be using a palm sander for the bigger things . Then touch it up with my hands and sand paper.

that should work

[Bucket Brigade]

They make real nice detail sanders like the Ryobi Jobsite tool.  I use it for finer things at work and hobbies.  Post some pics of your decoy when done please!

[Water Wolf]

I also have a few questions.

When you guys add the fins to decoys I see some of you add them to the bottom and some of you add them to the side.
Is there any difference in the swimming action by where you place them?

How deep into the side the body to you place them?

I was reading that spinner blades like Colorado, Indiana or willowleaf, make good fins.
Have any of you used them with success?

How about hard plastic fins, would they work?

Thanks for your time guys.

WW

[jasonmichalski]

I also have a few questions.

When you guys add the fins to decoys I see some of you add them to the bottom and some of you add them to the side.
Is there any difference in the swimming action by where you place them?

How deep into the side the body to you place them?

I was reading that spinner blades like Colorado, Indiana or willowleaf, make good fins.
Have any of you used them with success?

How about hard plastic fins, would they work?

Thanks for your time guys.

WW

I use metal fins because I can bend them as needed, also there's not much difference if the fins are at the side or bottom, I do both.
I screw them to the bottom on basic decoys, but I burn them in on detailed decoys if the put them in the side you should try to lead them in place or pin them in. I couldn't see spinner blade being very could on good decoys there shape is all wrong the have a curve it should be a flat sulfur face to plane smooth in the water.

[jasonmichalski]

And your back fin should always be higher then the front ones and your eyelet should be in front of the center point of the front fins but not more forward then the front edge of the front fins, weight and balance to the eyelet that took the longest to figure out wish someone would have told me that when I started, it is really a lot of. Work to make good decoys!

[Water Wolf]

Neat, thanks for the good info jasonmichalski.

I can see what you mean by the spinner blades being the wrong shape.
A person would have to beat them flat in order for them to glide properly.

How thick is the metal you guys use?

I am not a big fan of melting lead, as can be hazardous to you health in the long run.
Would it work if I fill the cavities with lead shot or BB's?

Thanks for the tip about the back fins higher than the front ones and about the placement for your eyelet.

WW

[jasonmichalski]

Neat, thanks for the good info jasonmichalski.

I can see what you mean by the spinner blades being the wrong shape.
A person would have to beat them flat in order for them to glide properly.

How thick is the metal you guys use?

I am not a big fan of melting lead, as can be hazardous to you health in the long run.
Would it work if I fill the cavities with lead shot or BB's?

Thanks for the tip about the back fins higher than the front ones and about the placement for your eyelet.

WW

I use aluminum flashing it's light, some guys use gutter metal not share how thick I think it's 0.020 to heavy and it's hard to balance well.
It's possible but how would you keep the lead shot inside, to test swim and it would take a lot.

[Higgins]

I normally poor my lead but some times when I fine tune to balance I will drill small holes where I need to add a little extra weight put shot in them and add apoxy as Jason said the eyelet is important but make sure you get a flat horizontal drop in your decoy with forward movement then you can put your eyelet where you need to or better yet put in a few eyelets to get different action from one decoy, also make sure your fill in slots are strait so your decoy does not list to one side. I also use flashing for my fins. CEDAR is the kind ya want to be using.

[jasonmichalski]

I put the eyelet in before I add weight and I know many top decoy do it this way, then weight and balance to the eyelet.

[Higgins]

I put the eyelet in before I add weight and I know many top decoy do it this way, then weight and balance to the eyelet.

I wasn't taught that way but I can't see why it wouldn't work.

[jasonmichalski]

My current batch of decoys, I expoy the lead in then add wood putty, after the putty is dry I sand it down and seal the chambers with clear then prime, paint, and clear the decoys.

I'm also fixing a few lame ****censored word**** decoys for a friend that's why there is a few painted ones, lol.