Call Turning wood cross/with grain ???

R

Richard Grantham

New member
All my call turning has been with wood grain located lengthwise like it grows, however in looking for some
sources of wood I found a place selling scraps for firewood or use in smokers. Hundreds of pieces looks like cut off ends of about 2x4 size mesquite, most looked turnable but it would be across the normal grain.
Anyone doing this ?? looks like the wood could be very breakable ?? Guess I should have bought a few to try!
Richard
 
The only things I have turned across grain are bowls and turkey pots. They would be alright to make the two piece calls though I would think.

It would depend on grain density turning them across the grain.If mesquite is as brittle as cedar I would say no. But if the density is close to cherry or maple it might work.They would definately have an interesting look to them I would think. I may check at wally world when I go to town and see if they have any of these. I can think of a wood or two they would go well with for two piece calls.If not I can always chunk them in the grill! Jimmie
 
Richard,

There are several turners who do this, mostly in the arena of Pen Turning, but even some who make hollow forms, i.e. vases and weed pots. Most of the Woodturners catalogs sell cross cut blanks. There have even been a few duck calls turned this way - here is one in Zebra Wood

http://community-2.webtv.net/GloriaSB/DUCKCALLS/page3.html

It is the fifth group down on the page, the call is the 2nd from the left.

I have played around with it with cocobolo, zebra wood and bocote. It makes for a very "busy" pattern. Catches can be exciting, you tend to get neatly broken off sections of blank that have some very sharp corners to them.
 
Hi Richard, It's all a matter of the type of grain you are looking at. As THO mentioned, some woods will grab and really wake you up! However, I will turn a piece end grain if the grain is somthing that will stay in tact, and add color, or feature to my call. Here is a set of Tiger Myrtle
Calls I turned end grain to expose the criss cross grain, and multiple colors. I think they turned out pretty nice...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/Ridgeviewer/f49a3bcb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/Ridgeviewer/34976535.jpg
 
Here's a call I made that is all edge grain.

lamistack.jpg


It is made from african blackwood, desert ironwood and basswood. One secret to turning end grain is keep your tools as sharp as possible. This will help reduce tear out. Sometimes a little super glue in the right place will also help keep things where they belong.

Good luck,
Paul
 
Guys, thanks for posts and pictures, great looking calls.. I will try this, besides seems like cheap wood.
Who sez " you can't teach and old dog new tricks ".
In another note, I just recieved Raffans book on wood turning, I have a lot of bad habits I need to change, wonder I got anything done in call making !!
Now if that darn lathe would just get here .
Richard
 
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