Summer project: Making Foam Decoys!

igotatoyota

Guest
I was wondering if anyone on here has made any foam decoys and then burlaped them. If so, about how long did it take you to complete one decoy and if you have any directions or step-by-step process that you can post that would be very greatful. Me and some buddies of mine have went around and collected a lot of foam that has been floating around the lake. It is the type of foam that goes under a pier, and we are wanting to try and make some deocys out of it. Any advise or help with the process, or a supplies list would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
 

Willie

Twelve Pointer
I was wondering if anyone on here has made any foam decoys and then burlaped them. If so, about how long did it take you to complete one decoy and if you have any directions or step-by-step process that you can post that would be very greatful. Me and some buddies of mine have went around and collected a lot of foam that has been floating around the lake. It is the type of foam that goes under a pier, and we are wanting to try and make some deocys out of it. Any advise or help with the process, or a supplies list would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

Get with Irish Pride...he knows how to do it.
 

Tony Hawkins

Eight Pointer
I make a couple dozen each summer.
I shape the foam with a 1" belt sander. Then burlap with MasticPro or something like that (acrylic tile adhesive) from Home Depot. I use Kilzprimer then spray some spar varnish on the bottom and sides. Then I use Rustoleum industrial oil based paint for the black and white parts.
 

igotatoyota

Guest
thanks tony, just curious about what size do you make your decoys?
 

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
I heard you can make them out of crab pot bouys. You just cut them in half the long way, and add a prefab head, do some shaping and there you go. I had thought about trying to make some this summer so we will see.
 

Tony Hawkins

Eight Pointer
I make mine the size of a Herters 72 and have been using those heads for bluebills, for buffies I use a 63 size body. I have 6 heads left, and then I am going to switch to a different head (Autumn Wings or hard foam). I have a dozen shaped to burlap now, and will knock out another dozen soon so I can get them burlapped and dried over the summer.
 

Irishpride42

Twelve Pointer
Willie is right we have done a few. there are several different ways actually. You can use two part pour foam if you can get a mold. You can try to find some old Herter's and burlap them. You can carve your own our of sheets of foam like the link above. Here are some pics of our SUPER CANS next to magnum plastics and also some of a herter's redhead burlapped and painted by me.








 

CarolinaYoungBuck

Guest
Anybody know where I can get a dove mold or a way to make decoys
 

fowlplay'n

Twelve Pointer
So how do you fellas do your heads? Buy them? Carve them? Use a mold? I'd love to try making my own dekes some time but I looked up the heads and a dozen cost more than I spend on two dozen bluebill plastic dekes. Can't justify all the effort and cost when I can do a larger spread for cheaper and faster.
 

Tony Hawkins

Eight Pointer
You are right about them costing too much... at $8-10 each, I could not justify it either. I have about 4 dozen Herters 72 bills so I kindof want the ones I am making to match those in size and appearance. I have a few plastic 72 heads left, but I have also started carving them out of blue foam, then drilling a hole in the blue head and Gorilla gluing a dowel rod in the head and body to connect them. The tile adhesive and burlap over the head finished it off. Do they look as good as the original plastics? No, but the foam was free and I have some free time in the summers.
 

fowlplay'n

Twelve Pointer
They look pretty good to me! I doubt I could carve any out to look that good. Do you have a stencil to make the basic form of the heads then just shape it or is that all free handed? I may could do it if I had a stencil to start with.
 

WakeHunter32

Eight Pointer
Bringing this back up! IrishPride, or anyone else who has done foam filled, what do you do about weights and keels for the decoys you make? Material, how to attach them and how much weight has worked well for you to keep them from rolling?
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Not these since they are on long lines. You'll need a little more if you do rig them as singles. I make my own weights from mini cupcake molds, they hold them fine.
 

ducknut

Eight Pointer
I 2nd the composite decking for keels. I'd add doing a restle coat over the burlap/mastic. Makes a much more durable decoy, plus it holds paint really well. Restle coat is a couple layers of watered down wood glue sprinkled with saw dust
 

Mommicked

Guest
Some folks here take the long football shaped net corks and split them in half length ways, making 2 decoys. Add a piece of bottom plywood or pvc board if you like (helps with oysters and dinging around) and attach a head carved from (ideally) a piece of juniper, or 2x4 in a pinch. The plywood bottom helps give something for the head to hold onto, the pvc float is 'glued' to the bottom board. I've also seen a small piece of heavy chain added to the bottom to help it ride better in waves.
 
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