Flocking duck decoys (pictures)

[TEAM GTG]

Just finished with my first run of flocked sleeper mallards. I decided to flock them because I was dis-satisfied with the depth and color of the heads (not just ghg, but all limey green heads). Just thought someone might get a kick out of seeing something different.

Half done, half factory

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/duck2.jpg
Different angle
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/duck3.jpg
Some pictures taken on the water this morning:
from 68 yards:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/sixtyyards.jpg
Up closer:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/flock21.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/flock5.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/flock4.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/flock3.jpg
As far as the reddish color being off I'll have to disagree; dead ducks tell no secrets
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/teamgtg/belladuck.jpg

[calling4life]

Man that head looks perfect, and when you see it next to the normal decoy, we are talking top notch adjustment here.

Will it hold up in water??? Will it really make a dif. for the birds???

Was it worth the time???

Those are the real questions here, you'll have to let us know. Great job on that.

[dkhntrdstn]

those look good. nice job

[Corey Carston]

i think they look great .I may have to do some myself.

[wack-n-stack]

that looks amazing!

[TEAM GTG]

The glue and flocking are from aero outdoors. Paul makes a top-notch product. The glue is the only one of it's kind that I've tried that is pretty much bomb-proof (flexes in cold weather, waterproof, etc). The decoys were cleaned, degreased, hit with two coats of krylon matte clear (to make an even surface for proper glue application). The glue is water based so it does not stink. Stirred very well, applied with a fan brush to an even consistency, then immediately flocked with the donjer air assisted flocking gun. Walla. Do the black first, the brown second, and the green last. Airbrushed the top of the head with thinned rustoleum flat black, and one last step is to drag a toothpick with rustoleum flat white around the neck if you desire. After experimenting this last season I know it makes a serious difference...could be the different look, could be the dead-on head color, could be the depth, could be the difference in UV absorbtion. Could be all of those...If you have your ducks in a row it breaks down to about 8 minutes with the donjer air gun...about an hour each with the squeeze bottle or pat method, and not nearly as good of results.

[RWP]

Geat Work!!

they look awsome!!!



.

[MNDucker05]

You may be on to somthing here! That doesnt even look like it was made from the same decoy. Truley is AMAZAZING!:eek:

[Phil in MO]

Those look really good. Please tell me more about the donjer air gun. I have 12 fullbody drakes and a Aero kit waiting for me at home. I was planning on using the squeez bottlles they sent, but if there is a better way I'd like to know. I plan to do the flocking by the end of next week. I have 6 of the deks repainted and 6 to go, so I have a little more work to do.

Edit: I did a google search and found the gun. Do you think I could just buy an extra can and rig it to fit a regular air nozzel? It would be $13 bucks shipped vs $60 something. I have a compressor and regulator, doesn't look that complicated.

[TEAM GTG]

Phil... The donjer air gun has a tip inside that has the end plugged, and on the bottom side of the tip there is a cut that forces air against the back side of the can, which causes a circular motion to "fluff" the flocking while releasing it evenly from the gun between 10 and 15 lbs of pressure. You may be able to accomplish the same thing with a simple nozzle, but keep in mind that the can threads to the gun (which keeps flocking from leaking out all over). After you use this air gun for flocking you'll see why the squeezy bottles are for ketchup and mustard. It would take me 5 minutes to properly cover a standard mallard head with the squeezy bottle, and it MIGHT take me 12-25 seconds to do one with better coverage with the flocking gun. The gun lasts inevitably, it's well built, and $60 will be absorbed very quickly from the amount of time you will save using it.

[OutForBlood87]

I dont wanna sound like an ass here and Im not trying to bash in any way, but I dont really care for the chest portion. I think the head is dead on, but I think maybe the chest part is a little to purple or redish for my liking. They look good, but I think a darker brown flocking on the chest would look even better.

[TEAM GTG]

You don't sound like an ass at all. The glue wasn't completely cured with that picture, but the picture you see where there are two decoys side by side is completely cured. As you can see it dries quite a bit more brownish. I thought the reddish tint was a bit over the top too until I brought a mounted mallard drake out next to it, and I have to say it's right on after it dries. I'll take some pictures with some in the water in the next few days next to an untreated decoy and we'll see if you still have your reservations!! :D

[OutForBlood87]

Ok....:D

[JakeTheDrakeGentry]

how long did it take to flock those heads?

[fowl_play]

great job man, cant wait to hear the results. might have to look into that myself. mind me asking how much

[Phil in MO]

Thanks for the reply. I only have 12 drakes to do and I've already blown the budget on these deks. :D I have time, I'll just use the mustard bottle and make the best of it.

[dahmer]

The decoys look awesome. I might have to try that with my field mallards. Nice job.

[TEAM GTG]

Depends on how many you do and how efficient you are at applying the glue and fibers. It will have costed me about 2.00 per decoy for materials, and a small amount of that is the absorbtion of my flocking gun (far less than the price inflation in the decoy market this year).

Jake.... the heads are the easiest part. Just use a fan brush and get around the eyes, bill, and around the neck, then use the same brush to drag a nice thick even coat over the surface. Painting the glue takes about 30 seconds, then another 15 seconds to shoot with the donjer gun nice and thick. Load the airbrush with a thinned matte black oil based paint and drag a line behind the eye, a dot in front of the eye, and shade the back of the head (10 seconds).

[JakeTheDrakeGentry]

Thanks it looks awesome!

[SX2]

thats looking really nice , great job

[THE UNDERWOODS]

In my opinion the head looks great but the rest of the body is a little off for me.

[TEAM GTG]

Pictures added for underwoods and outforblood.

[Wingman]

They Look Sweet... Period! Nice work.. Way to take that extra step and do what the average guy will not. It will defiantly pay dividends this season.

Cheers,

Adam

[OutForBlood87]

Pictures added for underwoods and outforblood.
Ok.....fine.....they look even better on water:p Whatever, you win :D

[duckin82]

wow, that thing looks sweet! the head really looks amazing, at first i thought the chest was a bit red but the pics with it on the water it looked friggin amazing

[THE UNDERWOODS]

Just letting you know that the new pictures look great!!!

[Kevin Dirk]

Tad- I mailed you 5 dozen this morning, let me know when you've got them flocked and I'll pick them up, THANKS!

Those pictures on the water are sweet....

KD

[TEAM GTG]

Kev... I'll make sure to look for the UPS guy any day now. I'll make sure that I do an extra special job on yours ;) ; fact is they'll look so great that you'll swear they were OS series shovelers when you get them back :p

Give me a shout when you get a minute.

[Travis Lyle]

That looks flocking great!

[Geesekiller]

They look great!

[calling4life]

What you need now is a live drake next to that on the water. It looks so different from that decoy I can't tell if it looks like a live bird.

But it is definitely a drastic change from the regular decoy.

[GooseSlayer8]

look great, hope ya hit em hard over those dekes!

[Gmoney]

Notice a difference after you flocked all your floaters?. A friend and I are going to do our hole spread if there is an advanatage to be had. They look good to me I would want to land in that spread

Grant

[cm outdoors]

GTG -

I have a few questions I don't think you've addressed:
Did you flock the side feathers? Light tan/beige
How much flocking did you need for a dozen decoys? Green, brown, black, white
What did you use to degrease the decoys?

They look great and I think I've found my spring project for next year.


Thanks!

[Mike Adams]

Big difference! Kinda cool!

[CodyJM]

any chance avery will start making these?

How much would you charge to do a dozen of those for me?? hehe....im actually serious

[TEAM GTG]

OK...For Gmoney and you other fellas...here goes..

The decoys were factory new conditon, coated with krylon 1311....no degreasing necessary as adhesion was already satisfactory with a test spot.

The sides of the decoy were flocked down the "wing shadow" to create a depth in the body. The color is breast brown from aero. It appears a different color because the underlying color is lighter, whereas the breast appears darker because of darker paint underneath.

The back feathers were a mixture of black, breast brown, and a pinch of the green.

Tails and neck ring were painted with oil-based rustoleum flat white paint. I DO NOT recommend the use of white flocking on duck tails because it absorbs stains from the water, and takes on color bleed from the other flocking. And this happens with ALL flocking companies, makes, etc.

I haven't tried using them yet as the teal we shot have been in pretty shallow water, but they will go into use for the first time wednesday, and for the big ducks in early october along with 3 dozen flocked drake sleeper / resters.

It's hard to quantify how much flocking it has taken to do the lot, but I flocked two dozen drake breasts (with details), and used 6 ounces adhesive, and 1/8 pound flocking, the heads (two dozen), you can't even tell I opened the adhesive or flocking, and the black is about the same as the brown. You could honestly get away with 200+ heads, probably 40-60 breasts, and 70 butts, with 1 pound each flocking, maybe more.

[Alex Bowe]

great improvement!

[John Walls]

lookin good man!