# Engelmann Spruce Duck Topper



## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

After seeing Cobalt's waterfowl topper, thought I would try my hand at carving a topper from a piece of Engelmann spruce I had laying around.

Right off I ran into a problem of not having enough wood to work with for the size piece I wanted to make so I had to add on for the beak.

Pic is the Gorilla glued beak "adder".


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

That should work for you Mark. There are a lot of drawings of duck heads on the web to get a pattern to fit your working area. Look forward to seeing how it comes out.


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Did you peg the beak into the head ? looking forward to its progress nice project.


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Looks like you have given yourself enough wood to do a nice size duck head. What wood is the beak?


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Gloops, yes I did use a small dowel to attach the adder for beak.

CV3 the beak is the cut off from the top of the head.

I have some sketches I got from Cobalt and I have a ceramic duck figurine that I borrowed from my mother and am using it as a reference for the carving. It is more of a barnyard domestic duck but it helps to have a visual aid for form and basic size.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

you could try making the neck of it the same size as the stick then do the head in proportion to the neck, it would be easyer to carve and allow you to get more defined detail in .

whatever you decide you will have to post pics.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Progress pics of the spruce duck head.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

looks like the shape is good be good to see the finish.


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Well done shaping the head Mark. I also look forward to seeing the progress as the Finnish it.


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Coming along nicely, good head shape looking forward to seeing it grow.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Engelmann spruce duck topper update.

The bark was too flaky on the spruce to save so I sanded it off and applied a coat of walnut stain.

The head has two coats of boiled linseed oil.

I have a walnut stained silver maple staff waiting for this duck's head.

Will post pics of the completed stick.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

You have done a good job on the duck. amongst the best ones youve done

The bill reminds me of the goose its more in the round than the duck.Are you going to paint its naii in on the beak.

well done It should make a good topper

I think you would do a even better job if you made it larger stiil


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Cobalt , you are correct it does look a bit more "goosey" than "ducky" at this point. I have been betwixt and between on whether to leave well enough alone and call it a goose or do a little knife work and wood burning on the end of beak to add the nail and make it a duck.

I an leaning toward tweaking the bill and making it a duck, after all that's what I started out to produce.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

I dont think it matters mark , its a bit of artistic license . just do what grabs you.l


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Duck glued to maple staff.

More sanding is required after everything sets up.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

you will have to post a side view when complete , looking good


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Doing a good job, nice to see the results of the work you have put in.


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Engelmann spruce duck topper stick is done.

I am going to call this stick "Lucky Ducky". The Engelmann spruce the topper is carved from was rescued from a pile of scrap wood in the Grave Creek campground of the Kootenai National Forest, Montana. The maple staff came from a pile of wood cleared for a local subdivision development.

The ducks head has 3 coats of boiled linseed oil and the staff is done with 2 coats of dark walnut stain The whole stick is finished with oil based spar polyurethane. The lanyard is woodland camo paracord and I added a real mallard feather as an embellishment.

This is the first time I have worked with Engelmann spruce. It carves nice providing you don't try to take too big of a bite. If you try to slice off too thick a piece it will chip/tear. The heart wood is dark red/brown and the sapwood is a cream color. The wood takes oil and stain well. I can see from the way it finishes why they use it to make guitars.

Its been a fun stick to make. My thanks to Cobalt and CV3 for the sketches they sent me, they helped a lot.


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Nice looking stick, like the addition of the bullrushes, you will enjoy walkig with "Lucky Ducky"


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Well done Mark! The reeds and cat tails look good.


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