Burlapping Project

[jon428]

Just after duck season we decided to burlap and paint the 40 Herters 72s I have. Knowing what I know now I'm not so sure I'd do again. We started by washing the decoys and removing the heads. They looked rough when we started. We bought a three gallon jug of tile mastic from Lowes. A friend of mine had given me several plain sheets of burlap that came off the base of trees being transported. So next was the paint??? We searched on the net and found where someone recommended certain paints (with paint codes) from Home Depot. All were flat paints. We went to Home Depot with decoys in tow. We got some looks from people while we were pushing a buggy with decoys. Anyway some of the paint schemes were a best guess type deal.



We applied are first layer of mastic on using gloves and then and used some water and brush to smooth it out. Then we put the burlap on and cut to fit. Next we applied another layer of mastic and smoothed it out again with brush and water. We did about half of the decoys one Sunday afternoon. We met another Sunday afternoon and did the other half.






After all 40 were burlapped and dried we applied another coat of mastic and again brushed them lightly with water. We allowed for several weeks of drying between coats. So at this point we had the original coat of mastic, burlap and another two coats of mastic. Once this had dried we brushed on some kilz. We were hoping this would seal in the everything and help with the paint.



The painting was an ordeal too.





All in all I'm pleased with the way they turned out. The only thing we may touch up is hen cans and the hen bluebills. I don't like the color of their breast and tail. I want it the color of their heads. I figure we have over an hour invested in each decoy. Lets hope they hold up.

[quackaddict]

I've got a half-dozen that were given to me for my birthday that I'm wanting to burlap and re-paint. What's the reason for the 3rd coat of mastic? I thought that a coat of mastic, burlap, and another light coat was all that you needed?

[CreekGeek]

Those look good.

Why did you say that after doing it, you probably wouldn't do it again?

I'm reworking a bunch of mine but I'm just repainting them and not burlaping them.

[jon428]

Quack, we decided to go with one more coat in hopes it would be that much stronger. I don't know if it will help or not. I know that we used that 3 gallon jug.

Creek, to answer your question, it was more time consuming that I had originally planned.

[turbo]

I suggest you invest in some single slot bags.

If not, you will hate yourself at the end of this season.

[Phone Man]

I suggest you invest in some single slot bags.

If not, you will hate yourself at the end of this season.

X2. Throw em in a reg bad and they will look worse than before you started

[jws]

They look great. Those pintails look blue in the pictures.

[Jay]

I would redo the pintails paint job.

[Rubberhead*]

If not, you will hate yourself at the end of this season.

Great work. x2 on the slotted bags. And vinyl coat your weights too.

[mud ugh]

Dumb question probably, but why the need for the slotted bags? I though that covering them in burlap made them tough as nails compared to raw foam, or is it the paint choice you are referring to? Reason for asking is that I'm going to embark on this same endeavor in the near future.

[drwilly]

good job. it's easy to be an armchair critic after the fact but, those pintail bodies need more tan color. I repainted some regular plastic pintails a few years ago and keep adding tan and a little black to get the color right. pro tip: have a mounted pintail right beside you when you paint them.

http://scducks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56580

[12341234]

Dumb question probably, but why the need for the slotted bags? I though that covering them in burlap made them tough as nails compared to raw foam, or is it the paint choice you are referring to? Reason for asking is that I'm going to embark on this same endeavor in the near future.

They are so hard they will rub and chip the paint off the others .

[Phone Man]

In addition, the texture after burlapping is rough and will rub paint off

[Waterfowler]

Those blue bill and cans look jam up, I would maybe go a different route on the pennys. Overall two thumbs up.

[Wing Nut]

Nice work.

[sprigdog]

Pintails look just fine to me.

First time you hunt, center the furthest decoy from you and pull the trigger.
Just get it over. I'll even do it for you.
Pro tip.

[Mornin Woodie]

Looks good Jon.