# Decoy repainting



## The Fever (Aug 10, 2011)

My family is not on the money right now but my father was able to get me a large amount of used decoys. They work fine but could use some touch up. How hard is this to do? I read the book the old man and the boy and it didnt sound like it had to be 1080i HD clear to kill ducks.


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## Jaker (Aug 10, 2011)

Its easy to paint up diver decoys, its probably a lot harder to paint up puddler decoys, on divers I use a rattle can, black and white, then paint the bill and head by hand, that way you can do ringnecks, bluebills, or cans all with the same body pattern


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## paulito (Aug 11, 2011)

not hard at all. just takes practice. find one that looks good to mimic and then paint the rest to match. been repainting mine for years. if the original paint ain't that bad consider just doing the highlights. For instance, you would be amazed how much more a drake mallard will stand out in a spread if you touch up and widen the white on the tail, wings and neck. Don't forget the eyes. for some reason this works.


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2011)

*I have done diver and puddle duck decoys.*



Jaker said:


> Its easy to paint up diver decoys, its probably a lot harder to paint up puddler decoys, on divers I use a rattle can, black and white, then paint the bill and head by hand, that way you can do ringnecks, bluebills, or cans all with the same body pattern


 I do the same thing that Jaker does on my divers and when my woodys get bad I add a little minute mend epoxy and then I repaint them into hooded mergansers. All my buddys give me a real; hard time about my hoody decoys cause they look ruff. But you know they work good.LOL/LOL/ Good luck and let us know how they come out.


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 11, 2011)

[ All my buddys give me a real; hard time 
I just cant believe WHY!!!!!! LOL
Jaker and Killer are right Black and white Spray paint and hand paint the head and bill. That is what I do.
Retired Fireman


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## The Fever (Aug 11, 2011)

I have mallards, blue wing teal, and green wing teal decoys. I have a new set of blue wing teal decoys that I will mimmick. The mallards will be harder but I think I will be ok. I was thinking about doing what yall said and just touching up the head and tail and bright colors. How hard is it to do the body? Is it worth the time?


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## Jaker (Aug 11, 2011)

congrats Larry


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## The Fever (Aug 11, 2011)

Jaker do you use a flat or glossy color on the body?


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2011)

*Flat*



The Fever said:


> Jaker do you use a flat or glossy color on the body?


Flat.


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## mallardk (Aug 11, 2011)

*take em*

At takeem.com they use to have a paint chart for home depot, it told you what colors to mix to get the different parts, i might have a copy at home and will try to scan,not sure why they took it down, I probably didn't spend $15 and have enough paint to do another 3 dozen, but this is a complete re paint for mallards and they look really good when done.


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2011)

*What kind of paint do you use on the bill?*



Larry Young Jr said:


> [ All my buddys give me a real; hard time
> I just cant believe WHY!!!!!! LOL
> Jaker and Killer are right Black and white Spray paint and hand paint the head and bill. That is what I do.
> Retired Fireman


????


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## duck-dawg (Aug 11, 2011)

Get yourself a wire brush and scrape off as much of the old paint as you can...that way it wont chip off and take your new paint job with it. Here's a hotbuy mallard-ringneck I painted a few years ago that's held up pretty well. I've done some repaints and conversions to alot of my other decoys as well, they're just not on hand to take a picture of.






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If you can't find the paint conversion chart that mallardk mentioned, try joining a decoy carving forum...there's lots of information on what colors to use, etc., and it's just cool to see some of the work those guys turn out.


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## fishndinty (Aug 11, 2011)

Painting old mallards as black ducks can work, too...you will have to paint the bill olive or yellow and the body black.  With hens you can leave the head color as is, and drakes' heads get  painted a tannish hue.  You can do some countershading of the black feathers in tans and browns by dry-brushing.  It's not that hard...here is a pic of two I painted with my wife from a couple of ANCIENT sportplast decoys.  I know these black ducks will kill birds:


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## fishndinty (Aug 11, 2011)

Oh! And do not forget to spray SEVERAL coats of flat clear spray paint on as a sealer when finished.  It helps the dekes stand up to being tossed around SO much better.  Should last a couple seasons at least without needing touchups.


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## Scott R (Aug 11, 2011)

The Fever said:


> I have mallards, blue wing teal, and green wing teal decoys. I have a new set of blue wing teal decoys that I will mimmick. The mallards will be harder but I think I will be ok. I was thinking about doing what yall said and just touching up the head and tail and bright colors. How hard is it to do the body? Is it worth the time?



Drake mallards are really easier than you think.  Just use the KISS method and do not try and over complicate it.   Remember....it's just a duck....close is good enough.  They really don't care nearly as much as people think they do.

Here's a nice...and very simple... hen paint scheme my buddy in OH does.   The drake was done by his uncle.


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 11, 2011)

killer elite said:


> ????


  What else does a retired fireman have to do.


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 11, 2011)

killer elite said:


> ????


  what else does a retired fireman got to do????
Larry


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2011)

*You know when I retired from the Army*



Larry Young Jr said:


> what else does a retired fireman got to do????
> Larry


over 20 years ago I had to get a job. LOL/LOL


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## r_hammett86 (Aug 11, 2011)

just get them as close as possible to true to life. by the time they realize that the primary feathers are painted wrong they're gett'n got. lol


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## killerv (Aug 11, 2011)

r_hammett86 said:


> just get them as close as possible to true to life. by the time they realize that the primary feathers are painted wrong they're gett'n got. lol



Primaries are the most important part, decoy can't fly without them.


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## Scott R (Aug 11, 2011)

killerv said:


> Primaries are the most important part, decoy can't fly without them.



Eyes also.......have to see where they are flying.


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 11, 2011)

This is 1 of my master pieces.
Larry


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## The Fever (Aug 11, 2011)

Wow, those are some sweet set ups. Larry does that really work?


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## Larry Young Jr (Aug 11, 2011)

The Fever said:


> Wow, those are some sweet set ups. Larry does that really work?



I dont know it disappeared before I tried it. I think it few north for the summer Or my wife threw it out with the trash. Not sure?????? Jerry might got it, so ROCKO could grew it up, before the season got here???? I just dont know.
Larry


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## Scott R (Aug 12, 2011)

Larry Young Jr said:


> This is 1 of my master pieces.
> Larry



Love it Larry


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## r_hammett86 (Aug 12, 2011)

Larry Young Jr said:


> This is 1 of my master pieces.
> Larry



 i bet it would have worked like a champ. black and white are the most highly visable colors from afar. but after you buy 3 doz gals' of bleach to make em, you could get some elchepo decoys. lol.


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## king killer delete (Aug 12, 2011)

*That was a good decoy*



Larry Young Jr said:


> I dont know it disappeared before I tried it. I think it few north for the summer Or my wife threw it out with the trash. Not sure?????? Jerry might got it, so ROCKO could grew it up, before the season got here???? I just dont know.
> Larry


to bad


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