Birdsmouth oars

[tx river rat]

I have built some paddles but never a oar or a birdmouth type shaft. So I figure there is no time like the present so here we go.
Had some cedar strips 1/4 thick so I ripped the 45% angle in the edge.

did this to seven pieces and the glued them up with tit bond II

The zip ties work well to hold them together.

view from one end

after they dried I took a plane and rounded them up.
Ron

 

[tx river rat]

glued up some scrap cedar and turned the handles and plugs

glued them in

then I glued up the blades and ran them through the planer

After gluing in the plug I thinned some tite bond and poured it into the shaft rolled it around and coated the inside.
Ron

 

[tx river rat]

Cut a slot 1/4 deep on the side of the shaft

glued on the blade.

layed up another piece of cedar for the blade brace.

Ron

 

[tx river rat]

Trimed the tip piece , it laps inside the shaft for an inch and a half.
here is one I am fitting

one glued in place

then I started sanding and finishing the shaft.
Ron

 

[tx river rat]

Fillets run on paddle blade.

a lot of sanding and then a precoat of epoxy.

There starting to look like some thing now and still plenty light.
Ron

 

[tx river rat]

I put cloth and epoxy on the blades and 6 inches up the shaft. then wrapped the wear points with rope and made stops for oar locks and installed them

put on another coat of epoxy and then spar varnish, they are still plenty light.
I will be ready to try them before long.
Ron