Double Blade Paddle Shaft | SouthernPaddler.com

Double Blade Paddle Shaft

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Need your inputs on what to use for the shaft of a double bladed paddle?
I built the blades but am trying to decide on the best material to use for the shaft.
Thought about carbon fiber, fiberglass or wood.
Leaning toward carbon fiber tape and wrapping it around a 1" pipe for the mold ??????????
The blades are asymmetrical and made using cypress strips with fiberglass on both sides.
Thanks, Swampwood
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
mandrels i've seen for winding have been smooth and polished so the finished product slips off easily

might be better off finding a polished shaft, like a pump shaft, of the proper diameter so your mold release won't have to work so hard

another option would be to wind around a disposable core, like a cardboard tube
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Swampwood. My advice is that you will not want the shaft to be round; you will want it to be oval to fit inside your grip. Hold your left hand out in front of you with the thumb and forefinger apart at a comfortable position for you. Look at the space between thumb and forefinger. It isn't round. Make your shaft the shape into which it will fit - don't reshape your grip to fit the shaft.

It won't make much difference for the first little while. After an hour you will DEFINITELY know the difference. At the end of a paddling day you will write and send me money in thanks. (I'll send address later.)
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Like the cardboard mold idea, Seedtick.
Also like the the oval shape for the hands, Kayak Jack.
Do you think a single wrap of the carbon fiber tape with the edges overlapping will be strong enough ?
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
don't know how many wraps you need but i believe that one isn't nearly enough

most filament windings are highly engineered to make the most use of the stength of materials in combination with fiber orientation.

Fiber orientation ranges from 90 degrees (perpendicular to the shaft) to 45 degrees or more. Typically they're wound like a helix - visualize a spool of nylon twine

here's a website that gives instructions on building a paddle using 5.8 oz plain weave fabric - and he uses four layers of fabric

http://www.rollordrown.com/kayak/gstick.html
 

gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
How about wrapping a thin layer of fabric onto a very light weight aluminum tube (like a shower curtain rod, for instance) and just leaving the aluminum in place?

Doesn't solve the problem of making an oval cross section, though. Hmm...
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
If you want a oval shaft carve it out of foam then cover with plastic wrap lay up your shaft . when completed stand on end pour gasoline or laqure thinner into shaft . it will melt the foam leaving you with a hollow shaft, basically the lost wax molding process.
Ron
 

gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
tx river rat said:
If you want a oval shaft carve it out of foam then cover with plastic wrap lay up your shaft . when completed stand on end pour gasoline or laqure thinner into shaft . it will melt the foam leaving you with a hollow shaft, basically the lost wax molding process.
Ron

Brilliant. You could mold a lot of things that way. Have you actually done that, Ron?

GB
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I'll bet that dissolved foam is a snotty mess, isn't it? Do the operation over one of those disposable aluminum foil roaster pans? And, without smoking, too. (Mommy! Mommy! Se the funny man run and wave his arms!)
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Jack
It really isnt to bad, por in the gas first and keep adding untill it melts thrue, then clean up with lacquer thinner.
Ron
 

gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
What kind of tools are useful when carving the styrofoam? I'm guessing there are some options out there... I've read before that styrofoam is or was used for making patterns in foundries.
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Like the idea of the carbon fiber sock material from the site Jimmy W posted.
I am thinking of making the center 3 feet (or so) of the shaft oval and the rest round.
I like all the ideas, just trying to figure out how to make it work.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Swampwood, as you paddle with a double ender, you will learn to not always hold it symmetrically, with the same amount of paddle hanging out of each hand. Paddling with a longer end on, say, the left side will gently edge you to your right, or counteract a drift. I sometimes have a hold of the end of a blade in one hand, and the other grips the shaft wherever is lands.

Upshot of all that is, you may want the oval grip full length of the handle. You never know where you will be gripping.