Make Your Own Paddle...Part 1.

[oldsparkey]

While paddling down the Edisto River in the striper Pirogue and using a $15.00 store bought paddle I started thinking about the paddle.

Jack told me thinking or was it drinking cause a person to lose brain cells, what the heck it has to be thinking because drinking is to good and does not give a person a headache like thinking does. Anyway back to the thought.

I have a lot of strips or redwood left over from the construction of the Pirogue so why not make a custom paddle to go with a custom made boat.
NOW ... I have never made a paddle so some more thinking and a headache or two later , I believe I have it figured out and am giving it a try.. ..... What the heck it is nothing but wood and glue right now then later some epoxy and fiberglass.

Progress is being made ... I think?

The shaft being clamped together

Each side of the blade being clamped and glued

Attaching the blade to the shaft

Starting to get it together. Was not sure about the shaft so I added a piece (1/4 inch by 3/4 inch) along the main shaft and about 1/2 way onto the blade of the paddle for more strength over the 5 strips that make up the body of the shaft.

I will have to do the other side and then I plan on epoxy filleting both sides before sanding and rounding the shaft off , then tapering the blade so it will look like a paddle.

I am thinking the epoxy fillet along each side of the piece I just added will give more strength to the shaft plus adding a little extra as far as looks go after all of it is sanded and shaped
The additional pice being attached on the shaft.

The paddle sanded and shaped

The grip

The Blade

Chuck

 

[catfish]

chuck nice looking paddle. one question i have u guys seem to be laminating ur paddles instead of making out of one piece. even though i own one now the ones u buy at store after awhile seem to come apart .

either u guys put more craftman ship in urs or u may be using a differrent type of glue. what kind of glue do u guys use. :? (cat)

 

[oldsparkey]

chuck nice looking paddle. one question i have u guys seem to be laminating ur paddles instead of making out of one piece. even though i own one now the ones u buy at store after awhile seem to come apart .

either u guys put more craftman ship in urs or u may be using a differrent type of glue. what kind of glue do u guys use. :? (cat)

Easy answer....... EPOXY.

Epoxy to glue the strips together , then a epoxy saturation coat to soak into the wood , then more epoxy and the last step is a coat of some good varnish.

Some folks even fiberglass the blade for more protection. When the paddle wears out the epoxy will still be there. The nice thing about making your own paddle is just like the boats we make , it is done the way you want it , not the way some salesman tells you that it is what you want and it cost's a lot less.

Chuck.

 

[hairymick]

Heya Cat,

I used AV190 - PVA glue. It is water proof and has a very quick set up when clamped (20mins) it is probably not as good as epoxy, but much faster, with very good bond strength. It is also not so hard on my block plane blade.

When done, and planed to shape and sanded, I apply several coats of epoxy to the whole thing. Time will tell how it stands up to my abuse.

Chuck, that is a beautiful paddle mate, I love it. How long is it and what blade width please.

 

[oldsparkey]

30 ounces with a blade width of 6 3/8th inches and a length of 61 inches.

 

[hairymick]

Sweeet 8) Thanks mate.

 

[Tor]

Hey Mick,

How did that paddle stand up?

I'm now searching for all the offcuts I can find. You guys Have way to much time and provide way too many ideas (distractions) good job my project management skills are honed to avoid the inevitable scope creep...

...read "the Mrs" keeps me on track (until I show her some of the oarsome - couldn't help it - things on the forum)

Tor

 

[oldsparkey]

It is working really good and holding up better then the ones I have bought , they were the $15.00 featherweight ones K Mart sells. :lol: With the epoxy saturation , then the varnish and a coat of paste wax plus the water resistant wood it is made from , it will out last me. Anyway it sure looks like it will. :wink:

Chuck.

 

[hairymick]

G'day Tor,

Mine is working real good too. It certainly seems to e standing up to m abuse better than the bought ones.

I am working on a bending/laminating jig at the moment (thanks to some very good ideas here) for a bent shaft canoe paddle. When I get it right will post a thread here. The same principal would work well for a straight shaft job too.

The paddles are real easy to make with just a few basic hand tools and a bit of spare time. They make a great rainy day project.

If you can get your hands on a good OLD spoke shave - do it. The new ones are not nearly as good in spite of their claims.

 

[buckisland1950]

My bent shaft form

Mick:

Not sure if this is up to your standards but this is what I use for a double bent shaft . :lol: If you just want a standard bent blade then you just unscrew the one angle (I'm sure you could figure that out) :wink:

Just a 2 by 8 cut at the angle I patterned off a store bought double bent shaft. I drilled 1 and a quater inch holes to accept clamps. Showed some clamps but not in the process of building right now. The two small pieces (on the backside) are to clamp the laminations so they don't slide when pressure is applied (had that happen on my first paddle, make the shaft a little thinner when you square up the blank shaft before rounding it). I don't steam the pieces, I just apply pressure to bend the wood over several hours (using only softwoods for now).

If or when I start a new paddle I will try and remember to take pictures as I go. :roll:

If you need more details I'll be glad to elaborate.......

 

[buckisland1950]

All paddles holding up for now

I have made lots this past year and so far they are holding up well. I used gorilla glue on the first double bent shaft paddle and used too much pressure with the clamps. After several paddles I had a slight seperation of lamination on the shaft but I reapplied some expoxy and all is well. Just had to re-enfore the tip of the blade again as I hadn't put much epoxy there as well. I'm learning.

My Stand UP paddle has no issues, Used glass on the blade (as I do for all my laminated paddles) and used oak for a rock guard around the whole blade. This is a heavy duty 6 and a half foot paddle.

My newest double bent shaft paddle has all the corrections from the mistakes I made on the first one. I also went to Titebond II and use West epoxy for glassing the blade.

I haven't used the whitewater paddle much yet but hope to in the near future. I beefed up the shaft and blade and hope it stands up to the rocks.

We don't have many rocks around here but I do use the paddles to push off the ramps and push over trees . I do take care as they are wood but I take the same care with my carbon fiber paddles.

 

[Ozark]

What are the angles and their lenghth?

 

[hairymick]

Oh WOW!

Franke, that is EXACTLY what I needed to see mate. Thank you!! 8) 8)

Love ya shop mate 8)

 

[buckisland1950]

More info

Mick:

I like to "Anchor" the blade and the grip by gluing pieces into the shaft laminations and then adding more area to those Anchors. Not sure is that's clear but maybe these will help
Space for Blade Anchor

Blade Anchor

Grip Anchor

When gluing the laminations for the handle I cut the pieces where I want a space to insert my Anchors then wrap them in wax paper to allow me to clamp the other laminations for strength.

I can then glue addition pieces to the grip and blade area and know I have a good foundation. Hope this makes sense....

 

[buckisland1950]

Drawing of Bent Shaft Jig

OZ:

This is the Jig dimensions

Drawing of Bent Shaft Jig

Of course you can remove the triangle piece and build just a normal bent shaft paddle or you can move it (just screwed on) to make the center section longer or shorter. As I said, I modeled this off of a store bought paddle. I decide before I build and then cut sections of the laminations out to glue Anchors in later. I hope I am explaining this all right. My blade anchor is usually the entire length of the blade, just seems stronger this way then gluing the pieces to the sides of the shaft.

 

[a Bald Cypress]

paddle

Friend Frank,

I think you just made another convert.

Will look for the makins tomorow.





THANKS