In Gilpatrick's book

Post questions & answers about; paddle selection, building and maintenance; paddling techniques; boat transportation, storage & maintenance.
User avatar
Its Me
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 12:21 pm

In Gilpatrick's book

Post by Its Me »

Gilpatrick mentions that the paddle should be made with a soft wood core and a hard wood shell. Something like "sandwhich the cedar between two pieces of hard wood. " Can all soft wood be used? Why can't the core be hard wood and exterior panels be soft wood? Will a hard wood core poorly effect the performance?
User avatar
davidb54321
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:05 pm
Location: Presque Isle, Maine
Contact:

Post by davidb54321 »

It's Me,

The biggest drawback I can think of with softwood on the outside would be durability. If you are careful about keeping your paddle of the gunnels, then I would use whatever wood I had available. If nothing else it will be good practice and you'll have a pattern for the next paddle.

Dave
David Bartlett

"I don't fully understand everything I know!"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b81/davidb54321/
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by Doug »

"Soft wood" usually means; lighter in weight and less durable.

"Hard wood" usually means; heavier in weight and more durable.

A bend or laminate (paddle) usually gives you a bit of both.

You probably should determine what you want the paddle for.
(and not just for moving your boat)

For a week long trip into the back country, you may want something fairly durable.
For a two hour Sunday trip, up the creek, you may be able to get away with something a little less durable.

If you don't like the one you just made, make another one.
For that upcomeing special trip, make another one.
If it breaks, make another one.
With two teenagers at home, paddle making is cheap therapy.

What about a light "hard wood", basswood?
It usually boils down too, what kind of wood you can get your hands on.


All the best,
Doug
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
User avatar
Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
Contact:

Post by Bryan Hansel »

I've made two paddles with hardwood cores and softwood outers. One is my second favorite canoe paddle right after my ZRE Lightweight. It is made from western red cedar with a core of ash that runs down the center. The grip has ash outers. I've found I don't like the feel of wet cedar, but ash feels good wet. I fiberglassed the blade with 3.2oz satin weave and varnished up to the grip. The grip is oiled. I've used it as a backup and beater paddle on several wilderness trips now, and it gets used for freestyle. The cedar shows very few dents from pries, which surprises me. The ash core made it very stiff, so I makes for a responsive paddle.

My second one is a Greenland paddle, which I used for the majority of the time on a trip this last summer of 560 miles. Again, cedar outer and ash core. Then I put ash tip and side guards around the end of the paddle about a foot up. I need to get around to taking a picture to post of this paddle. It turned out rather nicely. The wet cedar, I found, was very hard on my hands. I ended up with blisters on almost all my fingers during the trip, but I just taped them up. I later switched to a carbon paddle for a couple of days to let my hands heal and then switched back later.

I've also built an all cedar GP, and busted it in half in the middle of rescuing rabbits trapped on driftwood in a flood. So from now on, I'm skipping all cedar sticks.

The best part of building paddles is that they are cheap. I have a lot of ash around from various projects, and cedar goes for $5 to $10 a board. With varnish and glue, a paddle ends up at the most around $15.

For my next paddle, I'm thinking a Northwoods style out of cherry. Should be a fun project! My cross country skis are almost finished, and I'm not ready to start the next kayak, yet.
User avatar
Its Me
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 12:21 pm

Post by Its Me »

As a follow-up, has anyone ever mixed an epoxied blade and an oiled shaft?

If you want an oiled shaft do you have to go with a solid wood paddle?
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by Doug »

its me;

"has anyone ever mixed an epoxied blade and an oiled shaft?"
I have used epoxy to laminate, wood pieces to make a paddle and then oiled it.

"If you want an oiled shaft do you have to go with a solid wood paddle?"
You can and I have.

Keep you paddles simple to start with.
I never fiberglass my paddles.
I do epoxy the tips of my paddles, though.


Doug
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
User avatar
Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
Contact:

Post by Bryan Hansel »

There would be no reason why you could epoxy the blade and oil the shaft and grip. I laminate with epoxy or Gorilla glue and oil.

I'm really drawn to Bending Branches new carbon blade guard. I'm thinking about doing something like it on my next one.
User avatar
Bassbug
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:09 pm
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Contact:

Post by Bassbug »

Bryan,

Carbon blade guard? Tell me more about howyou plan to do this?
User avatar
hoz
Posts: 201
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by hoz »

I haven't seen BB new carbon blade guard. But I mix epoxy/graphite/cabosil and build a new edge on my Black Rec Zaveral every year. I have also used this concoction on someof my wooden paddles edges.
someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar
User avatar
Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
Contact:

Post by Bryan Hansel »

I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to do it yet. I'll have to experiment a bit to see if I can come up with something that works, but I was thinking something like hoz said, with a carbon fiber wrap over the mix. I need to head to the store and get a really good look at their blade guard again. When I tested the Viper prototype, I really liked the look and it addressed an issue I had with their other paddles vs. ones from other brands. I doubt that I had anything to do with the change, but I mentioned that I though BB needed to address this issue to the BB rep, and then they started doing the carbon guard on the paddle.
User avatar
hoz
Posts: 201
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by hoz »

On a couple of my paddles I have laid a kevlar felt tip. Once you get a thin sliver cut it is easy to lay on. Rock hard and bombproof.
someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by Doug »

Greetings,

When I have cut out may paddle blank, I cut (with a hand saw) a deep groove, where the end of the blade tip will be.
The groove is about 1/8 - 1/4 inch wide and 3/4 inch deep.
I then duct tape to seal the groove, all but a small opening at the top of the (upside down paddle) blade.
I then have a rouph mold.
I then pour epoxy into the blade tip / mold.
Watch for about an hour as the epoxy as it will settle out.
Let it cure for about two days.

Use the epoxy tip as your center line and make your paddle.

Happy paddleing,
Doug
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
User avatar
Bassbug
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:09 pm
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Contact:

Post by Bassbug »

I've applied epoxy tips on paddles by creating a dam of Play-doh around the finished blade. On my website you can see how I did it (http://bluestempaddler.com/canoe_paddle - see the epoxy tip link). However even with microfiber thickening and wood flour, the tip has chipped (but it has never come apart from the blade). I visited with the maker of Cricket Design paddles (Mike Jones) about edging material and he recommended dynel - he applied 8-12 layers of dynel on the tip and around the edge. I've yet to try this however. The "pouring" method seems less complicated than trying to lay thin strips of fabric.

Hey hoz, how did you cut thin strips of kevlar? - Did you apply multiple layers of kevlar, or just one?
User avatar
hoz
Posts: 201
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by hoz »

I used kevlar felt, the same stuff they make skid plates from. I have heard it is hard to cut but I use a regular pair of Fiskars scissors (orange plastic handles,used to belong to my wife ) :big grin and they cut the felt and even the fabric. I have also used a straight edge and a single edged razor blade to cut small slivers up to 1/8 an inch thick.

I took a piece about 1/4 and molded it to the edge of a algonquin design. The wood is ash and on casual inspection you cna hardly tell it is there.
someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar
User avatar
Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
Contact:

Post by Bryan Hansel »

Bassbug, that's a great use of playdoh! Isn't there a recipe for making homemade playdoh out there somewhere? I remember making it as a kid.
Post Reply