I would love to make a paddle! Put some of those skills learn in wood working, and my Furniture design coarse to work!
Maybe do a nice jarrah inlay, with the grain going through for best strength and stiffness,
hmmm going to have to think about this one...
to try and wiast alot of supplies while doing so, or not to try
any tips for some one who is "thinking" of making a paddle?
Keep thinking and when the picture is clear, build it, then learn from your mistakes.
Jarrah being a hardwood, with a density of 850kg, compared to balsa of 110kg which is what I use...Hmmm
Rod
Yer i would go with something like Balsa or Paulownia
We use Paulownia for the blades we make.
Here are some of the finishing images, I'm going to use the paddle before the final spray coat tommorrow.
The paddle, sanding finished, in the spray room.
The spray racks with the paddle spray jigs in place.
A closeup of the paddle spray jig.
The paddle set up on the spray jigs and ready for spraying with acrylac paint. I don't use two-pack urethanes because of the Isocyanates in them.
The first spray coat on the face side. The paddles get sprayed twice and sanded with 320 dry rub paper in between the spray coats.
Closeup of the first coat on the blade face
My fast drying paint tool.
The first spray coat on the chilli side
Closeup of the chilli fabric with the first spray coat
After tommorrows test paddle I'll write a small biased report in the review section..
Rod
Great stuff Rod. I was telling Woogie Marsh who I work with and is chief test pilot and consultant on the Penetrator about you and being a paddle craftsman himself he told me to check out your paddles. Woogie makes KiaKaha paddles, a lot of them and was suitably impressed with your efforts. I was wondering have you ever thought of giving Western Red Ceder a go for the shaft? We use it quite often for yacht hulls, great longditudinal strength, lightweight and it loves epoxy. Wrapped with a single 4oz. plainweave, placed diagonally to the shaft sounds like it could work well to me. Run this down into your balsa cored carbon blade cover one side with that sweet chilli fabric and presto, one hot paddle!!!!
Bear in mind I've never made a paddle and this was just a thought. Thanx for the offer of a beer or two next time Im passing by, after checkin' what you're up to just try and keep me away. By the way what do you mean 50? you look exactly the same as 20 years ago. Cheers, Stuey
Yeah there are lots of ways to build things. I imported balsa a few years back for kiteboards and have plenty of leftover blanks. I use uni carbon on the shaft which works really well with balsa and supplies the flex response and takes care of the tensile and compression loads. I would have to buy in red cedar, I actually have some in my wood pile but it is too short to use for paddle shafts. The balsa, carbon has really worked well for me over the past couple of years, traditional and progressive construction.
I tried out the paddle in the pics this morning, went out in the beach breaks with a 3foot swell from the north and about a 12kt northerly, loved the xtra flex. I will review it later this weekend, mind you just my opinoins
I'll probably be up you way in early Oct, my wifes father lived at Buderim, we have some stuff to do up there in the old house, I'll bring the fleet up and go for a paddle.
Rod
Some more paddle images, these are of the finish painting sequence.
The face of the blade fine sanded with 320 dry rub
The final gloss spray coat has been applied in this image. compare this shot to the earlier one of the single coat, this one has a higher gloss and more lustrous finish.
The chilli side ready to spray for the second time
The final spray coat on the chilli side
I have used this new paddle for about 5 hours now and I am getting used to the flex and how to control the thinner shaft. I will do a review this week. But right now I'm playing around with bluetack, I am using it to change the face shape of the paddle. This is why I chose a neutral flat plane for this blade.
Rod
great work rod,i've seen fabric used on fins before and thinking of doing something similar on a windsurf fin i am making at the moment.what is best to use,cotton nylon,etc or doesnt it matter?
Hi UK, yes it gives a lot more power, but the handle is a little thick for a positive grip. My thumb also wants to tuck under like with a Tgrip. I have worked out what I want for the next one, going to pump it out this week before going on hols.
Rod
Hi pirrad, any fabric works as long as the resin does not dissolve the fabric.
Just make sure you put those roving edges around the blade.
Rod
Hi rod
When making outrigger blades I would put rovings around the edge of the blade, but in regards to sup blades I prefer to not use the rovings therefore the blade will not have that hard sharp edge and won't damage the board.
Clarky
Hi Clarky, I think I make my rails tough enough to withstand the most vigorous rail basher, I learn't this lesson a couple of years ago . I loaned my board and it came back with dings in the rails, dings, I could not believe it.!!
The same guy bashed crap out of, and dinged the blade as well!!
Rod
