Bird Mouth Shaft

[P Doug (WA)]

Ha, may be true, but my body doesn't work quite like it did 40 years ago. I can't see as well, can't concentrate as well, shake more and less coodrinated.... among other things that don't work as well as they use to.....

[Hirilonde]

Some times people who have been doing wood work for decades tend to be in total control yet it might look nuts to others...

No one is in total control, and thinking one is is even more dangerous.

[woodman]

You beter be in total controll or don't bother turning on the power to a shaper, arm saw, table saw etc....

[P Doug (WA)]

You beter be in total controll or don't bother turning on the power to a shaper, arm saw, table saw etc....

You are correct. I believe a person has to do it the way they feel most comfortable/safe with. I use some safey devices now that I didn't use to. More apt to make a jig or use feather boards or the Grr-ripper than I use to be just because I know my old body is a chang'n. Besides I love thinking up jigs and making them.

[Hirilonde]

You beter be in total controll or don't bother turning on the power to a shaper, arm saw, table saw etc....

Sorry, but total control is just not humanly possible and I will bother to turn on shapers, table saws etc.. I will stick with using push sticks, feather boards and jigs to avoid putting my fingers in harms way. It just isn't worth the risk to me. If you want to live under the illusion that you are always in total control that is your business.

[P Doug (WA)]

Well, I say enough said on that subject. We are here to make kayak ships. I have my paddles attached to my shaft. I put a fillet around them more for looks probably (and to cover mistakes) than any thing else. Now I have to do some sanding and then finish. Been busy painting/varnishing my kayak. Just finished the second coat on the bottom. Almost wish I had gone with glossy instead of satin. We too late now. I use the ZAR with ZAR mahogany stain mixed in. I forgot mahogany stain always comes out darker than I expected. It is a deep dried blood red color. I'm thinking it is okay. The top is...., well I'm not sure yet!

[DURRETTD]

Before we get off the topic of home-built paddles, I'd like to point paddle builders to http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-11136188. This is an excellent, brief discussion of blade shapes.

One of the reason's I like the article is the author's support for a flat blade. I use a flat sheet of Lexan for my blades and have not had problems with flutter. they're also tough and easy to build.

On the subject of hollow shafts: I use a router to hollow two strips of poplar then round them to produce a 1/4 inch wall. I epoxy them together with a thin (1/16 to 1/8 inch) web with lightening holes. The result is a light, strong, surprisingly stiff shaft. I leave the ends solid to provide more gluing surface. If you have access to a router, I believe you'll find this a simpler method of building shafts than the birds mouth. No comment on safety - you can maim yourself with a rubber hammer. We're all left to our own judgement and all comments about safety ought to be considered.

Dan

[Kudzu]

I find that article interesting for a totally different reason, absolutely no mention of the Greenland paddle.

[P Doug (WA)]

Dan you miss-understood me, I don't want to get off the topic of paddles in this thread, I want to get back to that subject and off the discussion of what is safe with tools and what is not. Thanks for the link.

[Hirilonde]

.... I want to get back to that subject and off the discussion of what is safe with tools and what is not. ....

This is fine, so do I. But when I see someone post that control can make up for safe practices and advocates this in a forum I will not sit back and not comment. Everyone has the right to take all the chances they want and use any technique they choose. But to suggest this is a clever idea in a public forum is just really bad and dangerous advice. Get mad at me all you want, I don't care.

[woodman]

Before we get off the topic of home-built paddles, I'd like to point paddle builders to http://sports.yahoo....ug=ycn-11136188. This is an excellent, brief discussion of blade shapes.

Dan

That is an interesting coincidence I built 2 of Gerald's boats...

http://www.theoldmansboats.com/

[P Doug (WA)]

I finished up the paddle today. Not too bad, but required a lot of sanding. Next on will be easier and better. Before I do another one of these I will make a Greenland, provided I can find a straight enough 2x4 around here.

I weighed this on my little Harbor Freight scale and it said it weighed 29.7 ounces. I don't have any idea how accurate that scale really is, but it does feel light.

[Hirilonde]

Looks good. Some time I will work on ways to get the weight down some but I doubt wood will ever get close to the feather weight of a carbon composite paddle. But unless you are racing or long distance touring I don't see that it matters all that much. And since one of the reasons I want to go kayaking is exercise it means I will get more in less time

[DURRETTD]

I find that article interesting for a totally different reason, absolutely no mention of the Greenland paddle.

Here's another good article on paddles that offers some interesting observations about Greenland paddles for anyone buying or building a paddle.

http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?616

My only problem with Greenland paddles is that they are typically much heavier than Euro-style paddles. I don't feel particularly more fatigued after a day of using a heavy Greenland, but I love the feel of a light paddle. One of these days I'll try building a hollow-shaft, light-weight Greenland. Has anyone out there tried this? How'd it work out?

Dan