Making A Pretty Good Canoe Paddle

[@davidrobins7753]

A lot of hard work with two beautiful canoe paddles. Thank you.

[@smackerlacker8708]

This guy has an expensive bandsaw, but he cuts this by hand because he's a woodworker. I dig that. Very groovy.

[@marshallmurrell4583]

I made a pair of paddles for my son awhile back. I used ash for the shaft, and a combination of walnut, cedar and purple heart for the blades and handles. I don't recommend purple heart for such a project. Although the finished product is beautiful, I had a lot of issues with tear out. It is hard to work, even with spokeshave and sandpaper. At any rate, I now have templates for four different styles of paddles. I relied heavily on the book by Graham Warren and David Gidmark. I went to school on the ones I made. I would look forward to making more for someone. Some things I would do differently next time.

[@MyName-tb9oz]

I once knew a guy who made harps out of purple heart. They were, of course, stunningly beautiful. This was a pretty interesting video. I liked how he put the rod in the handle and the strip in the tip to prevent splitting. i thought it was a bit strange that he left the center of the blade raised. I've never seen anything like that before. It doesn't seem like a very good idea, honestly, since it would create a lot of turbulent flow across the blade during a lot of strokes other than just a draw.

[@johnbesharian9965]

This is an amazing project and presentation of it. First thing I thought of when I saw the link's image was "Ron Armstrong". He was the major third of the ownership of Stars Guitars in San Francisco, CA. and he was always thinking of new projects to make using the same principles that were used on Neck-Through-The-Body string instruments. One of the things about the construction is Book Matching the components so that as they moved with the moisture content of the environment, they would counter act one another. [Put your hands together as if you were praying, now open them keeping your outside (little finger) edges together and you'll see what I mean.] Great demonstration of hand tool work. Almost a lost art these days. Bye the by, the sound track is absolutely perfect. I'm a former professional musician and this one is just wonderful. Thank you. Oh, yes, I was also the Guitar Doctor at Stars.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for you kind words and suggestions.

[@idkthatxool749]

Looks like it would feel so nice in my hands. 😊

[@therealsparkman]

Now that's what you call handcrafted! Very nice work. Love your skills and jig ideas. Cheers!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@DobruchT]

Master at work. Thank you!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@ChathamJackTar]

Superb. You amaze me.

[@troycongdon]

Cool video. I like the reinforcements you have shared. I was worried about short sections along the grain on the handle end and was thinking of layering like plywood to address the problem but I like your dowel solution more. Why did you choose two short sections instead of one through length of dowel?

[@epicweasley]

This is now on my future projects list. Thank you and let me also say that your channel is a goldmine😊

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@peterbarlow8912]

My antique single billet large diameter diagonal grain spruce Old Town paddles don’t have any varnish on the grips. It looks like they were dipped and hung at finishing

[@Hambone8771]

I'm inspired!!!! My goodness!😊

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@gregpeck6018]

Very nice work

[@sethwarner2540]

Pretty DAMN good, Ide say!! Or, just pretty!

[@JH-zs8xi]

Very nice canoe next

[@rcote1234]

Great job. Beautiful paddles!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@olrenison]

Beautiful paddles 👏

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@gnothisauton2116]

Love the build but it would be nice if you narrated over the top or used subtitles to explain what woods & finish you used, along with explanations for why you did things a certain way, such as using two short dowels instead of one long one.

[@flatlander6928]

Nice, sturdy looking paddles. 👍

[@ЕвгенийИванов-ч4м]

Очень красиво и интересно. Спасибо большое за работу)

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Пожалуйста.

[@bluesideup007]

The first video I just saw on your channel was the Harbor Freight Bench Plane redo. It was in my feed for a long time, but just prior to that I watched a bunch of vids on Greenland paddle making. As I was watching the bench plane vid I couldn't take my eyes off the paddles in the background. (especially the long one screen right). Nice job.

[@bluesideup007]

OK. Now after watching several more of your vids I see that's NOT a paddle. LOL! (and nice trick hammer on the router bit video)

[@WorkshopCompanion]

No it's a propeller to a 1903 Wright Flyer -- the first one that we actually flew. We build pioneer aircraft for museums worldwide when we aren't making videos.

[@PaweKrajewski]

Super! 😀👍

[@apexclanosrs6379]

holy cow. very impressive sir!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thank you.

[@mfait1]

Beautiful - I’d use the bandsaw though.

[@FAMAWoodworking]

Amazing job, congrats!!!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@taniarichards9832]

What do you use as a finish on your paddle?

[@atb2manboberconsulting744]

What is thickness of blade at center board? Trying to figure out taper at edges. Looks like about a 1/4” at edge - maybe 3/4 where glued to center shaft?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

You've got it. The center shaft is 1".

[@averymixon]

Just curious, what are the dimensions of the center shaft (the piece that everything else is glued onto)? Thanks! Beautiful work

[@WorkshopCompanion]

1" x 1" (or 25 mm x 25 mm if you live anywhere besides the US, Liberia, and Myanmar).

[@89bavaro89]

So there's no concave side to the lower part? I was going to make some paddles and I figured I'd make the paddle part alittle concave/convex. Would that not be good? Also would it be better to use a lighter weight hardwood or would it be to trivial a difference?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

The paddles I make have traditional dihedral flat blades. The blades are relatively flat -- there are no convex or concave surfaces except at the edges. They taper from from the root to the edge, and the flat surfaces are set at a small dihedral to one another. They are also symmetrical -- I plane the same flat dihedral on both sides so I don't have to worry about which way the blade is facing. If I were making a racing paddle, I might consider a concave/convex blade, but these are just for drifting down a river. I use maple and mahogany because strength is more important to me than weight. My river is shallow with a stony bottom -- the paddles are used for poling as much as they are for paddling. If I was fortunate enough to have a deep lake nearby, I probably would have used more traditional woods, such as basswood and red cedar. And the weight doesn't bother me. Weight becomes important when you spend long days on the water. But most of my trips are under three hours, so I barely notice a heavy paddle.

[@MyName-tb9oz]

@@WorkshopCompanion, I very much prefer a symmetrical paddle and I've been paddling for decades. Sure, you might get a little more power from a concave surface but that's also going to increase fatigue, and I'm not getting any younger.

[@jehowa5691]

I am wondering, what is the weight of these beautys? I want to build myself a custom paddle for Dragonboat but I am worried the paddle would become too heavy for fast race paddeling or not strong enough for the tension and break

[@WorkshopCompanion]

I dont know much about racing but I would think these paddles are a bit heavy for that. I think they would be plenty strong but now days there are probably better materials suited for racing. - Travis

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Tavis is right, way too heavy. And the wrong shape. See: www.zre.com/flatwater-paddles/

[@rachelwetherington177]

Is there a talk through/explanation for this video?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Not right now but maybe in the future if this video get alot more views - Travis

[@andreiaivjeweler8535]

do you use wood polish or oil?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Tung Oil with little spar urethane 1 cup tung oil to 1 tablespoon spar urethane.

[@chadnevels246]

Have those paddles been Stillwater River tested? If they can hold up in that water, then they should be able to withstand anything.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

That why we made them with the spine down the center -- extra strength. As you probably know, on the Stillwater you use you paddles as much for poling as paddling -- even more in August and September. Haven't baptized this specific set just yet; finish is barely dry.

[@chadnevels246]

​@@WorkshopCompanion Oh, I know all too well about poling on the Stillwater. Anytime I've gone canoeing I always have been stuck in the aft end, and had to be the rudder man. Somehow I've always been paired with someone didn't know how to steer a canoe. It really gives your wrists and forearms a workout though!

[@MyName-tb9oz]

OH, @@WorkshopCompanion! I was wondering about the spine! Now it makes sense! What kind of finish did you use?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

@@MyName-tb9oz Tung oil and spar urethane.

[@MyName-tb9oz]

Thanks! Was it 'pure' Tung oil, @@WorkshopCompanion? I was just watching another video about Tung oil and it seems that a lot of what is called, "Tung oil," might only be about 5% Tung oil. I'm guessing the answer is, "yes."

[@bebitonenita65]

Increíble

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thnks

[@vinfish4697]

Is there a real reason why are paddles are not made in Solid wood

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Nope. The stripes just look cool without decreasing the overall strength. In fact, they add to it very slightly -- the glue joints are stronger than the wood itself.

[@vinfish4697]

@@WorkshopCompanion thx! I have 12’ flat bottom jon boat and want to make oars

[@WorkshopCompanion]

@@vinfish4697 Muck luck to you with that.

[@joeystratner1902]

Holllllly fuck another good one !!!! Best channel on you tube 👍👍