Yes, as the saying goes, with out a paddle.
The precise creek(or crick,if you say it wrong), has yet to be determined. One day, while messing about with my canoe, I came to the sudden and sharp realization that I had no way to propel the craft. Down stream would be OK, if a bit uncontrolled. Upstream, or flat water, I'd get nowhere, and fast. Yes, I had no canoe paddles, double bladed kayak paddles I got, several of them.
Trying to keep with in the spirit of this project, finding or making paddles was in order. I though of making them from scratch, but there would be a steep learning curve, with no guaranteed result, plus I would have to purchase wood.
I did have some old paddle parts from a past(and still on going) Folbot project. Perhaps they could be recycled into canoe paddles. They are heavy when used as a double paddle, which is why they are in parts. Plastic blades, with wood shaft half's, and aluminum ferrules. Why not, I thought, use those parts to make canoe paddles.
The plan was simple, make "T" style grips, attach them to one end of the shaft, really just a big dowel, and the blades to the other end, and BADA BING, paddles.
The precise creek(or crick,if you say it wrong), has yet to be determined. One day, while messing about with my canoe, I came to the sudden and sharp realization that I had no way to propel the craft. Down stream would be OK, if a bit uncontrolled. Upstream, or flat water, I'd get nowhere, and fast. Yes, I had no canoe paddles, double bladed kayak paddles I got, several of them.
Trying to keep with in the spirit of this project, finding or making paddles was in order. I though of making them from scratch, but there would be a steep learning curve, with no guaranteed result, plus I would have to purchase wood.
I did have some old paddle parts from a past(and still on going) Folbot project. Perhaps they could be recycled into canoe paddles. They are heavy when used as a double paddle, which is why they are in parts. Plastic blades, with wood shaft half's, and aluminum ferrules. Why not, I thought, use those parts to make canoe paddles.
The plan was simple, make "T" style grips, attach them to one end of the shaft, really just a big dowel, and the blades to the other end, and BADA BING, paddles.
I just happen to have a few short pieces of closet pole around that I could use for the handles, no need to buy any thing.
Here is how the planning went for the handle, I grabbed the closet pole, and marked off the width of my hands, then cut it to that length, plus a bit more. Then, using the belt sander, ground it into a rough foot ball shape. Then using the closest size forstner bit I have to the shaft, put a shallow hole in the handle. The hole was just deep enough for the whole edge of the shaft to fit inside. Of course, the handle required lots of hand sanding, with various grits to refine the shape, and make it smooth. Too bad there is no brush on stuff that would do that. The closet pole had darkened with age, so the parts that when sanded away are lighter in color, it adds more visual interest.
The shafts had been previously treated with spar varnish, and was the finish I'd use for the paddles, so they didn't get stripped. I'd had enough of that task. So they also got a good sanding through various grits. Exciting stuff.
The handle was glued and screwed to the shaft, with a plug covering the counter bore for the screw, more sanding with some filing thrown in for good measure.
Then the blade was added to the shaft for a dry fit. More f'n sanding, the fit was too tight so after varnish it might not fit. So I got it to fit OK, and it looked just plain, plain. It just looked like a couple hunks of would and a plastic blade. It needed something more, it needed, art.
The problem now, is that I can't draw. I can barely write legibly, let alone draw. My drawing skills stalled at the pre-school level. I graduated college with a minor in Fine Art, and had to take a drawing course. The teacher must have had pity, I passed. But drawing just ain't my thing. So where to get the art? Stickers, if I was in the third grade, maybe. Decals? The question of durability ruled them out.
Then one day, while passing my wife's stamping table on the way to get a beer from the fridge, I had a "DUH!" moment. You see, she is a stammper, she make greeting cards, and other stuff with rubber stamps. She has about 47 gajillion stamps. All sizes, and types. some are scenes, others are single subjects, letters, names, etc, you name it she has it. So the plan was to stamp the paddle shafts with stamps, and varnish over them for protection, both the wood and the designs. The only concern was if the solvent in the varnish would make the ink run or smear. So of course a test was in order. My wife suggested that I use a type of ink that was solvent based. So I prepared a scrap of wood, stamped on it, and varnished it. It looked fine, no smear or runs. Full speed ahead.
The next hurdle, which the stampnig expert wanred me about, was stamping on a round surface.
Well , that is a bridge to be burnt when I get to it.
I selected a dozen or so of the 83 gazillion stamps, I choose nature related stamps, got the ink set, and had at it. There where some issues with stamping on the curve, but nothing that turned into a big blob of ink. In fact they came out pretty good, all things considered.
Ok, step two was complete, now for the varnish. I had a can, or half a can of spar varnish in the garage. Had it for a few years, and it was good the last time I used it, so lets open it up and see what it looks like. It looked good, if good is a thick, hard layer of varnish. I figured if I poked it and got to the stuff underneath, it would be OK. It took some effort to poke holes in the hard stuff. The stuff underneath was just a bit thick, not quite a gel, but it was getting there. But, not wanting to buy a new can for a small project, it was given a good stirring. I got the brush, and hung the paddle shafts from wires with eye hooks, and applied a first coat. Did I mention the varnish was a bit thick? It dried OK, two days later, and got a light sanding and another coat. Just a bit thick. Dry in two days, sanding, and a third coat. I think that can of varnish is going to be retired.
The big day came, when the paddle blades would be joined to the shafts. One small screw holds them together, SS of course. The blades are big, at least they seem that way, and yellow, and plain, but that is another project for another day. The handle feels comfortable on the hard, we'll see how it feels after a day on the water.
So after building the suspense, and with out further ado, here they are.
One more thing, the two halfs of the paddle shaft weren't the same size, so one paddle is longer then the other. I don't think this is a big issue, as my wife and I would need different sized paddles anyway.
Expect a full review some time after the first paddle. I'm getting tired of seeing the boat and stuff surrounded by green, and brown, stuff. Time to get this finished and on the water. And since I haven't used it, here it is just for fun; athwart ships.
The problem now, is that I can't draw. I can barely write legibly, let alone draw. My drawing skills stalled at the pre-school level. I graduated college with a minor in Fine Art, and had to take a drawing course. The teacher must have had pity, I passed. But drawing just ain't my thing. So where to get the art? Stickers, if I was in the third grade, maybe. Decals? The question of durability ruled them out.
Then one day, while passing my wife's stamping table on the way to get a beer from the fridge, I had a "DUH!" moment. You see, she is a stammper, she make greeting cards, and other stuff with rubber stamps. She has about 47 gajillion stamps. All sizes, and types. some are scenes, others are single subjects, letters, names, etc, you name it she has it. So the plan was to stamp the paddle shafts with stamps, and varnish over them for protection, both the wood and the designs. The only concern was if the solvent in the varnish would make the ink run or smear. So of course a test was in order. My wife suggested that I use a type of ink that was solvent based. So I prepared a scrap of wood, stamped on it, and varnished it. It looked fine, no smear or runs. Full speed ahead.
The next hurdle, which the stampnig expert wanred me about, was stamping on a round surface.
Well , that is a bridge to be burnt when I get to it.
I selected a dozen or so of the 83 gazillion stamps, I choose nature related stamps, got the ink set, and had at it. There where some issues with stamping on the curve, but nothing that turned into a big blob of ink. In fact they came out pretty good, all things considered.
Ok, step two was complete, now for the varnish. I had a can, or half a can of spar varnish in the garage. Had it for a few years, and it was good the last time I used it, so lets open it up and see what it looks like. It looked good, if good is a thick, hard layer of varnish. I figured if I poked it and got to the stuff underneath, it would be OK. It took some effort to poke holes in the hard stuff. The stuff underneath was just a bit thick, not quite a gel, but it was getting there. But, not wanting to buy a new can for a small project, it was given a good stirring. I got the brush, and hung the paddle shafts from wires with eye hooks, and applied a first coat. Did I mention the varnish was a bit thick? It dried OK, two days later, and got a light sanding and another coat. Just a bit thick. Dry in two days, sanding, and a third coat. I think that can of varnish is going to be retired.
The big day came, when the paddle blades would be joined to the shafts. One small screw holds them together, SS of course. The blades are big, at least they seem that way, and yellow, and plain, but that is another project for another day. The handle feels comfortable on the hard, we'll see how it feels after a day on the water.
So after building the suspense, and with out further ado, here they are.
One more thing, the two halfs of the paddle shaft weren't the same size, so one paddle is longer then the other. I don't think this is a big issue, as my wife and I would need different sized paddles anyway.
Expect a full review some time after the first paddle. I'm getting tired of seeing the boat and stuff surrounded by green, and brown, stuff. Time to get this finished and on the water. And since I haven't used it, here it is just for fun; athwart ships.
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