does anyone know the best way to get the plastic blades off the shaft? Or if it can even be done?
I would like to shorten two of the above mentioned ones (for WW usage) by removing the blades. then cutting the shaft and glueing the blades back on again.
Thanks in advance
JackL
Does that paddle have a metel shaft?
That’s metal ..
I’ve cut the blade off a FG shaft and then used a Dremel to grind the old shaft out of the paddle blade and then epoxied it back together... worked fine.
On a metal shaft, heating the shaft may loosen the blade. I have not done this so....?
Yes it ia an aluminum tube with
some sort of black coated plastic looking material over it.
I toyed with the idea of heating it but I was wondering if any one else had any other thoughts.
thanks,
jackL
Twisted
My husband shortened one of these paddles for me, and from what he can remember he just twisted the blades and pulled them off. He then cut the shafts and glued and rivited the blades back on.
We have a three of these paddles, and the blades of the newer one (the one he shortened) appear to fit inside the shaft. On the older ones, the blades appear to fit over the shaft. Depending on what iteration you have, his method may or may not work for you. For what it’s worth, the newer one does not seem as well-constructed as the older ones.
Hope this helps.
Sue
Is it a one peice?
Why not get a new one?
Why not get a new one to the proper length? If money is an issue you could probably get one on ebay. My reasoning is one of safety. What if your modification failed on you at a critical time then it’s not worth the savings you would get. Just a thought.FishHawk
Two Piece
I already shortened one of them by cutting about an inch off where they mate together and then drilling a new hole(s) for the button to snap into, but I want to shorten them even more.
jackL
No, these at one time were our best ,
but now they are just beater paddles, and they are just too long for WW.
I appreciate your concern though.
Cheers,
JackL
Jack
It seems to my the easiest and safest way would be to keep cutting from the middle. It wil keep the integrity of the bond at the blade. You won’t have to worry about that aspect.
JT in Central Florida
heat it
i used a heat gun on a voyager paddle that had a aluminum shaft, i taped a piece of cardboard on the flat part of the blade on both sides, heated the shaft where it went in the blade, then stuck the blade in a vice, tighten a little and the shaft twisted right out, cut off and reglued with epoxy, haven’t had any problem with it.
It must have been a different paddle
I put it in a vise and tried to twist it, and I’ll end up tearing the black coating off the shaft or breaking the blade before it will twist.
JackL
I’ll try the heat method and see what
happens.
Thanks,
JackL
I can only take one more inch
off the middle, before I run out of space, and I want to take about five inches off.
JackL
You were right Loonytick
I tried the heat method on the blade and I am sure the blade would have snapped before anything moved.
As a last resort I took another look at the middle like you said.
I ended up removing the spring loaded snap button and drilling a new hole for it as close as I could to where the two ends butt. Then I cut six inches of the other end and drilled a new hole to match the button, and it came out perfect.
I did two of them.
I can’t believe we used to use those 240cm paddles.
Thanks everyone for you various suggestions.
JackL
Paddle chompin’
Jack,
I’d like to do the same with some old paddles of mine. Sounds like you took several inches of the male end.
How much overlap do you have when the two halves are put together? Did you significantly lessen the lenght of this area? If so, how does it feel in use?
Thanks,
T
No I took it off the female end
I took six inches off.
If these Harmony paddles didn’t have that oval shaped portion on the shaft, it looks like I could have taken as much as I wanted to.
I still have the same amount of male as I did before, so the paddle is just as strong.
If your paddle is the same type, e-male me and I’ll give you step by step what I did.
If yours is strictly round on both shafts you won’t even have to move the button. - Just cut off from the female end the amount you want and then match both up where they will butt together and drill a new hole in the female end for the button.
JackL