My new greenland paddle

It’s as Joe O said…I am slightly addicted.

I’m using old trial and error method,picking different woods and trying em out. Did a solid paddle out of walnut,bit heavy but beautiful…sorta like some women I have dated.haha.Anyway drop me a line and tell me what you think.You can post anon on my page as well.



Cheers

Abduk

http://awholebunchofings.blogspot.com/2009/11/walnut-greenland-paddle-complete.html

maybe a little big
I find walnut a nice wood to work with, as a furnituremaker. It’s certainly heavier than cedar or pine, but about middle of the pack for hardwoods. Even so, I think your weight of over 4 pounds for the finished paddle is quite excessive. Perhaps you’ve left things a little too fat? I’m by no means an expert paddlesmith, so I’ll let others give you specific shaping advice, but I’d guess there are some areas that could use some slimming.



I can’t imagine you’ll want to use a four pound paddle for very long.

Very pretty
Maybe next time laminate walnut edges with cedar?

You’re right…heavy, but lovely.

– Last Updated: Nov-28-09 10:17 PM EST –

I'm curious about the actual dimensions. It may just be the camera angle, but it looks like a pretty long loom relative to the blade length (almost analogous to a Betsie Bay type paddle than what I might see as being more "traditional").

To reference my curiosity/comment...

My currently favorite GP is 84" LOA, with 33" blades, and an 18" loom. I have an old Betsie Bay that is also 84" LOA, but the blades are only about 30" each, and the loom is about 24".

Do you have really broad shoulders and/or beamy boat? Or does the picture itself just make the dimensions look a bit different than they really are? In any event, a very nice looking paddle. Thanks!

Melissa

thank you very much guys
I have zero wood working skills period.you can check out my ikea tv stand I put together in my last project report on my blog lol.



Thanks for the wood info Nate.It’s something I am trying to read up on between paddling ,projects,and normal life.And as per I never find the time.Your right I could have trimmed down the Loom and shoulders a bit to drop a bit of weight.However once I held it,it felt just right.



haresfur,yeah I have a bunch of walnut strips left over,and cedar is pretty cheap here in ontario from what I have been told.thats the plan for a future project for sure.thanks again for the kind words



hey mel!

The total length I measured 1 fathom and one cubit which turned out to be 78 inches.24 inch loom is my relaxed grip.So its 27 inch blades.(p.s I had to use a calculator…one too many scotch!

Im paddling a Whiskey 16 by Point 65 which is 22" width.Again thanks for the kind words.



Next paddle I will try and put the weight and beauty together.



Again guys thanks for the kind words,I figure I got years to perfect it anyway.And what a way to beat the winter blaahs!






Beautiful
I don’t know the width of the blades but based on the length I predict that would make a very nice ‘upwind’ paddle. If I wuz you, and sometimes I think I am, I wood also make a ‘downwind’ paddle. You’re going to carry two anyway, right? I’d go 84 inches with a slightly shorter loom. Western Red Cedar. Two cadences to choose from.

Addictive is right!
There is rarely a day goes by now that I

m not out in my shop working on paddles. Just finished off a Storm Paddle yesterday (for a guy in California) and 2 more Rolling Sticks.



Your new paddle is very pretty. To lighten it up a bit though, as Haresfur said, maybe try laminating hardwood edges onto a cedar core. I’ve done that on a few that I wanted tougher edges on. You should be able to get it down to 2 lbs or under easily enough.



When are you starting your next one?



Cheers…Joe O’

http://www.joeoblenis.com/

Cheers
yeah Kudzu I think it would work as such.I’m still experimenting around which seems to be the norm with anyone who bothers trying to make their own lol. Cedar it is for the next project for sure.



joe o I’ should be starting tomorrow night after getting home from Algonquin park.I couldn’t find red cedar down here would yellow be just as good?Less rot resistant I guess eh?

I got a pile of walnut left over,What type of glue you guys use for lamination for paddles?Pretty generic question but I’m sure there is good stuff,and some to stay away from.



And here’s a question I couldn’t find an answer to.Maybe my google-fu is lacking.



What wood was traditional paddles made out of? I would assume certain woods were prevalent as the type that was washing up on Greenland shores?



Spent the day lookin after me boys and after finding a wood burner downstairs started seeing what I could put onto wood.



If nothing else I may start putting a very small caribou with a number inside it to number my paddles.

http://awholebunchofings.blogspot.com/2009/11/wonders-of-basement.html

GP’s
Most greenland paddles (GP’s) are made from western red cedar, light, fairly strong for it’s weight and generally cheap. Traditionally they say they used to use Oregon Pine. No trees in Greenland to pick from so you used what washed up on the shores.



Bill H.

Glue
My buddy used some stuff that claimed to be waterproof. It failed. Regular, cheap carpenter’s glue worked.

perfect
Good to hear the old cheap stuff work’s.I’ll drop by the shop and get a few extra clamps as well.

Any suggestion on clamp types to use?I have come C clamps but don’t think they’ll work well.

glue
Problem with most waterproof glues is they require perfect joints and considerable clamping pressure for the glue to work. Epoxy doesn’t require either. I tend to use Titebond II though, it’s easy and cheap doesn’t require perfect joints (only pretty good) and only needs light clamping pressure.



Bill H.

cheer’s bill
I have never used epoxy, however sounds like I may have to go experiment with that as well.


practicing a little
before I start on my lamination job.Cant seem to find the wood I want here in my area.So I’m still deciding on a compromise between weight and price.Anyway I figured I would try out a few new animal patterns for the future paddle…with varying results.



http://awholebunchofings.blogspot.com/2009/12/practicing-paddle-pyrography-pictures.html

hey
griffin800 do you have a source for them being made out of Oregon pine?



(this medium sucks sometimes to communictae with.I’m not disagreeing as I have no idea.)



Or if anyone else has a source of what the traditional paddle was made from?

Next time I’m out east Im gonna carve one out of something I find on my beach.



Thanks in advance for the sources!