scaup Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I think my daughter and I are going to make a couple of paddles this winter. Can anyone tell me about some good, "how to material"? Books and etc... Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quetico Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Contact the guys at the Northwest Canoe Company in St.Paul. They have everything you would need. They sell tons of books on building paddles, canoes and kayaks. They also offer course on building everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaup Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 I talked to one of the guys from Northwest Canoe Company. They did not have any refernece materials but were really helpfull in answering some questions I had. If I were going to build a canoe I would certainly take one of the classes offered by them. I ended up ordering a book from Piragis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quetico Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah I found them when I needed a replacement part for my Penobscot. They were extremely helpful. Getting the part from them cut to fit my canoe was fair cheaper then ordering the part directly from Old Town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovermn Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I don't usually stop in this forum, but man am I glad I did. I've been thinking about building some paddles for some time. Sounds like the place to go. Do they have a shop that's open to the public? I'd love to stop in sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quetico Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 Its a really small shop. They do tons of boat repairs and custom boats. They offer canoe and kayak building classes. Its run by 2 guys who really seem to know what they are doing. Yes, they do have a shop thats open to the public. Its a beast to find the bottom floor of a major building on the edge of downtown St.Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IFallsRon Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I built a set many years ago out of mahogany for the main shaft and birch and mahogany strips for the paddle and handle. Used a waterproof glue and left them clamped up for several days to cure. I cut them down with a block plane and finished up with the sanders. Be careful not to make the paddles too thin as they'll have no strength in the water. I think my startup stock was 1.5 x 3/4. I used a standard paddle as a template and made custom length from the ground to my chin for best efficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaup Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 I finished my first one a few weeks ago and have been glueing up 2 more for the kids. I just did the rough cut on them last night. I really enjoyed makeing the first one and I think it turned out pretty well. I used hackberry, maple and poplar. On the kids paddles I am using Hackberry, poplar and some aspen. The only thing I can't figure out is how to put an abraison resistant tip on the paddles to protect from the rocks in the BW.Any ideas would be really appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher03 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Could use some marine fiberglass cloth and resin to make them more resistant to abrasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny_redhorse Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Well,I can't say these 2 paddles in the photograph are anything that "special" but I carved em myself ...one from a redwood plank...the other from a white cedar plank....been useing em for about 5 years up in the Voyageur's Park(Grassy Bay).....no fancy bells and whistles on these guys but they certainly get the job done! ....if they break(which they aren't going to do)...just take an afternoon with the bandsaw,beltsander and make another one....no glueing invoved with this paddle project.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNice Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I wouldn't worry to much about the tip, I built this one about 4 or 5 yerars ago and have just been a little careful and it's held up great. [url=] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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