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Welcome to our DIY instructions for creating one of our most popular canoe paddles: The Danube. We've tried to lay this out for you step-by-step, but we've created so many paddles at this point that many steps seem to happen automatically. If we overlooked something and/or if you have questions, then contact us!
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Our paddle making process always starts with the shaft. After we cut the shafts to length, we then trim them down to 1" x 1" widths, We make sure to leave enough room for the blade (28") and grip (5"), and we then route between on all for sides using a roundover bit.
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We played around a few times with wood species on this paddle and ultimately decided on using Walnut, Maple, Honduran Mahogany, Red Oak, White Oak, and Paela.
The pieces are cut at varying lengths and 9/16" (W) x 3/4" (T).
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The puzzle building begins! Row...by row...by row. This step requires nothing more than some good ole patience. Oh, and a lot of clamps from side-to-side and top-to-bottom. Adequate and careful clamping is perhaps the most important step in making this paddle. If you're not careful, you will end up with gaps between your joints.
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Voilà...
...now you have a 4 lb Danube!
Lets figure out how to tidy it up a bit...
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Paddle-making life is made much easier with a bandsaw. If you're not fortunate enough to own one of these guys, then pull out your jigsaw. If you're really unfortunate (or old fashioned), then pull out your trusty ole handsaw.
As for your blade shape, you can probably find a template online. You can also use one of your old paddles or you can create your own template using cardboard. Our ottertail blades typically measure 5.5" (W) x 28" (L). Just make sure to cut outside your lines so you have room to even things out during the final carving.
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Time to introduce one of our favorite dustmakers: the handheld power planer.
Our blade halves usually begin between 3/4" and 1" in thickness. It is always a good idea to draw a center line down the edge of each blade half for reference and symmetry. After several passes with the power planer, we are left with approximately a 1/4" thick paddle and a big pile of wood shavings. Careful though, you don't want to take too much off at this point because there is no going back after one little slip....
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The Grip
At Winnebago Paddles, we pride ourselves in making intricate grip laminations and unique designs. If you're just starting out though, grip construction takes a certain amount of creative vision and a bit of practice. We suggest you take your time, try some new things, and learn from your mistakes....it worked for us!
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This design is for an asymmetrical grip. We start by adding a 1" (W) x 2.5" (L) x 3/8" (T) laminated block of walnut to the front of the grip.
After the glue dries, clean up the sides through the table saw. Unlike the majority of our designs, the grip halves of the Danube are easy. All this step takes is adding some solid walnut blocks to either side of the shaft. These blocks should measure 1.5" (W) x 4" (L) x 1.25" (T).
After the glue has dried, trim off the top of the grip. This will create a flat surface for the top lamination. When deciding how much to trim off, make sure you take into consideration the overall desired length of your paddle and the 3/4" thick grip top you're adding in the next series of steps. NOTE: These steps are where attention to detail pays off. Try to use blocks from the same walnut lumber you cut the shaft so you're matching the coloration and the grain. |
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There is no getting around it; this step is tedious.
Start by creating miniature blocks of your six species at varying lengths. The other dimensions should be 1/4" (W) x 3/4" (T). **This is a good place to remind our readers about safety. Using a miter saw to chop very small pieces like this is....dangerous. There are several jigs available on the internet to improve the safety and quality of small cuts on a miter and we suggest investing time into building one or money into buying something. We use a very simple handmade zero clearance jig (pictured on the left) that has made all the difference. After your pieces are cut, lay them out to fit the top of your grip. Now add some glue and clamps. Once your glue dries, clean up at least one side of your top so you're gluing a flat, even surface. Now add some more glue and clamp away! |
Back to that handy bandsaw!
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Again, find a template available online or make one that suits your needs!
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Now for some real fun...this homemade drum sander is our pride and joy. The drum is 18" wide with a 10" diameter, which gives us plenty of room for carving. Check it out in action and you'll see why we love it so much!
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In addition to using this handmade drum sander, we also use a pneumatic drum sander, a spindle sander, and a belt sander to bring the paddle to its final shape and thickness. We are aiming for between 1/8" to 3/16" thickness at the tip of the blade at this point. Check your weight along the way and aim for something that is 1lb 12oz or lighter, if possible.
NOTE: Many others use hand tools like a draw knife, spokeshave, or block plane for carving. Those are nice, but we like power tools....a lot.
NOTE: Many others use hand tools like a draw knife, spokeshave, or block plane for carving. Those are nice, but we like power tools....a lot.
I hope you like sanding because it's time to get dusty and finish smoothing everything out...
First, we even out any bumps with an orbital.
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Next, we aim for symmetry and nicely rounded over edges by using some hand files
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Finally, we hand sand the paddle from top to bottom progressing from 80 grit to 400 grit. Some might think this is overkill, but we think it's important for a few different reasons:
- It helps with the removal of any leftover scratches from the abrasive paddle thinning process.
- It begins to seal the wood grain. As outlined below, we use epoxy resin/hardener to finish sealing the wood and to build a protective shell. We try to make our paddles as lightweight as possible and, therefore, want to limit the absorption to some extent.
- NOTE: it's a different ballgame when we're applying a natural finish because the paddle NEEDS the oil to penetrate it's surface for adequate protection.
- It makes it feel SO smooth afterwards!!
Finishing
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We don't fiberglass all of our paddles, but it's never a bad idea with this many joints. We use 4oz fiberglass on both sides of the paddle.
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Start with a thin coat of epoxy resin and hardener over the entire paddle. This saturates the paddle and creates a nice tacky surface for the fiberglass to lay.
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Before the coat of epoxy begins to cure, carefully lay on the fiberglass and begin wetting out the cloth while eliminating any pockets and ripples in the fiberglass. Continue to add epoxy at this point until you have a full coat covering the fiberglassed blade.
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At this point in the finishing process, you should still be able to easily recognize the weave of the fiberglass. Once you add 2-3 more epoxy filler coats, this weave will become barely visible. Filler coats are nothing more than additional light coats of epoxy that settle into the remaining spaces of the fiberglass weave to create a more uniform surface.
Time between each coat varies by manufacturer, so consult your material instructions. We wait about 24 hours between coats at this stage.
Time between each coat varies by manufacturer, so consult your material instructions. We wait about 24 hours between coats at this stage.
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After 2-3 epoxy filler coats....
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Trim the excess fiberglass with a razor.
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After your final coat of epoxy, we allow 72 hours for the epoxy to cure. In our opinion, this is a minimum requirement because epoxy will continue to cure for weeks following application. We find the 72 hours to be an ideal hardness to sand smooth.
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When sanding your paddles at this stage, it's important to obtain as uniform of a surface as possible. Your goal is to remove any epoxy runs, drips, or drools WITHOUT disrupting the underlying fiberglass cloth - now you see the importance of those filler coats!
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Bet you thought we'd never get to this stage, but it's finally time to varnish!
We use Epifanes high gloss spar varnish and found the following application method to be most successful:
We apply a minimum of 4 coats and allow for approximately 24 hours between applications. |
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And for the final step, apply some car wax. Yup, you read that right....car wax.
Head out to your garage to grab some good ole fashion car wax and apply according to the written instructions. Wax on, wax off = ultimate shine. |
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Nothing left now but to enjoy . . .
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Not enough time to invest in a DIY project right now? No worries, let us make one for you:
Danube (made-to-order).
Danube (made-to-order).
If you give it a go, send us some pictures when you're finished and we will add it to our website!
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