And so it begins. My last project before the sailing season starts is to build a pair of oars for my John Welsford navigator Arwen.
After consulting JW about appropriate oar lengths for a navigator, I managed to obtain some plans for a 9'6" pair of oars. Then it was time to search down some appropriate timber which proved far harder to obtain than I realised. I needed three planks 19mm x 184mm x 3150mm, either pine, spruce, ash or Douglas fir.
Wow, timber is pricey. After getting lots of quotes from practically every timber yard and sawmill in south west England, along with visiting local reclamation yards as well, I eventually went to an old friend from long ago, John Moody, in Modbury. He supplied lots of the original timber when Arwen was built nine years ago and he happened to also give me the best price quote for planed wood. I could get it cheaper rough sawn but sadly not knowing anyone with a thicknesser or planer, and not having these things myself, I needed someone to cut and plane it to correct dimensions.
The plans are Chesapeake Light Craft ones and duly arrived last week from Fyne boats in Cumbria, here in the UK. A detailed manual with measurements and instructions, and for me, very helpfully, photographs. West epoxy was bought locally and I just need to get some 406 filler.
My bandsaw has almost finally given up the ghost - I got it third hand and it has provided sterling service. A quick consultation with John and I decided that I would invest in a new jigsaw rather than bandsaw. There is still life in the old bandsaw but not enough to accurately cut very long planks. John suggested it would be manageable with a jigsaw. Time will tell. A trip to Screwfix and discussion with some carpenter friends I know on local building sites and I came away from Screwfix with a MacAllistar 600W wee-beastie which had lots of recommendations and reviews.
So now I just need to get a spokeshave or a drawknife. Amazing how I have not yet managed to acquire such useful woodworking tools, but there we go. So some internet research is needed over next few nights. Block planes, rasps, sharpening stones - all present.
It has been an interesting three hours in the garage this afternoon. I started by creating thick cardboard template patterns - thinking this would be the best way forward, but surprisingly, it didn't work that well. I didn't really think it through properly but joining up the various bits of card to form the long loom didn't quite go right. So, having wasted forty minutes, I started again by turning over the plank and then marked out all the stations again. One complete oar marked out, I then discovered I didn't quite have enough room to fit the loom of the other oar alongside!
!&*%+£"^%* - a few mild curses and having just wasted another fifty minutes, I started again on a second plank and this time managed to fit both oars alongside each other. Just! A jigsaw blade separates the neighbouring looms!
I always find fruit and nut chocolate and copious amounts of hot tea help in such 'lofting out' circumstances. Having failed my maths O Level five times, I have always been mathematically challenged!
Now I have to wait for the temperature to rise before starting the epoxying of the three planks together. West Epoxy, so the instructions say, requires a temp higher that 15C - my cold garage is around 7C and even with a heater on it will barely get to 15C. I have to be careful using heater, flood lights etc in the garage as it is below the main house - so I tend to work in it in a state of paranoia.
So, for now, I will read the manual several times, sharpen the tools, sort out the garage so that I can cut the long planks more easily and assemble clamps and little plywood clamp pads.
If any one reading this has any suggestions for a good finish for a pair of oars, let me know via the comment box below. Thanks
Arwen's current oars are only 7'6" long and so rowing her is an exercise in patience
After consulting JW about appropriate oar lengths for a navigator, I managed to obtain some plans for a 9'6" pair of oars. Then it was time to search down some appropriate timber which proved far harder to obtain than I realised. I needed three planks 19mm x 184mm x 3150mm, either pine, spruce, ash or Douglas fir.
Wow, timber is pricey. After getting lots of quotes from practically every timber yard and sawmill in south west England, along with visiting local reclamation yards as well, I eventually went to an old friend from long ago, John Moody, in Modbury. He supplied lots of the original timber when Arwen was built nine years ago and he happened to also give me the best price quote for planed wood. I could get it cheaper rough sawn but sadly not knowing anyone with a thicknesser or planer, and not having these things myself, I needed someone to cut and plane it to correct dimensions.
The plans are Chesapeake Light Craft ones and duly arrived last week from Fyne boats in Cumbria, here in the UK. A detailed manual with measurements and instructions, and for me, very helpfully, photographs. West epoxy was bought locally and I just need to get some 406 filler.
My bandsaw has almost finally given up the ghost - I got it third hand and it has provided sterling service. A quick consultation with John and I decided that I would invest in a new jigsaw rather than bandsaw. There is still life in the old bandsaw but not enough to accurately cut very long planks. John suggested it would be manageable with a jigsaw. Time will tell. A trip to Screwfix and discussion with some carpenter friends I know on local building sites and I came away from Screwfix with a MacAllistar 600W wee-beastie which had lots of recommendations and reviews.
So now I just need to get a spokeshave or a drawknife. Amazing how I have not yet managed to acquire such useful woodworking tools, but there we go. So some internet research is needed over next few nights. Block planes, rasps, sharpening stones - all present.
It has been an interesting three hours in the garage this afternoon. I started by creating thick cardboard template patterns - thinking this would be the best way forward, but surprisingly, it didn't work that well. I didn't really think it through properly but joining up the various bits of card to form the long loom didn't quite go right. So, having wasted forty minutes, I started again by turning over the plank and then marked out all the stations again. One complete oar marked out, I then discovered I didn't quite have enough room to fit the loom of the other oar alongside!
!&*%+£"^%* - a few mild curses and having just wasted another fifty minutes, I started again on a second plank and this time managed to fit both oars alongside each other. Just! A jigsaw blade separates the neighbouring looms!
I always find fruit and nut chocolate and copious amounts of hot tea help in such 'lofting out' circumstances. Having failed my maths O Level five times, I have always been mathematically challenged!
Now I have to wait for the temperature to rise before starting the epoxying of the three planks together. West Epoxy, so the instructions say, requires a temp higher that 15C - my cold garage is around 7C and even with a heater on it will barely get to 15C. I have to be careful using heater, flood lights etc in the garage as it is below the main house - so I tend to work in it in a state of paranoia.
So, for now, I will read the manual several times, sharpen the tools, sort out the garage so that I can cut the long planks more easily and assemble clamps and little plywood clamp pads.
If any one reading this has any suggestions for a good finish for a pair of oars, let me know via the comment box below. Thanks
4 comments:
Oar finish. I carve mine out of solid timber, without glue, so no UV protection is required. I like oiled looms, painted blades, and bare grips. White paint on the end grain of the grips to make them more visible, keeps me from poking myself in the face much. You might have to varnish your looms to protect the epoxy from UV degradation. Epiphanes holds up very well, it's worth the price they charge.
I paint my blades hull colour, with a chevron in the middle that matches the boat's trim. Petit's Brightside single part polyurethane sets hard and lasts a long time. I've also used cheap oil based paint (Rustoleum brand here in the U.S.A.) from the hardware store, needs yearly re-doing.
Hey Glenn - great minds think alike - I was thinking painting blades same colour as the sheer strip on Arwen, and also the square counterweight section higher up loom same colour; then leaving handles bare. Like the white tip idea on end grain though. Was considering epoxy covering and then several coats of varnish.
Alternative is soaking everything except grips in Le Tonkinois as well.
see what alternatives others suggest as well - but certainly like the splash of colour and matching it to hull bit. thanks for the tips - much appreciated
Steve
I carved my Kayak paddles from timber like yours.
At the tip of the blades I epoxied some glass rovings (could also be a bunch of fibers from glass weaving) to prevent them from splitting.
Just over the end grain, so almost invisible. It adds some abrasion resistance, too.
/Thomas.
hi Thomas - that is a really useful tip - Love the idea - thank you for sharing
Steve
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