Making oars

Laminated up some red cedar 1X6 boards (planed to 3/4) that I bought for 4 bucks each.

I'm in for 24 bucks. Not sure red cedar is an acceptable oar material but it was cheap. Used some oar plans I found for "culler style" oars. Bla nks are cut out and now it is down to shaping. Anyone ever make oars from red cedar?.......if nothing else i can sell the shavings for hamster bedding.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on December 19, 2012 at 7:38pm

Stephen, I'm not certain whether or not you might capture the hamster bedding business or not. Here's a link to the properties of Western Red Cedar that might help you decide what to do:http://www.matbase.com/material/wood/class2-15-25-years/western-red...

You can look on there and compare to other woods and see what you want to do. Perhaps spruce, Douglas Fir, White Oak, Hickory and such. Something else to consider is the strength you have added by laminating the wood together.

My initial reaction is that WRC is soft on the outside and is subject to damage, dings and dents.

Rick Newman

Permalink Reply by stephen ludwig on December 19, 2012 at 7:55pm

Agree on the soft part. If nothing else I will learn how to make them for the future with a little harder wood. They will certainly be light. If nothing else I will hang them on the wall.

 

Permalink Reply by Eric Loudenslager on December 20, 2012 at 8:26am

Canoe paddle makers often use a 2 oz fiberglass fabric epoxied to the blades to help with strength. Also, epoxy a hardwood tip with the grain going across the blade tip .... this will reduce splitting.

Use the oars...that's why you made them. Port Orford Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Sitka Spruce, and Doug Fir would provide stronger shafts.

Permalink Reply by Dave Z on December 21, 2012 at 5:58pm

Stephen,

I vote, just finish them and use em.  Laminating will impart significant strength.  Use them on flat water trips if nothing else.  I have several sets of oars I made- white pine, eastern whitewood, cypress, cypress/cedar and 1 piece ash.

My favorite set for flat water are a pair made out of 2x6 pine.

No problems with any of them.  The ash oars are tanks, as you can imagine.

But that's how I gets me big strong back.

Dave

Permalink Reply by Don Hanson on December 30, 2012 at 7:32am

   Idea:   Put some carbon fiber tows along the shafts and across the blades for strength.    I made some spruce oars very light, for a scull and added some carbon fiber to make em rigid and strong...Worked well.

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