""Soft maple..." ? You are a North country - Adirondack guy for sure! :)"
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By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
Charles Schelin's Discussions
I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
42 Replies
I have made several sets of oars using fir. Usually they are heavier than I would like. Once I used basswood which is marginally lighter. Has anyone tried cedar? Usually I split a 2x4 and laminate…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by JC Smith Mar 26, 2020.
Charles Schelin's Page
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John Homer replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
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We use soft maple here. It has a lot of flexability and you can this down the loom to about 1 1/4""
Shawn Baker replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Hey Charles, any updates?"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Ken, I've been an arborist most of my life and it seems like your the one having fun. I met a guy outside of LA a few years back and he does the same thing you do. I cut some logs here and there from residential arborists that would rather see…"
Ken Chaytor replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Hi Don, I have two bandsaws. The vertical one shown in the pic is actually home made with 36 inch wheels and a tilting table. My other is a horizontal , 'push' bandsaw which I use for truing somewhat square timbers. My business is teak…"
Ken Chaytor replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Hi.....agreed. Cedar is only for canoe paddles ! That is where lightness and finesse is required.
As for oars....I have been in some lumpy water with a current not favorable, I would choose a stronger/slightly heavier wood which I can rely on to…"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Ken, I've thought that your conclusions are basically correct, that we worry too much about weight, not enough about balance. I've been to numerous museums and have noticed how heavily built workboat oars are. In the case of drift boats…"
Ken Chaytor replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Hi, there was a time when I was cash poor and teak plentiful. Still cash poor... I needed oars for a traditional lapstrake I built and could not afford Sitka spruce so I built teak oars. Spoon blades , of course and just shy a couple of inches of 7…"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Charles, have you looked into quartersawn old growth White Spruce or White Cedar? For strength and contrast you might add lams of Walnut, cherry or Ash. Walnut is actually pretty durable, strong and easy to work."
JC Smith replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Don, I use a shuttle service, Bill Cross, 607.237.3078. Recommended to me by a fly shop and friends. Same plan worked great when I took the boat out west last summer for 3 weeks. I text the shuttle service when I am preparing to launch, and need to…"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"JC, I see you're carrying a canine co-pilot. Mine is always aboard as well. I think I have plenty of Tulip in the yard stickered to airdry. I know I have sassafras somewhere as well. I'll check around. How do you handle it on the…"
JC Smith replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Don, if my experience is correct, you are not missing much. The throat on my oars took shape simply as a function of what it took to transition from the final diameter of the oar shaft into the flat shape of the blade. I think you will automatically…"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Are most of the wooden oars used with drift boats tapered down to 1 5/16 or so at the shoulders? seems pretty light. What am I missing?"
Don Tyson replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Shawn that is a bit above my pathetic budget but I imagine it would be a big help. I didn't see it coming that I would need special oars. When I began my build in June Drift boats were brand new to me. I could never have imagined that store…"
Shawn Baker replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"Consider more taper perpendicular to the oar blades. You don’t need much more strength in that axis than to lift the blade from the water.
I cheat and don’t use a spar gauge or spokeshave: a big 1” roundover bit in my router table…"
JC Smith replied to Charles Schelin's discussion I am looking for a light wood to make oars.
"To answer your question, I started with two planks each planed down to 1 1/8 inch so when I glue them togeher I will have at least 2 1/4 inches in one dimension for the square tops of the oar looms. I draw my oar profile out on the "blank"…"
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- Hometown:
- Onalaska
- About Me:
- After retirement I built 4 wooden boats.
- Boats I own:
- 4 canoes, 2 wooden that I built.
Comment Wall (1 comment)
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