Wood for Oars

Guys,

 

Making a couple sets of oars for the new rigs.  I made Ash oars in the past using a few trees from around the property that we cut several years ago into boards and let them dry in the basement for 3 years.  Oars are nice.  Nice and heavy hahaha!

 

I am willing to laminate up some material to make some oars, as I have some really nice pieces of doug fir left over.  Probably won't yield light oars, but would be durable.

 

I should also mention that the oars I am building will be used in easy water- rarely a class I, mostly flat stuff.

 

I have 4 more 10'x3"x9" ash boards in the basement, but that is some sweat wrenching work.  I do not enjoy working ash much.

 

I have access to White Pine, I figured laminating some clear white pine 1x8's would make a nice set of oars.  I can get really clear and straight stuff locally.  I'd have to finish the hell out of them, as it isn't the greatest wood around water.

 

I can get hemlock that has been barn siding for 100 years- alot of that stuff around, it sure is weathered, but planes clear and woudl laminate well too.

 

I have a line on Sassafras which is a local wood and most sell it cheap as it is a nuisance wood around here.  It  smells sooo good.  I read somewhere that Sass might be the finest oar wood.

 

I can get western red cedar, spruce, but in poor quality, redwood and eastern white cedar.

 

I'm most inclined to go the laminated Eastern white pine route.

 

any input would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Clarke on July 5, 2011 at 5:47am
Well, there's no logic in this whatsoever, but I would sure like to be able to say that I fabricated a pair of oars from sassafras wood.  Actually, I checked some ag extension sites and most had positive things to say about how the wood machines.  Good luck in any case.
Permalink Reply by Mike Collier on July 5, 2011 at 6:02am
"

I have 4 more 10'x3"x9" ash boards in the basement, but that is some sweat wrenching work.  I do not enjoy working ash much."

 

Dave, you can get two oars out of just 1 of the Ash boards you said you have and; in my opinion, Ash is still the best over all wood for long lasting oars.

 

I have recently been building some oars for a local river running outfitter. The oars are made from Ash of the same dimension you posted. They are SOLID 1 Piece Oars with no splices, and I must say, I am very pleased with the end product.

You can work the shafts down to a smaller diameter for calmer water you will be rowing in.

You could even make some priemeir Blades to reduce you rowing and increace you speed on the slower water.

 

Sounds like you have a lot of options for wood and I am not familiar with building oars out those other types of wood, so I can't provide any input based on experience with them. However, as I said, I beleive that Ash is still the best wood for oars after all the study and research I put into the subject.

 

I built a lathe for my router and I can say will all assurance that I will never "buy" another set of oars again - as long as I have a router and access to good Ash Planks anyway.

 

Mike

 

P.S. Do you still have some of that Ash growing on your property ?

      I could help you out by removing some of it if you like - lol

      I use alot of Ash for all kinds of things and have been looking

      for a place I can buy it by the Log and mill it myself. I need at least 10 footers. 

Permalink Reply by Andrew on July 5, 2011 at 6:54am

I have found the Wood Explorer Database to be invaluable for comparing properties of different woods.  Just select the types of wood you want and it will compare them. http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/comparethese.php

 

From my experience I don't know that WRC would be a good option as the grain is thick and has a tendency to peel apart & splinter under load. 

 

I have been using hemlock on my skiff, and I have to say that I really like working with it.  Very workable but it feels strong. 

 

I like the idea of sassafras, perhaps just because I like saying sassafras. 

 

At the place where I buy my wood they have some big planks of Sitka spruce. Perhaps when the skiff is done I will make some nice Sitka oars to go with it. 

 

I am interested to see what you come up with.

 

Andrew

Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on July 5, 2011 at 9:21am

Dave: Quoting from Culler on oarmaking. " Sassafras, if you can find it(look around in small mills) makes a fine oar, though you seldom see a pair now".  " Gluing up, as is often done, tends to preventsome warping, but even here, you somtimes have bad luck"  He has made oars of eastern white cedar, white pine,eastern spruce( black spruce is the strongest)- but you have to be a wood tecnologist to tell the difference between white,red or black spruce.  "oars are alive,or should be, and this is what you strive for" All  of his books are out of print- if you ever see one buy it.

Good Luck

Permalink Reply by Dave Z on July 5, 2011 at 9:52am

Lawrence,

 

The Culler book is where I read about Sassafras.  I'll probably make a slew of oars. Pine, sass, laminate, etc... I can't see buying oars after building several boats anymore.  Its a shaped stick of wood!

 

I still have lots of ash planks and yes, lots of ash trees.  we've been hit by the "ash borer" beetle here in PA and we've culled out some trees while they were still good.

 

I'm in the process of toying with converting a Ford 9n tractor into a sawmill.....stay tuned for that wacky idea....

 

Thanks for the input guys.

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by chris towles on July 5, 2011 at 5:26pm
Most good wood kayak paddles are a laminate of ash and sassafras. The ash allows for nice flex, and the sassafras makes a nice strong and light paddle. I have had quite a few over the years, and have been impressed by their flex and durability. Their are a few choices for blad wood, but generally you want a harder wood, especially at the tip where many people mount a bang plate in the end impact area. The edges should be finished with dynel. Jim snyder Is a friend of mine, and he is known for making the best wood kayak paddle in the world. His website is riverstyx.com and could be a good read to see what he uses for wood and finish.
Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on July 5, 2011 at 6:32pm

Chris, his website is rivrstyx.com .

 

Rick Newman

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