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Re: Hollow looms,How many oz. saved?
By:Don Beale
Date: 3/12/2003, 4:25 pm
In Response To: Re: Hollow looms,How many oz. saved? (Don Lucas)

I think it depends a lot on what material you are using, and what thickness your core strips are. Coming out of the drier, I think solid WRC paddles are hard to beat for weight and strength. But solid wood gains quite a bit of weight as it changes to the moisture content. All of the laminated paddles Ive made have varnish finishes, and dont change the weight at all over time as the wood is well sealed. most of my laminated ones come in between 900 and 1050 grams, with hardwood edges. Solid ones come in at 800-950 dry - but gain significant amounts of weight wet. I dont nrmally weight htem wet, but what little Ive done indicates as much as a 200 gram difference.

In the break testing I did do (which was unscientific...) I found that the initial failure of a hollow loom is lower than the final failure of a solid one. But the initial crack of the solid paddle was lower then the failure of the hollow one. In other words, where a solid paddle will crack and hopefully still get you home, a laminated one will break at a little higher force that that - depending TOTALLY on the selection of the wood in the solid paddle. Laminated ones are much more consistant.
Since I did that testing, I went to 3/8" thick core strips for a better glue joint. It turns out to be easier to make that way, too.

: Just curious how much weight saved to stiffness and strengh lost in your
: opinion. I just built a surf GP with unidirectional carbon fiber in the
: center laminations, and want to build a light GP for standard paddleing.
: Your technique sounds alot easier than the Birds's mouth laminating,
: thanks Don
: I would also like to thank all you guy that are doing kayaks to pay the bills
: for sharing your time and ideas with all . If your do not want to share
: your hard won ideas and give away the farm, I completely understand.
: PS. I know a euro would most likely better in the surf,no need to start that
: one ,ha ha:-).

: Rambling Don

Messages In This Thread

Paddle: Question about Spruce
Bert -- 3/7/2003, 6:34 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Shawn Baker -- 3/10/2003, 1:23 pm
Re: Rumors of Sitka Spruce
C. Fronzek -- 3/8/2003, 11:38 am
Re: Rumors of Sitka Spruce
Don Stahl -- 3/8/2003, 10:33 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
grant -- 3/7/2003, 8:48 pm
Whoa...E. Spruce = S. Spruce?!
Shawn Baker -- 3/10/2003, 1:48 pm
Re: Whoa...E. Spruce = S. Spruce?!
Russ -- 3/11/2003, 11:54 am
and That's Why Scientific or Latin Names are Used!
grant -- 3/10/2003, 2:05 pm
Re: Identifying Wood *LINK*
Dave Houser -- 3/10/2003, 7:51 pm
Re: Identifying Wood
grant -- 3/10/2003, 8:03 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Russ -- 3/8/2003, 11:08 am
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
grant -- 3/8/2003, 11:34 am
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Bert -- 3/7/2003, 9:10 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Don Lucas -- 3/7/2003, 11:40 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Bert -- 3/8/2003, 6:20 pm
Hollow looms
Don Beale -- 3/7/2003, 7:50 pm
and it gives you more mileage from a single board *NM*
Shawn Baker -- 3/10/2003, 1:28 pm
Re: Hollow looms,How many oz. saved?
Don Lucas -- 3/9/2003, 10:16 am
Re: Hollow looms,How many oz. saved?
Don Beale -- 3/12/2003, 4:25 pm
Re: Hollow looms,How many oz. saved?
Shawn Baker -- 3/10/2003, 1:42 pm
Re: Hollow looms
Bert -- 3/7/2003, 9:00 pm
Re: Paddle: Question about Spruce
Chip Sandresky -- 3/7/2003, 7:44 pm