Securing an Epoxy Tip to a Wooden Paddle

[bwcapaddler]

I posted this to my blog, ScuppersWay.com, but thought it would interest some on here as well. Just my process for applying an epoxy tip to a paddle. I had written out some of this on an earlier thread, but fleshed out the whole process here and thought I would post it.


A Tip Any Paddle Maker Would Be Proud to Have
As to not exclude anyone based solely on equipment I want to explain how to make an epoxy tip that any paddle maker can make with little to no expertise and limited tools. As long as you have the tools to make a paddle you will do well in creating a nice tip to go on the end of it. If it is your first attempt at hacking out a paddle from a nice piece of cherry or you've set out to make a variety of paddles this process will serve you well.

This will be a basic epoxy mixed with fillers and wood sanding dust to create a rock hard barrier on the tip of your paddle.

Preparing the Wood
The first step is to prepare the end of your paddle to be ready to receive the epoxy tip. You will need to decide if you want to just add the tip onto the end of your blade or if you would like to cut-out a recessed void into the profile of your blade shape. I would suggest cutting out a simple shape on the end of your blade so that you will be able to keep your original paddle shape - see how in the picture the blade profile is kept intact even when the tip is applied (the simplest way to do this is to figure your tip shape into the blade pattern and cut it out when you cut out the blade)

Once you have the shape cut out make sure that you sand the end with some 80-grit sandpaper to make sure it is a fair curve because this will be a very noticeable part of your paddle and it is important for it to be a fair line.

Making a Jig for Pouring
Essentially the process of making this kind of epoxy tip involves mixing the epoxy and pouring it onto the end of the paddle and waiting for it to harden. To accomplish this you will need to make a trough to hold the epoxy mixture in place until it hardens.


There are a few different methods to accomplishing this. With either method remember to put wax paper, tin foil, tape or some other barrier that epoxy won't stick to on all surfaces that may come in contact with epoxy. Don't epoxy your paddle to the table!


Play-Dough method: This is pretty straight-forward; because epoxy won't stick to the play-dough you can take some play-dough, roll out a snake(and from our childhood days we all know how to do that!) and extend it around the end of your paddle. The goal is to create continuous trough around the end of your paddle where the epoxy can sit until it hardens.


This is the simplest way and it gets the job done but there are a few issues that arise with this method. The first problem is that it is difficult to get a uniform thickness. The second problem is that the play-dough will sometimes slide and leak out some epoxy, thus lowering the amount in the trough. This sometimes will make the tip too thin.


Wooden Jig Method I would suggest this method, especially if you are going to be making more than one tip.


Essentially you are replacing the play-dough with a wooden barrier. From a piece of wood that is the same thickness as your paddle blade cut out a shape that will fit around your blade tip with a void the shape of your desired epoxy tip. Take your paddle, place it on top of the piece of wood you are using as the jig, and trace out the end of the blade, adding onto the end to the shape you would like your tip to be. Trace up the edges of the blade a ways above where you want your tip to end so that epoxy won't be able to seep up the sides. Also make sure there is enough room to be able to screw the jig into the table.


Whether you are using the play-dough method or the wooden jig method you want to secure everything to your working surface. Make sure to put tape or wax onto the jig and the table so that you don't epoxy your paddle to it. Then you're ready to mix.


Mixing and Applying

The most basic mixture is straight epoxy/hardener with some wood sanding dust for a thickener although it is also possible to add some silica fiber filler for added strength as well. You can buy both wood flour and fiber silica. But you can also improvise with what you most likely already have. You can use the fine sanding dust you created while finish sanding your paddle replacing the wood flour. As for the silica filler you can cut up some extra fiberglass cloth into short little strands.

First mix up your epoxy/hardener, making sure to mix it for the full time your instructions call for. Then you want to mix in your wood flour and/or silica filler until the mixture looks and reacts something resembling peanut butter. Also make sure to mix this thoroughly.

Then slap it in there. Fill in the trough fitting it into all the corners with care. Then it's a waiting game. Wait over night before removing from form and moving onto the next step.

It's Dry...Now Let's Finish

This step involves shaping the tip to its final shape. When you take it off the table it will be all lumpy and some epoxy mixture might have seeped up the blade. This is the step where you remove the excess to reveal the final tip.

The safest way to shape down your tip is to attack it with any number of sanders - disc sander for the profile - random orbital sander to level it with the blade surface. Epoxy is extremely hard - so be aggressive! Use something around 80-grit paper. If it is your first time or if you like to be exact you might want to mark out the desired curve on the epoxy before you sand the profile.

Tip: If you have a hand power planer it can greatly reduce the time involved in sanding. Set it to the lowest setting and run in over the blade surface and out onto the lumpy tip until these two are level. This can be a little tricky the first time and unaccostomed hands may end up ruining the tip. Like I said sticking with sanders is the safe bet.

Once you have sanded your tip to its intended shape it is ready to be finished along with the rest of the paddle

[WaveRhydr]

I am working on 3 old wooden paddles right now. I did two already, and they held up to brutal conditions in rock garden after rock garden, but now one needs redoing as a result.

The part about using a trough was news to me. I can see how that will really help.

[ezwater]

I've done some epoxy tips, reinforced with strands of Kevlar and glass. I do them after I have covered the blade faces with glass and epoxy. The "extra" glass projecting from the tip and lower sides of the blade serves as a form. It is important to clean out the groove between the glass extensions to remove amine blush and also to sand a bit. The last step is to cut off excess glass and to sand the tip to shape.

These tips have stood up pretty well, but I have no illusion that they are as tough as the aluminum or phenol tips on my Mitchell and Clinch River slalom paddles.

I would suggest that people making epoxy tips consider using the new G-flex rather than the usual West 105/205. That little bit of flexibility in G-flex after it has set up may prevent tip cracking. The adhesion of G-flex is outstanding.