Ok this is sort of off topic, but…
I have a wood canoe paddle which is getting a worn spot on the shaft from rubbing it against the side of the canoe. I want to protect this spot with a chunk of fiberglass.
A few questions:
do I just get a bondo fiberglass patch kit From an auto store or are there better ones that would be more appropriate for wood?
I’m assuming I just sand to bare wood and stick the patch down and then varnish. Is there any way to feather the edges?
Thanks in advance for your sage advice.
Replies
I would inlay a piece of hard wood such as ipe into the worn area.
Use epoxy resin with fiberglass if you go that route, and it can be sanded smooth. I think an inlay would be more durable, attractive, and easiest.
Any fiberglass patch kit will do. As you said, sand down to bare wood a little beyond the area to be patched. Also sand the adjacent area (not down to bare wood) to give some tooth in the area where you will feather the resin. Cut your fiberglass patch and set aside. Mix a small batch of liquid resin and brush on the bare wood, then press the fabric into the resin, then apply a generous coat of resin over the fabric. After it dries, sand is smooth. Then brush another layer of resin over the patch, lapping onto the adjacent area that you previously sanded. When dry, lightly sand any remaining rough spots and you're good to go. Another topcoat wouldn't hurt, but may not be necessary. You don't want any fiberglass strands poking through the final finish, they can irritate, especially wet skin.
You can topcoat the entire paddle afterwards with poly (or even resin) if necessary, as long as the patched area is sanded (as you would on any clear finish repair).
I'd stay away from using any fiberglass on wear areas or you will everntaully be picking out glass splinters out of your skin and clothing.
I like idea of glueing in a replacement piece in the wear spot with epoxy adhesive
marson,
just turn the paddle around so the worn spot is outboard. or change your paddling style. get a new paddle when the time comes.
jim x 3
quit scraping it on the gunnel...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Thanks for all the replies. No I can't flip it around. It's a bent shaft and don't work backwards.Yes, scaping on the gunnel is a bad habit, but I'm lazy and would rather wreck a paddle than reform. The scrape on the gunnel thing is a pry stroke instead of the usual j stroke. Pretty darn effective way to turn a canoe, though it's hard on the paddle.Not keen on inlaying a piece of something harder. This is a 150 buck paddle and I don't want to weaken the shaft.I'm going to try the fiberglass patch. I have owned other paddles that have fiberglass on the blade and that has held up. Maybe it won't hold up to the banging but I could scrape it off and I am no worse off.
Your post was off topic so now mine is too... ;-)
Saw a show on the science channel or some such that went through the entire process of canoe paddle making. Pretty interesting... :-)
A good friend of mine used to work in a cabinet shop and he got to make a bunch of paddles. I think they were a combination of ash and old growth redwood. Pretty nice though I broke the one he gave me.
Marson,The epoxy will adhere better than polyester and it is stronger. You need to varnish over it to protect from the sun's UV. Inlaying a patch of wood is very likely to cause a stress riser that could lead to breakage under hard use.
think i'd look for a piece of heat shrink tubing that would fit over the spot... ask a utility guy they usually have some large stuff thats pretty thick... i don't see the fiberglass as the way to go... maybe just an epoxie coating without the glass mat ... i do't see the mat doing anything
p
Fiberglass resin is available at Lowe's now. Get a woven glass cloth. Feather the edges by sanding between coats. Final coat you might want to use a roller to apply. then wetsand and polish.
Here's a website with useful info.
http://www.laughingloon.com/epoxy.html
View Image
I would epoxy a piece of leather over the spot
like this Oar leather here
http://www.woodenboatstore.com/Oar-Leather-Kit/productinfo/690-004/
When I was a kid my old man did just what you are proposing.
He got tired of six kids beating the shid out of the canoe paddles and breaking them. Paddles had cracks, splits chips etc. Wrapped the blade and 1/2 way up the shaft in FG cloth and coated that with resin.
Never had a problem with them again but I can tell you that it was rough on the hands.