Thread: Making some oars

Hi
I need to make a set of oars like these http://www.tradevv.com/TradevvImage/...ars-A19966.jpg - but made out of timber, of course. I’m ignoring the blade for now and just concentrating on the shaft. Basically, what I need to make is a cylinder about 2750 long and 50-60mm diameter. One end needs to be shaped to make a handle (easily done by hand with spokeshave) and the other end is a cone shape into which the blade will ultimately be slotted (perhaps best done by hand too), so I guess it really just comes down to making a very long narrow cylinder. Has anyone made anything like this – and can you tell me how you went about it?

Failing this, I’ve been thinking of ways to do it. I’m thinking of making the shaft from a lamination with plywood up the middle and oregon on either side, which should give the required stiffness if the ply is oriented parallel to the direction of force. Then I need to shape it : heres some ways I’ve already thought of (but never tried):

1. cut them square on the tablesaw, then octagonal using a jig, and then plane them round, using a profile gauge. Alternatives are to use a bandsaw or thicknesser.

2. cut them square on the tablesaw, then separate the head and tailstock of my lathe and fix to a long workbench. Then use the lathe to round.

3. make a jig to hold the router, passing the stock backwards and forwards beneath it, turning round and round at the same time.

4. forget about making them round, and make them triangular in profile. Three cuts on the tablesaw, round over the corners and done.

Any thoughts on these? Any other ideas? I should point out that these are a one-off and time and budget are limited, so anything which requires extensive setup or costly jigmaking is not really practical.

cheers and thanks
Arron