I've built 2 Greenland paddles from western red cedar with ash tips but this time I want to make a laminated one with the main centre beam out of spruce .I will take an 8 foot length ,cut a 1"x1 1/2" strip,then cut it in half,hollow out the middle with a router and epoxy it back together to get a hollow loom.
Sitka spruce seems to be the choice but very expensive.I have read other posts that said regular spruce from a 2x4 stud will work fine.Is that white spruce?
I'm wondering what physical differences there are between white spruce and sitka spruce.like weight,strength or the tendency to warp etc.Also the salesman at the wood store said lots of paddle builders ask for sassafras.He said it was fairly light and the price was reasonable.
Just curious.
Bert