: So I got about 6 cedar 2x4s to make paddles out of and they split really
: badly so I can't use them for paddles.

Well, maybe you still can. Since you were thinking of making them into strips for a boat, why not cut them into "strips" which you reglue to make split-free paddle blanks? Even with some major cracks and splits you should be able to make 4 or 5 good 2x4's out of the 6 you now have.

Rip the 2x4's as wide s possible while still removing the bad spots. then use epoxy, or Gorilla glue to laminate the pieces you have back into a 2x4. With eiather glue you should be sure the pieces fit neatly, and you have a modest clamping pressure to eliminate gaps between the strips. Use a lot of clamps.

You could probably use a highly waer resistant glue like titebond 3, also, but then you would want to seal the wood really well after carving your paddle.

If you rotate half the strips 180 degrees so that the grain runs in the opposite direction of the piece next to it, you can make your new stock more resistant to future cracking and warping, too.

If you want to carve a feathered Euro paddle in much the same way that you might carve a GP, then you have a few options to play with. Use a square piece 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 inches for the center of the paddle. Run about 3 feet at each end through the saw, with the blade tilted about 15 degrees. Glue your extra strips just to the ends, unless you need to make the center a bit larger. You cna make the blade area as wide as you wish by simply gluing on omre wood. Once the glue sets, carve the blades--you can even scoop them out to give you a spoon shape--and round off the center (loom).

Someone was making paddles from laminated strips which they twisted to obtain the desired amount of feathering. Once the glue set up, the twist in the center of the paddle shaft stayed put. Working with several thin strips for this would be a lot easier to twist than thicker strips. The material for the blades was then glued on to the flat parts at the ends of the shaft.

: I guess I am now forced to make
: another kayak:)

Hmm. And you really want us to believe you are being FORCED to do this?

: I really want to build a Point Bennett but I got over $100
: of future cedar strips. Has anyone build a s&g with strips? I've built the
: deck of a s&g with strips before but I'm trying to figure out how to go
: about building the hull.

Since you are working with 2x4 stock, make nominal 2-inch-wide strips (more likely they'll be 1.5 inches wide), and edgeglue them to make long panels. Set them out on a flat surface, like a sheet of plywood, in a stairstep or staggered-joint pattern like bricks are laid, and you can create panels long enough for any boat without resorting to scarf joints. A layer of wax paper between the strips and your flat base will keep you from gluing the strips to it. You don't need to make panels which are very wide, just a bit wider than the part you'll cut from it. If you use epoxy for joining the strips you won't have to use a lot of clamping pressure to hold the strips together while the glue sets. Nail a couple of strips of wood to your base, One will be a straight edge which will keep one edge of your panel straight. The other will be about 1/2 inch away from the last strip. Lay the strips between these, and use wedges in that 1/2 inch gap to hold the strips tightly together while the glue sets up.

The thickness of the strips is up to you. No need to work with ones which are 1/4 inch thick, or even 3/16ths. If your plans call for the panels to bend a lot at the ends you can use strips which are 1/8th inch (roughly 3mm) thick--or make them 4mm or 5mm. Glass the inside and the outside of these panels.

Hope this helps

PGJ