Clayton, thanks for the note, what a cool thing to hear!

I'm kinda laughing, though ..... I don't think it ever occurred to me to clean out the hollow in a paddle shaft. I do sweep the horizon through it once, though, like a pirate using a telescope on the poop deck (arrrr). But I feel it's just some sort of solemn duty that must be performed or terrible things could happen.

Now watch, the next guy who posts to say he made one will also report that he cannot proceed until he blows through it while making trumpet noises like a vassal announcing the entrance of King Arthur.

Stop looking at me like that. I said making them was fun, didn't I? Well?

: Hey Kurt,
: I just glued up my first birds mouth hollow shaft and I got to say
: WOW that is not hard at all. I used a router to cut my birds
: mouth in the stave. I then tapered it with a jig like you showed
: us on your web page. Everything glued up good and the tape
: pulled all the staves tight. I then cleaned the center out with
: a small rag and a strip for a rod just like a gun barrel. I made
: the paddle blade yesterday. Soon I will glue them together and
: attach the handle. Thanks for the great ideas.
: Clayton