Stirring paddle

[tombear]

Well I discussed this several years back and have finally got around to it and started on a big stirring paddle for cooking large amounts, Some call them gumbo or chilli paddles. I'd had the elm for several years and decided to get some practice in with my shiny new power carving tools and actually do something decorative. I've hardly ever tried to embellish the things I've made, perhaps putting a twist or a wriggle in a eating spoon handle. We do have a couple of huge pans and you never know I may finally score a Soyer Stove one day.

Anyroad I did a sketch and cut out a 27 x 6 x 2 inch blank from the slab with a jigsaw. I rounded off the bits that needed it with a small draw knife followed by a spindle sander. The basic twist I did with a rotary burr in a grinder and the shape of the back of the blade with a Kutzal disc in a adjustable speed angle grinder. My next buy will be dust shroud for that that will connect to the shop extractor as it produced a prodigious amount of dust but it saved me a lot of hand ache,

The rest I will do with permagrits , gouges and chisels and sandpaper. The handles a bit bulky so far as I'm going to carve a couple of Anglo Saxon wurm / dragons heads copied from a surving carving. since it will need to be cleaned after use I will do minimal carving on the entrwined "bodies" just some stylised pairs of legs with claws to show its not snakes!

More when its finished.

ATB

Tom

 

[Robson Valley]

That's about the right size. When I worked, making a mega-batch of chili with meat and beans was a regular event. Many quick frozen meals.

I'd be happy to supply ingredients just to play with that spoon.

I learned a few useful things:
1. The spoons need flat front edges to catch the surface of the pot.
2. The spoons need 3/4" holes in them for more turbulence when stirring but less splashing. I now stir with a massive 3-tined fork instead of any spoon.
3. Even on low heat, there's a big gradient in temperature from the bottom of the batch to the top. Many were the times that I burnt the bottom because I did not stir continuously.

 

[MrEd]

That’s gorgeous, will look ace when it’s done!!

 

[tombear]

Cheers folks!

I've been roughing out the heads this morning with permagrits, i'll do some more tonight and start on the sanding, I'll put the fine detail in after that. I need to thin down the neck on one some

ATB

Tom

 

[Tony]

That's rather brilliant and I'm looking forward to seeing more as it evolves!!

 

[Buckshot]

looking good there
I made this a while ago for Wayne to stir the huge pots he has.
20171105_114722 by Mark Aspell, on Flickr

 

[tombear]

Now I need to make one like that, properly functional! What sort of wood is it?

Anyroad, I got a bit more done, next for the fine sanding and then the fine detail like the teeth. Its definitely rustic but then I quite like that. It occurs to me that I have carved a couple of things before, a elephants head and a Thelwell style ponies head on a couple of ladles for herself, Sycamore is a lot easier to work with than this wide grained elm.

ATB

Tom

 

[Buckshot]

Now I need to make one like that, properly functional! What sort of wood is it?

Cedar i think
A woodland we have permission in felled some and we planked a couple for them.
It was a fun project but the two sanders i had were on their last legs and it proved too much for them!
Good excuse to get replacements though

 

[tombear]

Cheersm i'll look for some, its the trad wood for North American canoe paddles isnt it?

I need to shift some more ebay fodder and then justify the 30mm Makita belt sander I covet, I lover the power file I have but its only really suitable for small areas.

I'm lettingb the dust settle today so probably wont do ant work on the paddle today.

ATB

Tom

 

[Robson Valley]

Here in the Pacific Northwest, First Nations travel was of necessity by boat. 40-60' western red cedar log canoes with open ocean stability. By in large, WRC was used for the paddles, often elaborately carved or painted. These things are carved to this day.

In this day and time, if you're looking for a durable wooden paddle, expect to find it made of laminated spruce. Superior mechanical strength properties. It shouldn't be difficult to find many images of both the FN cedar paddles and the conventional spruce paddles.

I carved one from birch. I liked the result so much that for years, I used it to stir 40-gallon batches of Zinfandel wine.

 

[tombear]

I had time today to finish it off, far from perfect but we like it. I could have spent longer on the final sanding but I didn't want to over do it and end up with something looking machine made. It's had three coats of food grade linseed oil and I'll give it some more. i just don't have enough of it to do the 24 hr soak I usually finish with.

The oils improved it no end.

The wifes a scout leader and they are starting face to face sessions so maybe she will get to use it at a cook out in the new future, I'm not sure when I'll be doing enough to merit using a cauldron.

Anyroad thanks for you input and encouragement folks.

ATB

Tom