Woodworking Journal of Wes
3 years 9 months ago #3206
by Wescli Wardest
Woodworking Journal of Wes was created by Wescli Wardest
I have been working with wood (tee hee hee 
) for a long time. I am by no means a Master. Nor would I even consider myself a journeyman or well versed. But... I have done and learned parts of many different types of skill sets in the arena.
I started off carving with a pocket knife, as I figured most guys my age did when they were boys. And moved on to larger and more complicated projects.
Just a few weeks ago I was asked to make an apple butter paddle. I didn't even know what it was was LOL
So I did my research and came up with a few ideas. Discussed them with the requester and settled on a basic design.
This was all while everyone was in shut down because of covid-19 and no stores were open where I could purchase the wood I needed.
Maple. It would withstand the acidity of the apples and not transfer a flavor, food safe. So I retrieved one of the maple logs I had been drying and chopped it down to a rough timber. planed it to have flat, square, perpendicular sides and the cut it down to dimensional lumber. I now had wood to work with.
Next I cut out the shaft and made the tenon on the end. I then made the slot for the tapered pin that would hold it all together. I then cut two different paddles that should work with different thicknesses of apple butter. Transferred the tenon dimensions to the paddle and created the mortise. I made the tops, where the mortise and tenon connect, the same width so that one wedge would hold both of them when you changed them out. And lastly I made the wedge. I made two just in case they lost one.
Assembly, slide the paddle on to the shaft. The mortise and tenon are snug but not so tight you have to tap or beat it on. Then slip the wedge into the slot of the tenon, from the top, and tap until it sounds solid. You will hear the difference. That's it! Ready to use. And having a paddle that will come apart makes it easier to clean after use in my opinion. To change paddles, use the head of the other paddle to tap out the wedge, from the bottom, slide first one off and second one on. Then use the head of the first paddle to tap wedge back in same slot. No tools needed.
I showed it to the person that asked for it and they were very happy with how it came out. Her brother makes apple butter every year and wanted a traditional set-up. She had found a large, like 20 gallon, copper kettle the week before and cleaned it up. And now just needed the paddle. He plan was to give it to him on his birthday that Monday so I finished just in time.
I was asking $30 for it but she said that she looked on line to see how much they cost and the one I made was better than anything she had seen online. Long story short, she gave me $100 for it! I was stunned. And happy
I wish I have taken pictures. :/
I do lots of projects and will try to take pictures and descriptions of how I did what. Maybe it will help someone in the future.
) for a long time. I am by no means a Master. Nor would I even consider myself a journeyman or well versed. But... I have done and learned parts of many different types of skill sets in the arena.I started off carving with a pocket knife, as I figured most guys my age did when they were boys. And moved on to larger and more complicated projects.
Just a few weeks ago I was asked to make an apple butter paddle. I didn't even know what it was was LOL
So I did my research and came up with a few ideas. Discussed them with the requester and settled on a basic design.
This was all while everyone was in shut down because of covid-19 and no stores were open where I could purchase the wood I needed.
Maple. It would withstand the acidity of the apples and not transfer a flavor, food safe. So I retrieved one of the maple logs I had been drying and chopped it down to a rough timber. planed it to have flat, square, perpendicular sides and the cut it down to dimensional lumber. I now had wood to work with.
Next I cut out the shaft and made the tenon on the end. I then made the slot for the tapered pin that would hold it all together. I then cut two different paddles that should work with different thicknesses of apple butter. Transferred the tenon dimensions to the paddle and created the mortise. I made the tops, where the mortise and tenon connect, the same width so that one wedge would hold both of them when you changed them out. And lastly I made the wedge. I made two just in case they lost one.
Assembly, slide the paddle on to the shaft. The mortise and tenon are snug but not so tight you have to tap or beat it on. Then slip the wedge into the slot of the tenon, from the top, and tap until it sounds solid. You will hear the difference. That's it! Ready to use. And having a paddle that will come apart makes it easier to clean after use in my opinion. To change paddles, use the head of the other paddle to tap out the wedge, from the bottom, slide first one off and second one on. Then use the head of the first paddle to tap wedge back in same slot. No tools needed.
I showed it to the person that asked for it and they were very happy with how it came out. Her brother makes apple butter every year and wanted a traditional set-up. She had found a large, like 20 gallon, copper kettle the week before and cleaned it up. And now just needed the paddle. He plan was to give it to him on his birthday that Monday so I finished just in time.
I was asking $30 for it but she said that she looked on line to see how much they cost and the one I made was better than anything she had seen online. Long story short, she gave me $100 for it! I was stunned. And happy
I wish I have taken pictures. :/
I do lots of projects and will try to take pictures and descriptions of how I did what. Maybe it will help someone in the future.
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