[JFPNCM]

The thread from @Stoneface in which Frank provided an excellent description of the crafting of a pizza paddle was very timely. Less than a week later I was asked if I would be interested in crafting a paddle for a young lad very keen on baking bread. Based on Frank's thread I thought, why not give it a go and so I agreed. Therein was my first mistake, I failed to ask about the dimensions. Turns out the lad wanted a paddle 15x15" with a 20" handle. While within reason, the width immediately ruled out the easy route of using the the 735 to shape the blade unless I shaped the blade in sections. Not being keen on glueing up a taper I elected to use the Supermax 16" drum sander which just covered the project. While the process required a lot of passes which became rather tiring based on the mass of the sled (see Frank's description for details on the sled) it does appear to have worked. The ROS took the final steps down to 220 grit with hand sanding on the edges. By taping a 1" x 1/16" strip to the leading edge during the final sanding I was able to further taper the leading lip of the paddle as well.

I choose Mahogany, Walnut and Maple for the project and the resident quilter created the pattern and suggested the dimensions for the handle based on several skillets. The finish was 2 coats of warm butcher block oil followed a coat of mixed butcher block oil, bees and carnuba wax.

The 2 lateral photos show the front and back sides of the paddle and the slight taper on the lip

Comments are always appreciated. No doubt those with a keen eye will see the minor asymmetry in the paddle.

 

[Stick486]

the lines are superb...
no where's the pizza...

 

[Herb Stoops]

Good one, Jon, how high did you have to elevate it on the sled so that the long handle would clear? Don't throw the sled away,you might have further requests after the word gets out.
Herb

 

[JFPNCM]

Good one, Jon, how high did you have to elevate it on the sled so that the long handle would clear? Don't throw the sled away,you might have further requests after the word gets out.
Herb

Thanks Herb. The entire paddle was sanded down to 9/16" before I mounted it on the sled. The taper on the sled ran from 3/4" down to 0" over 34" and that took the finish up to the edge of the handle.
I plan to keep the sled around for awhile although all future requests will need to be dimensioned first. 😳

 

[Multiwood]

Nice job Jon

 

[woodworker47]

Jon,

Really nice looking paddle. Glad to hear the sled worked. I have also kept mine just in case I needed to make another one. I do have a 15” planer, so I could make this width. I also have the 16x32 sander which I did use when sanding mine.

Frank

 

[roxanne562001]

Your making me hungry nice job!!

 

[MEBCWD]

Looks good. So when will you be testing this out and when should we be there?

 

[JFPNCM]

Thank you one and all. I'll be delivering the paddle this Friday so fingers crossed.

 

[radios]

I like an 18" pizza, so I bought a 20" pizza paddle for that, and soaked it in mineral oil so the olive oil etc. on the pies won't penetrate the wood, which would stink and get foul after a while. I like you ideas for other treatments, though..