I've got a frickin' hole in my head, er - paddle.

Yes, you guys are right - and thanks so much for the comments.  I've always been a firm believer in the right tool for the right job.  You really can't make these paddles without all of that wood working equipment.  And, yup, it's like anything...if you have the experience in the craft then you can make the difficult easier.  And working with woods for over 30 years qualifies as that for sure.  Let alone a studio full of woodworking equipment.

Sometimes I see teachers who try to instruct their students with shoddy equipment and it makes me crazy.  If they're new to whatever the craft is you can just see the frustration written all over their faces.  Basically, they're not only fighting to learn the process but they're fighting the equipment right along with it.   It's an insanity.  One class I used to attend for fun I watched a very decent metalsmithing teacher telling her students how easy it was to solder with a plumbers torch.  Uh, sure - maybe for an experienced artist who solders a lot it might be.  And certainly it wouldn't be used for a delicate seam or something with multiple soldering jobs but the poor students were trying to do just that and they were ready to give up on making jewelry.  Not fair.  If she'd of just explained the limitations of working with that type of torch - or maybe added a butane or duel fuel torch so they could see and try the difference but she wasn't about to do that.  Like I said - an insanity - - - - almost like withholding information so you can cripple your possible competition.  So not nice.

I digress - sorry about the tangent. 

Here's the next steps on the Viking Knit paddles...holes, holes, holes.  LOL.  As you can see from the photos there are eight of them and each hole is new set up with the press...not hard, more like time consuming.  After this I will side sand the paddles (you turn the band saw into a tall sander by replacing the blade with a 1"X 80" sanding belt).  After that - rout them and flat sand them - then change the drill press into a flap sander so you can go around what was routed in the grip and make sure it's "soft" edged for the handle.

"I follow you out to the studio and then I wait - can we go yet, can we go yet?  Hello....."

Yeah, I know lots of steps but so worth the process.  Thanks Maple Girl (Andrea) - I'm glad you like yours.  So many teachers use them - Diane Cook at Art Unraveled and Diana Frey.  Robin Koza down in Indiana - and Cahootz (who sells great Viking Knit caps).  I'm grateful so many artists like them too.