Double Paddle Blade Spine

 17 Jan 22:

I scooped out some extra material on the back of the blade to reduce weight, but left a spine to maintain strength. To shape the concave trough I used our Skil 3x18 inch belt sander with a 40 grit belt, held at an angle and turned a bit so that the only one end of the belt contacted the surface, using the curved shape of the sander's drive roller to my advantage. I called this tool a sander but with a 40 grit belt it is really more of a crude carving tool, it can take off a lot of material fast. Normally the belt should be as flat as possible to avoid leaving a divot, but I used that angle to to make several passes along either side of the blade center line, eventually carving out small concave areas the length of the blade, about an inch wide. 

We also finished applying the 3rd coat of Minwax Polyshades, it dries fast if you varnish inside the house on Skipper's antique Singer treadle machine cabinet made from tiger oak. Just kidding, it's already dry here, I actually varnished on the dining table :)