> Here's a closeup of the shoulder. I like the look of the multiple
> laminations, if only the thing wasn't so darn heavy.

Don't use redwood or walnut, both are heavy woods. I've built 2 paddles, one more or less standard type laminated from red and yellow cedars with epoxied and varnished spoons and tung oiled loom, weighs 2 lbs 8 oz and the other a Greenland style from a red cedar 2x6 comes in at 2 lbs 4 oz.

The only way to gain appreciable weight reduction in the loom is to make it hollow and then you gain only ounces. A 3/4" diameter hole, 18" long (roughly the length of you loom?) with 25 lb density wood only saves 2 ounces while a one inch hole saves 3 ounces.

Bram