: Radby,

: You want clear (knot-free) vertical grain lumber, aka quartersawn, If you
: place the board down on its wide surface (face), the grain should run from
: one end of the board to the other and look like pinstripes. The end grain
: should be vertical. Ideally the grain on the face will run straight down
: the board from end to end. If the grain runs across the face diagonally
: and exits at the side (run-out) then breakage is likely and the board
: should be rejected (especially if the runout occurs near the loom or roots
: of the blades). Most lumber you see at the home improvement stores is
: flatsawn (grain looks the flame patterns common to plywood). If you search
: through the stacks you can get lucky, I stay away from the 2 X 4's and
: look at 2 X 6's or larger. 4 X 4's can also be a good choice. Vertical
: grain tends to be stiffer, stronger and more stable (less likely to warp
: or cup) than flatsawn.

: My advice is to visit a "real" lumberyard, especially if the boards
: are stacked on edge, so that you can easily see the grain orientation. If
: you can't find good solid lumber, you can laminate smaller pieces
: together.

: Greg Stamer

Thanks, good explanation!
I tried a greenland style paddle for the first time last weekend. It seemed the hand placement was much narrower than I am used to with my regular paddle. Can I widen the loom a bit without compromising the design?

Randy