Shield blanks: soak in water first?

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:37 pm

Is a shield blank dry sufficient? Wont' split or any of that jazz when put on a stretcher?

(I know leather pretty well... wood, not so much. Wood is like my "final frontier" as I slowly learn to use hand tools.)

Konstantin the Red · Post by **Konstantin the Red** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:56 pm

Stretcher?

If you're bending your own plywood blank, two layers of 1/4", dry, will bend without trouble.

Stahlgrim · Post by **Stahlgrim** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:11 pm

unless you are using a marine grade plywood water will cause the "Plys" to separate.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:55 pm

Okay, thank you. It's just that kind of basic info that just kept me from pulling an "oops" and wasting time and money... well, more...

Rasper77 · Post by **Rasper77** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:14 pm

Stahlgrim wrote:unless you are using a marine grade plywood water will cause the "Plys" to separate.

Not really, if you soak it for a long time it will but just a light spray works fine. But I only wet the wood if using a poly glue like gorilla glue.
If using Woodglue just bend it evenly and it will be fine.

hjalmr · Post by **hjalmr** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:20 pm

I made a few shields a couple years ago by wood glueing two pieces of 1/4 plywood together with alot of glue and then stretching them around a tree/pole for several days while the glue dried. This caused the plywood to keep a 2-3" curve and they all turned out really nice.

(^_^)