Dished Plywood Round shield (x-post, sort of)

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Mon Jan 08, 2001 4:03 pm

I originally put this post on the Auctions page, but thought it might be interesting to some people here.

Hello everybody!

In the past I have successfully made several dished round plywood shields. What I did was take two round pieces (about 24" dia) of 1/4" plywood, drill a hole in the center of each, soak them in water for several hours, and then clamp them down with wood glue between them in my cobbled-together shield press.

The press consisted of an old, extra-heavy-duty metal garbage can, reinforced with a 2x4 across the bottom. A 5/8" threaded rod ran thru the 2x4 (with nuts and washers securing it. The plywood pieces were placed over the rod over the top of the can. I then placed an old 6" diameter circular saw blade over that (to act as a washer to distribute the load). Then I took a heavy-duty nut, a big box-end wrench, and a 3 foot cheater pipe and started cranking down on the sucker. I was able to get about a 3 inch dish into the plywood. Leave it for a couple of days and, presto: one dished plywood shield. I put some rubber hose edging around the rim of the garbage can so it wouldn't bite into the softened plywood. You need to arrange the two pieces of plywood so the face grains cross each other. It cuts down on edge wrinkling.

The can rusted away and I don't have a replacement, but I know you could build one like it. Make sure your cylinder of metal is VERY sturdy, because you will be exerting a LOT of force. The results are worth it.

Kevin the Hound

Norman · Post by **Norman** » Mon Jan 08, 2001 4:40 pm

Kevin,
<big><font color=red>I love you Man !!!</font></big>

I been wondering like forever
and your solution was so simple !!!

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Norman J. Finkelshteyn
Armour of the Silk Road - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3505
The Silk Road Designs Armoury - http://www.enteract.com/~silkroad
Jewish Warriors - http://www.geocities.com/jewishwarriors
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silkroad@spam.nycmail.com (remove "spam" from e-mail to make it work)

Pathfinder · Post by **Pathfinder** » Mon Jan 08, 2001 4:49 pm

To make a good shield press for bucklers go to a Fleet and Farm and get 2 blades for a disc,They're about 18" wide shaped like a buckler with a hole in the center,very heavy duty steel.Should work great for making bucklers.

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Mon Jan 08, 2001 8:30 pm

What Pathfinder is talking about can be found in most farm equipment supply stores (even overseas, I believe). It is a replacement disk for (harrowing?) or some other operation where you tow a rack of discs behind a tractor to cut the ground up. I have looked at them and never put 2 & 2 together and came up with a press to shape plywood bucklers. Shame on me!

Kevin

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 9:44 am

Shameless bump! I hate to see this disappear so fast after having Norman tell me he loves me! ;-)

Kevin the Hound

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 09, 2001 11:35 am

If it helps, I love you too...

I've been trying to find a way to do a Greek hoplon, or big, round dished shield. The only other way that seemed doable was on Mattew Amt's page, and consisted of carving away at a four inch thick pile of plywood.
I may need to find a bigger form than a garbage can, but I have a direction to head in, now.

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Morgan d'Antioche
DarkHeart Armoury "... a tradition of Fine, Custom Armour since last Tuesday."
Yes, we got T-shirts!

Scot (ld Murdock McArthur · Wed Jan 10, 2001 1:58 am

I'm lazy as hell and have no time now.

So could I order one from you.

I don't know you well enough to say I love ya

but I'll call in the morniinig ;P

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"Honor Mea Vita Mea Est."

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;"

St. Crispen's Day Speech
William Shakespeare, Henry V

Rainald · Post by **Rainald** » Wed Jan 10, 2001 7:00 am

Excellent sense of innovation! Well done, I live for this kind of problem solving.

Uilleam MhikDhomnhull · Wed Jan 10, 2001 10:03 am

MAGNIFICENT!
I love to see someone who can innovate an original solution to a nagging problem.
In simplicity there lies Genious.

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Ni h-'ebhneas gan Chlainn Domhnaill,
Ni comhnairt bheith 'ne n-eagmhais,
An chlann dob fhearr san gcruinne,
Gur ghiobh gach duine c'eatach...