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Mike Iverson
Location: Phoenix, AZ Joined: 10 Sep 2006
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Sun 10 Sep, 2006 10:12 pm Post subject: Making a Curved shield |
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I have read some interesting threads on making a curved Heather shield by gluing plywood sheets in a curved press. Can this process also work to make a ROUND dome-shaped shield? I'm looking for a way to make a shallow bowl shape...not R2D2's head 
Any ideas?
Mike Iverson
My Dumb Projects
Prop Making Blog
www.mydumbprojects.blogspot.com
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Al Muckart
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 12:50 am Post subject: Re: Making a Curved shield |
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| Mike Iverson wrote: | I have read some interesting threads on making a curved Heather shield by gluing plywood sheets in a curved press. Can this process also work to make a ROUND dome-shaped shield? I'm looking for a way to make a shallow bowl shape...not R2D2's head
Any ideas? |
I've seen shields like this, so it *is* possible, in theory. As far as I'm aware the guy who made the one seen previously has access to a multi-ton press where he works. I'm not sure whether he's steam forming thick sheets or laminating thin stuff.
The biggest issue I can see is applying enough pressure to the centre of the stack, that's a *really* big c-clamp you'll need 
Try getting a sheet of thin ply and forming it into something like the mouth of a barrel. If you can get one sheet to dome, then you've proved the technique at least.
--
Al.
http://wherearetheelves.net
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Shawn Shaw
Location: Boston, MA USA Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Posts: 115
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 5:01 am Post subject: |
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Does it have to be wood?
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Chuck Russell
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 5:07 am Post subject: |
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i know of 1 guy in the usa the a domed round. Atli from markland. i believe he used 2 1/4 inc ply wood blanks that he had previously cut the shapes out of and glued them together. then he rigged some kind of weight system thru the center grip hole that pulled the inner part of the shield downwards while the edges were held in place at a higher elivation.
now when i saw the shield it was several years later and its form was being lost do to heavy use. he said something about needing to resoak it and shape it again. so i dunno what he was planning to do. (maybe soak the plywood in water then do the weighted center again?)
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Shane Allee
Industry Professional
Location: South Bend, IN Joined: 29 Aug 2003
Posts: 506
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 7:07 am Post subject: |
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If you go with 1/4" to 3/8", it can be pretty easy to get a shallow dish. I did it by accident when I was glueing some thin fabric onto the face of the shield. You water you glue down, brush it on, add fabric, and as it dries it will dome slightly. If I ever get the time to work on an anglo saxon shield again I want to try it with either a soaked leather or rawhide. Both should have more pull to it than that thin layer of fabric. Depending on the thickness of rawhide it might even be able to bust 1/4" ply, I'm not sure. Can't promise anything, but it is sure what I would try if you aren't wanting a 1/2" thick shield that needs to take a ton of abuse.
Shane
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Geoff Wood
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 8:05 am Post subject: |
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| Shane Allee wrote: | If you go with 1/4" to 3/8", it can be pretty easy to get a shallow dish. I did it by accident when I was glueing some thin fabric onto the face of the shield. You water you glue down, brush it on, add fabric, and as it dries it will dome slightly. If I ever get the time to work on an anglo saxon shield again I want to try it with either a soaked leather or rawhide. Both should have more pull to it than that thin layer of fabric. Depending on the thickness of rawhide it might even be able to bust 1/4" ply, I'm not sure. Can't promise anything, but it is sure what I would try if you aren't wanting a 1/2" thick shield that needs to take a ton of abuse.
Shane |
Mr Allee
No doubt I'm being thick here, but is the fabric ending up on the concave or convex side?
Geoff
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Shane Allee
Industry Professional
Location: South Bend, IN Joined: 29 Aug 2003
Posts: 506
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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Just call me Shane...
You aren't being thick at all, I just forgot to mention that. The fabric, or whatever, will be on the convex side. I'm not sure that it makes since to me, sometimes it seems too and others it doesn't.
Shane
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Geoff Wood
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Shane Allee wrote: | Just call me Shane...
You aren't being thick at all, I just forgot to mention that. The fabric, or whatever, will be on the convex side. I'm not sure that it makes since to me, sometimes it seems too and others it doesn't.
Shane |
Thanks Shane. How odd. I suppose the wet glue might make that side expand, but that wouldn't fit with the doming happening as it dries. Interesting phenomenon. Maybe the fabric shrinking/tightening around the circumference has a role.
Regards
Geoff
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Ken Rankin
Location: North Carolina Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Making a Curved shield |
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| Mike Iverson wrote: | I have read some interesting threads on making a curved Heather shield by gluing plywood sheets in a curved press. Can this process also work to make a ROUND dome-shaped shield? I'm looking for a way to make a shallow bowl shape...not R2D2's head
Any ideas? |
Hiya Mike,
Are you thinking of the Boromir shield? Earlier this year I attempted to make such a shield but had a hard time moving the wood where I wanted it. I did make a small press and got the wood to bend to a certain point. I eventually turned the idea into something a bit more fantastical and will post pics soon. I agree that perhaps cutting the central hole and then finding a way to suspend a weight to force the wood to dome might work. I will give it a try sometime soon, faire season is too close for any major projects  have you any other projects in the works, Mike?
Ken
another DIY'er, messer-upper 
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Mike Iverson
Location: Phoenix, AZ Joined: 10 Sep 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks all for the good ideas...I've got some stuff to chew on for sure!
Ken, you read my mind! I was sorely disappointed when United Cutlery decided not to produce Boromir's shield and the sword looks lonely hanging on my wall. I'm still digging up reference for it but I'm close enough to start THINKING about how to make it.
As for other projects, I'm about halfway finished with a full size replica of Thor's Mjolnir from the comic "The Ultimates". Verily, it will be a big f**ker!
Mike Iverson
My Dumb Projects
Prop Making Blog
www.mydumbprojects.blogspot.com
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Ken Rankin
Location: North Carolina Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Mon 11 Sep, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Mike Iverson wrote: | Thanks all for the good ideas...I've got some stuff to chew on for sure!
As for other projects, I'm about halfway finished with a full size replica of Thor's Mjolnir from the comic "The Ultimates". Verily, it will be a big f**ker!
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I bet so Mike! I'd love to see that!
I have seen one Boromir's shield online from some knockoff company and it looked like crap. Are you on Yahoo? LOTR_Costumes and Alleycat's site has a bunch of pics for the shield, I made his belt earlier this year, but I really think the shield would be a fun project. The shield I ended up making is a curved shield with a half moon cut out, I will tip the tips with horn, it's my homage to Robert E. Howard and all that barbarian goodness, as this is the centennial anniversary of his birth. It's good to have another DIY'er on the list, so we can pick each others brains....yum brainsssssssssssssssss
Ken
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Ken Rankin
Location: North Carolina Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Tue 12 Sep, 2006 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Here are some pics of my shield. I still have to cap the points. The boss came from TherionArms. I used carriage bolts and acorn nuts for this project, the next one I will try rivets.
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