*** New "Building a Shield" essay here. ***


You will need:
= Shield Blank (I prefer to use 6061 T-6 Aircraft Aluminum)
= Paper template (of your shield shape)
= Jigsaw or Shear
= Duck Tape (is there anything it can't do?)
= Canvas (duck cloth works well. It has a smooth side and a rough side. You want the smooth side up)
= Paint
= Glue (I use an Elmers-esque wood glue product [it said "33% free" and I said "come to daddy!"], cut down ~/< 1/2 with water. I've used contact cement to attach the canvas to the aluminum before, but I was verry dissatisfied with the way it held. The canvas pealed right off.)
= Paintbrush
= Bondo Spreader
= Liguid Nails
= Nylon strap (from a craft store)
= Closepins
= Edging (siloflex, fuel line, or leather (held in place with liquid nails), rawhide, or other material that will protect the shield and rattan weapon from impact damage)
= Lacing

CUT THE SHAPE - First, select your material for the shield .
- Make a paper pattern and trace the desired shape on to the shield blank.
- Cut to shape, bend and fold as desired.

Center grip: BOSS HOLE
- After you cut the shape, find the center and place the boss on it.
- Mark where the screws for the boss will go, and then you know what size to cut the hole for the boss.
- Now that you have the shape cut, cover all the edges with 2 layers of duct tape (this helps protect whatever edging will be applied later).

COVER WITH CANVAS
- Cut canvas in the shape of the shield for the front and back (cut it big so it overlaps the shield).
- Glue the canvas to the shield front.
- Take a paint brush and liberally coated the surface with the glue. Note: it drips.
- Layer the precut canvas on the top and apply more glue with the brush. (Full saturation of canvas is the goal).
- Spread out any air pockets in the canvas with your hands or a "bondo spreader".
- Use closepins to hold the canvas in place and let dry for a day or 2, then do the same to cover the back.

PAINT
...as desired.

Center grip: HANDLE
- For the handle I take a piece of flat stock (Home Depo) and lay that on the back as the base for the handle (I take a very long piece as that helps to reinforce the aluminum against overhead pole attacks).
- Drill holes to attach the handle stock [size=12](I make sure that 2 of the screw holes that will hold the boss on also go through the flat stock).
- Split a broom stick in half and place on top of the flat stock (same screws hold it in place, sand and tape where you hand will be gripping).

EDGE PADDING
- Spread apart the overlaping canvas at the shield edge and expose the duck taped edge.
- Use liquid nails and close pins and attach the nylon strapping to the edge of the aluminum (this protects the edging from getting cut by the edge of the shield). It dries quickly, so you can go back and attach the edging of choice after a ½ hr.

EDGE
- Drill holes for the lacing
- Attach the final edging.
- Lace over the edging.

If you're using plywood for the shield, replace the nylon strap with ½ inch rope.