Viking War Shield Table or Sword Mount.

in this fine inscrutable ill be going over a quick and easy project anyone can do. from start to finish it takes just shy of a week and can be built under $30 ($40 if you choose to do the table). a great gift idea that you can put your own flare on for any geek or history enthusiast. ill show how to do a sword mount as well as a table.

what you'll need.

8 - 1x2" wood planks (depending on the diameter, mines 28")
Screws
drill
krylon primer spray paint
krylon spray paint (your choice of color's)
Painters tape
Craft paint (for detailing)
pencil
string
thumb tack
jig saw or any saw that can cut a round angle
Clear coat of any kind. (to protect the paint)
power sander
safety goggles
and some sweet jams to listen too.


--Sword Mount Supplies--
wall hangers that screw into the back
steel wire for wall mounting
oak or any hard wood dowel rod 3/8" to hang the sword hilt on. (use a thicker rod for bigger weapons like axes or bigger swords)

--Table Supplies--
2x4" for legs
1x2" for leg supports
carriage screws for putting it all together
*optional* acrylic or glass table top to sit on top of the shield.

Step 1 Cutting The Shield

line up 2 or 3 of the wood planks. measure to find the middle and attach a thumb tac with the string tied around it and tie a pencil to the other end. measure the full length of the string to the size you want your project to be and then add a couple inches to your string so you can tie the ends off. hold the pencil vertically so its the same all the way around and slowly draw a line. only do about 2 or 3 planks at a time and cut them so you can utilize as much as the wood as possible. continue the process all the way around till you have a full shield.

once you have a full shield take a sander and lightly sand the sides long ways so it rounds the sides *ONLY DO ONE SIDE makes it much easier to bond the planks*. this adds a unique look to the project. do not sand the top and bottom ends so its easier to line them up and keep it round.

after the planks are sanded slide them together and use some 1x2"'s as a cross brace, i used 3 one in the middle (from end to end) and one on the top and bottom. when attaching the planks putt pressure against the boards to any warping or bent wood is pressure fit and flattens out other wise you may have slight gaps between your planks. be sure to put a screw in each plank.

next is the simple part take your sander and sand down and smooth out the top and even out the outside of the shield to make it round. if the outside is too uneven for a quick sand you can use a number of tools to even it out. i used a carpenters tool that just scrapes up excess wood.

Comments

[Alphonsus]

I was planning on doing this! I'm currently looking for rims off of steel 55 gallon drums to put on an edge on the sheilds!

[ToweringProductions]

ahh thats a good idea. u also might wanna check scrap yards some places have thin sheet metal sections and u can find some treasure in there.