[Regia-NA] FW: Sheilds

[Jon Smith]

Couple things to say in relation to Steve/Andy's response...

4mm is 1/6" or something like that - around 5/32" not sure what sizes wood
comes in over there... I would suggest 3 layers - 8mm is a bit thin. I've
killed too many 8mm shields.

If you are getting wood from a hardware store and only making one shield
then get them to slice a piece of 8x4 into 3 4' x 32" sections - roughly.
Put the smallest one the inside of the curve! Everypiece of ply I've got has
meant that this is the right way - but I don't know if that is true for all.

I've used a frame for heater shields - I've also used roping to a water
barrel for a steeply curved 12c kite and simple roping to make a parabolic
kite. All worked pretty well. The 8mm with cloth on the inside is
sufferening - but the others are pretty nigh on indestructible - I keep
intending to retire them - but just end up repainting them :D

I've found G-Clamps pretty useful for nipping any edges where the plys start
to separate. The other important piece of information is don't be shy with
the glue.

Plenty of PVA will make a long lasting Regia combat shield - the stuff is
almost indestructible... my first kite/fish was made by Roger Ramjet from
Wessex a long time ago - It got axed to death - and this was patched with
leather, canvas and about half a gallon of PVA and it lasted 2 seasons - we
tried 3 times to destroy it at a Durham show with maces, broadaxes &c and it
finally - if rather unconvincingly died on the 3rd attempt. Compare this
with the former MTOs that was destroyed during a single Battle of Champions
at Leeds (oops!).

Copper rivets sheer too easily in Regia style combat (well at least they do
in the north) - so I would suggest wither annealed nails (or hardened ones
that have been annealed) or square headed bolts.

Jon