Wooden Sword Inspired by Glamdring, From the Lord of the Rings

Forged in the fires of a laser cutter with the craft of AutoCAD… was this wooden replica of the sword Glamdring, from The Lord of the Rings! I was inspired to make this because I think LOTR is awesome, and that it would be fun to craft something based off of it.

(This project uses AutoCAD and a laser cutter)

1. Four 11”x11” wooden boards (1/8” thick)
2. Wood glue
3. Sandpaper (as needed)

The sword is constructed out of three layers of wood: there is one large middle/base layer and two smaller front/back panels. The first step was to draw the panels in AutoCAD. AutoCAD is a computer software in which you can make 2D drawings. In this case I used it for laser cutting, but it has quite a broad range of applications. I searched the internet for images of the sword and the inscriptions on the hilt, then sketched my own 2D version of it on the software.

The next step was to prepare the panels to be laser cut. Since the sword is about four and a half feet long, it would not be very practical to laser cut all at once. Therefore, I split the three large panels onto four 11”x11”x1/8” boards and laser cut them separately. I divided the panels so that the seams of the middle/base do not align with the seams of the front/back; this will help uphold the structural integrity of the sword when it is constructed.

Remember, it is important to take proper safety precautions when using a potentially dangerous tool like a laser.

The final step was to assemble the laser cut pieces. I used wood glue to put the panels together, and because the seams are scattered across the sword in different spots, it holds together rather well. I used sandpaper to dust the burn marks on the back of the middle layer off to give the sword a more polished appearance.