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How many layers you need will depend upon how thick your available stock is, and how tall your guard walls need to be. Four layers of 3/4" thick wood should be adequate for most applications. Be sure that all wood in each separate layer is the same thickness so that successive layers will lie flat to each other with no gaps.

Photo 6-Make a plywood template for each of the outer wall radii, use these to scribe the shape onto the wood.

On scrap plywood draw templates for the curved wall pieces, using your compass with the same radii that you used for the two outer circles on the guard face. Make each template about 2/3 the total length of curved part needed for each layer. Cut out the templates and use them to scribe the shapes of the curved pieces on your wood (photo 6). Nest the pieces together as best you can to make maximum use of the wood. Scribe out two curved pieces for each layer at each end of the guard.

Photo 7-Cut out the curved pieces on a band or scroll saw.

Cut out the curved pieces on a band or scroll saw (photo 7). Now carefully dry fit the successive layers together (photo 8), cutting each piece to length so that it mates well with its neighbors.

Photo 8-Dry fit the pieces on the plywood carefully cutting them to length.

A stationary sander can help to shape the ends of the pieces for a good fit (photo 9). But more important than the fit of each piece to its neighbor in each layer is staggering the joints from layer to layer, bricklaid fashion. This makes the guard walls very strong, whereas if the joints were all in line they could easily separate from each other.

Photo 9-Use a stationary sander to shape the ends of the pieces for a tight fit against the others.

Once the pieces are all dry fitted, number them so that you can reassemble them in order. Pre-drill each piece (photo 10) for nails which will hold the pieces in place while you apply glue. The nails aren't needed for strength, but it's difficult to glue this many pieces together at once without them. Pre-drilling ensures that the small pieces won't split as the nails are driven.

Photo 10-Pre-drill the pieces so the locator nails don't split the wood.