Introduction: Captain America Shield From Wood With a CNC Machine

What do you do when your daughter wants a Captain America shield for a costume but you live thousands of miles from your nearest Walmart? Make one from wood!

Supplies

Fusion 360 CAD program Download Fusion 360

2 x 12 plank

CNC machine

Masking tape

Spray paint

Step 1: Use Fusion 360 to Draw or Import a Shield Drawing

You can draw your own shield or there are many shield drawings on the web such as this one from grabcad.com that you can import into Fusion 360. One of the many nice features of Fusion 360 is the ability to scale. Scale the drawing to the size of your CNC machine's capability. I had to scale the full size version of over 30" to 70% in order to get the diameter to 23" which is the maximum size for my X axis.

Step 2: Manufacture in Fusion 360

Step 3: Glue and Clamp Your Wood

I found it difficult to get pressure on the inside of the two layers of 2" planks. Next time I would put it under a car and use a jack to add pressure to the middle of my gluing.

Step 4: Cut the Inside First Then Flip Over and Cut the Outside

Step 5: Paint

It would have saved me some taping if I had painted the red first.

Step 6: Add a Handle and Strap to the Inside

A piece of an old belt and any handle will work for the inside.

Step 7: Enjoy Your Creation

The smile on your child's face when they use their new shield will be worth your effort. The shield also makes a nice wall hanging.