Hello! Here is the process I went through to create CNC-carved Wings of Freedom badges from Attack on Titan!

I started by finding a picture of the Wings of Freedom online and importing it into Adobe Illustrator to make it an SVG through image trace. After I got the SVG file, I uploaded it into Carbide Create and started editing the toolpaths. I wanted to have each element of the badge at a different height to reflect the shade of that element.

I then started with the CNC cut. I edited all the settings to match the wood stock I had, and then, after securing the wood, installing a 1/16th bit, and zeroing the bit, I started the cut. The first badge went well, except it didn’t cut all the way through. I could sand the back of that piece until the back was thin enough to pop out. I ran into some greater challenges on the second block. Everything was going smoothly until something suddenly moved or loosened, and the CNC started drilling into the center of the design, causing me to need to start over that cut. Thankfully, it worked out the second time.

After cutting everything, I took the pieces to the woodshop to further even out the back. It was here that the small lip around the edge of my design started chipping off, so I decided to sand it off entirely for both. In the end, I liked it even more! It makes the font wing stand out better.

After I sanded everything down, I spray-painted the top and sides hunter green, reflecting the green color of the survey corps soldiers’ capes. I kept the backs of the badges in their original green color and even sanded them on the belt sander to clean them up further.

In general, I had fun doing this project! When the CNC failed on my second project, I was pretty stressed; however, everything worked out in the end, and I am happy with my results!

Here are images of my cleaned workspace:

Cost Analysis:

Pine wood blocks: $8.45 (https://www.amazon.com/Unfinished-Blocks-Rectangular-Engraving-Painting/dp/B0CQLFKRZD/ref=asc_df_B0CQLFKRZD?mcid=faabe65705ef37faa1e273747635f15f&hvocijid=1347139511703708946-B0CQLFKRZD-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1347139511703708946&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027580&hvtargid=pla-2281435177898&psc=1)

Green Spray Paint: $5.86 (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hunter-Green-Rust-Oleum-American-Accents-2X-Ultra-Cover-Semi-Gloss-Spray-Paint-12-oz/332726306?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&selectedOfferId=6C0BBA2A4324425E9C7648A260CADF09&conditionGroupCode=1&wl13=3584&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222277332726306_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-394283752452&wl5=9221181&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=332726306&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIqjfbhxyvkU9ieGTnQcn7wWb&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5azABhD1ARIsAA0WFUE1PZ_wnzdRqaFy_IYuQTQ8_wCO3wov0sOSymXf7orx3WoRjBCFOF0aAl6-EALw_wcB)

Time: 4 hour at $20 an hour = $80 (https://www.indeed.com/q-cnc-operator-l-houston,-tx-jobs.html?vjk=263c0f036a01e093)

Total: $94.31