Table-Top Wooden Display Made With a Shop Bot

This is a step-by-step guide on making a nice looking tabletop display for using when representing a Code for America Brigade at events. It's also a great way to get introduced to using a ShopBot, which is a CNC-controlled router. I made it at TechShop. 

If you have access to a ShopBot, then you're already 90% there.

* ShopBot - This guide assumes you have access to a ShopBot and a basic understanding of how to operate it.
* Wood - 13" x 22" x3/4" any type is fine. I used plywood.
* Black paint & a brush

Lucky for you, we've already made an STL file for you. It is attached to this instructable. If you'd like to make your own, you can start with this file and customize. Or make an entirely new one.

Set your home position, attach your wood the base, calibrate the z-axis, and do all the set up for using the ShopBot.

We used a piece of plywood that was 13"x22"x3/4". For our cuts we cut the design at 1/4" deep with passes at 0.125" each. For the notch on the base, we cut it 1/2" deep. You'll need to set your cutting depth depending on your wood.

Nail down your wood to the cutting table.

We actually didn't want to put holes in the wood, so we used other pieces of wood nailed down around our final piece to hold it in place. A make-shift jig.

Hit the go button.

Looks cool, huh?

You'll likely need to break the pieces apart.

You should end up with two pieces that perfectly fit in each other. You may need to hit it a little to make it fit.

It's totally optional, but it is fun.

A great way to improve this is to personalize it with a laser etcher/cutter to put your local city name on it. 

Also, join a brigade or go to civic hacking meetup to meet other people who are excited to use tech skills to improve their cities.