Custom Trophies - Creativly

I got to a lot of bike (motorcycle) events as a vendor / owner - operator of "Rock and Ride". Over the last few years the trend of creating bike show trophies out of welding together bike parts and tools together has really taken off. As a sponsor of the 2013 Cleveland Mods Vs Rockers event, I offered to create their trophies from scratch. I wanted to do something a little more original, these trophies are unique, professional, and tied to the particular event. I Made Them At Tech Shop - Pittsburgh.

Material & Tool List;
1. Membership / Access to Tech Shop is a huge plus (laser cutter, wood shop)
2. Wood plank
3. Wood Stain
4. Acrylic Sheet
5. Glue
6. Sand paper and Steel Wool

1. Grab your wood plank (or search the scrap bin at Tech Shop).
2. Run it through the Board Plainer to get a nice uniform thickness.
3. Then run the edges on the joiner, to get a nice square piece.
4. Cut to the desired length on the cross-cut miter saw
5. Use the Table Router to put a nice finished edge on the base (this is the part that makes it look the most finished and professional)
6. Create some slots where you will attach the "Topper", there are a few ways to do this. You can use the laser cutter, Plunge Router, or Cross-cut Miter saw (if your careful).

7. Now take your bases to the Laser Cutter Etcher to etch in the custom design. I put tape on the top to help prevent smoke and charring. I would skip that next time it takes to long to remove and most markings should be easily removed prior to staining.  I used a repeating text with an appropriate font for these bases, "Cleveland Mods Vs Rockers 2014 - July Twenty-Seventh Two Thousand Thirteen"

8. once the bases have been fabricated you can stain or paint as you would like. I used a dark brown stain that did not require a top or clear coat. I really hate staining wood, so I would likely paint next time... but I wanted to show the beautiful grain in the oak I was using.

I created toppers constructed from a blue acrylic sheet. I used shapes that are related to the "Mods Vs Rockers" Tradition The "Target" icon and Spade icon. I created them so it would appear the icons are embedded half way into the wood base. I also etched the name of the category the prize was for into the topper. These were designed in adobe illustrator and cut and etched with the Trotec Speedy 300.

With some industrial strength "clear drying" glue, bond the toppers into the slots on the base of the trophies.

Now they are complete and ready for use.