Why are custom laser cut maps so hard to make?

One of my biggest motivations in getting a laser cutter was to create custom maps. Turns out the actual laser part wasn't the hardest to figure out. It was creating a digital file.

Enter GIS software. We dive into a full tutorial on how you can create custom maps that are styled just how you like it with free data and tools online!

🗺Map Files

👨💻LEARN 3D MODELING

🤖FAVORITE ROBOTS (affiliate)

🛠️TOOLS (affiliate)

📹 CAMERA GEAR (affiliate)

🎙PODCASTING GEAR (affiliate)
Boom Swivel Arm -

[johnwellman]

great video but the detail is far to quick gone over, so missing the detail your trying to show!

[TKSxSnipexShot]

It would be really nice to see how exactly you made the topographic map. Start with getting the data to setting it up in QGIS to burning it in Lightburn. I would like to make topographic map that incorporates land and sea if you could show how to do that I think alot of people would really appreciate it. I can't find alot of good information on setting this up. Thanks in advance

[georgechambers]

Boy, really quick is right. By the time I got QGIS downloaded you were done, so I have to watch about 10 more times to really get anything out of your video. Thanks though!

[tyutje]

Hey dude, I don't normally comment, but I just wanted to say that this is an excellent turorial! Big thanks to you lad. This is exactly what I am looking for!

[benjaminl]

This is great information! Thank you for posting! I was recently made aware of QGIS and have been leaning a ton and this helped immensely!

Would love to see a video on the oceans/lakes. I would like to incorporate that into a topo map. Thanks!

[kernow-alan]

Even though this video is 4 years old, the information given, was easy to follow. Thank you so much, no more snazzy maps or mapbox, this software does so, so much. Plus once you get to grips with it the possibilities for laser cut maps etc is limitless. Again Tanks

[MarkRyanAB]

Fantastic information. I'll probably try something like this with my cnc router.

I couldn't help but think that is one massive freeway right next to campus.

[chrisplatyyjones]

Cool as an overview but could not call it a tutorial - tutorials teach and DO get down into the weeds!!! They also understand students know nothing and go slow with big screen shots showing menu items being selected... you know... teaching? Then you can call it a tutorial that gets down in the weeds

[IronMessenger]

Amazing software tip! Thanks! Much better than what I had been using for similar maps. Off to the install and learning curve!!

[shanerogers]

Thanks for the great tutorial! I recently bought an SVG file from a shop on Etsy that custom creates these sorts of maps, but I'll have to try this out myself next time.

[AnnaMikkelsen]

Please slow down I'm trying to learn, when you jump around it's not possible to keep up.

[ClintonCaraway-CNC]

I love your channel!!
Just a couple of random facts.... my dad's next door neighbor is from Athens Georgia. His name is Al Henderson and he LOVES Christmas trees. He has a second home in the North Carolina mountains Just to grow Christmas 🎄 which he takes back to Athens to sell each year.
Secondly the coach of Georgia Tech football team is from my home town. His name is Paul Johnson and his family still lives here.

[jonhatton]

Great video! Just wish you had gone a little slower in your clicking around. Hard for us new kids to follow. Thanks for the info though!

[Darus]

Love your channel ❤️ working on building a diy laser cutter! Fanatic information!! 👌

[ArionJMcCartney]

Great video. Thank you for sharing!
Are you planning on making a video of how to design and cut a topographical map?

[BruceAUlrich]

Enjoyed it, Brandon! That was a great walkthrough of how to do this type of thing. I think I'll try to come up with one...maybe where my wife and I got married. One thing I'll have to get over as a hurdle is that the Glowforge doesn't recognize clipping masks. Not sure how to get around that in the software.

[Matroilyx]

Hey, thanks for the tutorial. I've been able to get most of it to work, but I haven't been able to get clipping masks to work within lightburn. Might there be any key steps I'm missing?
Thanks!

[pedrosatre]

What material do you use to engrave the Area 51 project? Best regards, great tutorial.

[PLpandaboy]

Hi! Great video! Just started learning Illustrator but I could not create a Clipping Mask - not shure what that does but I will google that later. Anyway when I import that file into Lightburn all my roads are just thin lines even if there were a lot thicker in Illustrator and QGIS. Any idea why? Thanks!

[danielfoxlab]

Thanks for this great and amazing video, this is really cool feature. Would be nice if you show how to get data from underwater levels in QGSI would be very thankful :D I it tried many times but no results for now :(