I am a new CNC user - started 60 days ago - and wouldn’t have considered making anything for this challenge until I started looking at all the great things people are making and how they explained the process.
Reading about the Grand Canyon project and checking out the links Jarrad provided caused me to give it a try and see if I could figure out the process.
The website link to get a topo map file is great and I chose an area in NW Colorado where I have been visiting for 65+ years. I had a scrap piece of 8/4 poplar wood so I gave it a try and was amazed how well the machine can carve it out.
The cut was 1.5" deep and after doing the 3D rough cut I realized that the 1/8" ball bit was too short to cut that deep so I had to round up a longer bit so I could finish it. I shut down the machine and disconnected my laptop for a day and when I came back to it I had it jog to the XY location and it went back to the correct spot so I proceeded with the finish cut with no trouble.
After it was finished I painted in the lakes and streams and then stained the poplar so it didn’t look all light colored.
I had a piece of maple so I had the machine cut in a pocket for the topo to rest in and added the text with a vcarve path. Font is the national park font that a previous post had a link to.
One other piece I just made was a knife holder for a family member. I put a pocket of the map of Arizona into it and added copper colored epoxy since Arizona is the “copper state” In the pocket the machine carved out a raised symbol which is their agriculture brand.
I wanted to figure out how to cut the box joints on the machine so was able to rig up a material holder on the front of the machine secured to the t-track slots. It worked out well considering it was the first go at it. The knife holder is made of maple and alder at the top.
I really appreciate all the helpful pointers and suggestions folks have as they answer other peoples questions. I wouldn’t be this far along without being able to read all the comments. Great forum.