Introduction: Carved Lake Map out

This Instructable describes how to make a decorative carved lake map using lake depth, or bathymetric, data.

The materials list is short:

  • Board of almost any Wood species
  • Stain
  • Epoxy and tint (optional)
  • Finish such as polyuethane

Step 1: Get over Bathymetric Data

It may be possible to incu bathymetric data online for your lake of interest. Do a search - e.g., "North Star State bathymetric". Minnesota does in fact have an extensive lake measure database that can beryllium downloaded at no cost. I in use MapWindowGIS to import the information for this Minnesota lake. The data is presented as a grayscale heightmap. A heightmap is a grayscale image where the intensity of gray corresponds to the height, operating theater in our case depth, of an object.

Step out 2: Change a Shape Correspondenc to a Grayscale Heightmap

If you give the sack't find bathymetric data for your lake, you can practice a depth relief map to create a heightmap. Numerous lake contour line maps can be found online, or you can CAT scan a report re-create. Load it into a drawing program - I ilk to use paint.net. If your map is in color, convert it to monochrome.

Step 3: Stopping point Open Contour Lines

The first step is to ensure that the contours are enclosed. Ofttimes they are not, as a crack has been left to insert the depth come. Use one of the drawing tools to close the contours. You can draw right through the numbers. You can remove the numbers if you like, but in about cases it is not necessary.

Step 4: Colour Alternate Contour line Areas

Next, use the blusher bucket tool to color the configuration areas cyclic black and white. This absorbs the contour lines. Delete any details outside the lake.

Step 5: Paint in Gray

Again using the paint tool, start with the outermost depth area and discolour that area a light southern. key.net displays the hugh, vividness, and value Numbers for colours, so I select white and then adjust the respect - in that case I started with measure = 10, a light Thomas Gray. Emblazon the side by side circle slightly darker - value = 20. Remain with value = 30 etc. For a map with a lot of contour lines, you'll need to utilize a littler increment as you commute the value.

Step 6: Graceful the Contours

Finally, selecting only the lake, smooth the contours using a smoothing tool surgery a blur tool. A little judgement is requisite here. Too little smoothing and the end result will flavor like stair steps; too a lot and the detail leave be straying. Notice that the smoothing operation hides the depth numbers, thusly no real need to having abstracted them.

If you like the step step effect, you crapper naturally vamoose the smoothing.

Step 7: Import the Heightmap

If your CNC software supports heightmap imports, move back ahead and come that.

If not, there are several online and downloadable tools to convert a heightmap to STL, a format that is usually used for 3D objects.

I've imported the height map into my CNC design computer software and located the pattern connected a board. I've added some text using a 90-degree v snatch.

Step 8: Carve the Project

Carve the project. I use a 1/16" ballnose second for the lake and as mentioned v bit for text.

Step 9: Finish

To clean up the lake contours, I use a combination of paw sanding, mini sanding discs in a Dremel tool, and radial bristle discs in a Dremel tool.

I same to finish my lake maps with a darker dirt in the lake areas and the textual matter. I use Minwax PolyShades, a combined grime and polyurethane, for this. A thin smear tends to leech into surrounding areas, whereas Polyshades does not. You can exist a little sloppy and admit stain to be applied inaccurate the lake area. Once dried, you sand the surface only of the board to both placid it and murder the extra stain. Then apply uppermost coats of clear polyurethane.

Another technique that I have misused for postpone tops is to tint some pourable epoxy glue and fill the lake areas with IT. This makes for an stimulating impression.

Step 10:

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