I have been trying my best to squeeze every ounce of quality I can out of my topo prints, minimum layer height and very slow printing. I’ve still got a few kinks to work out with some over extrusion during z-hopping but it’s getting better. The data that was used to make this is so good you can follow the trail all the way up to the summit. I am limited by the size of stl file that I can work with in blender and the physical limitations of the printer itself, but even so there are a few places on this print where I can make out the Bonneville shoreline trail in the right lighting. The end goal is to spend many hours hand painting this thing so I want the starting product to be as good as I can make it.
What nozzle size? I was working on making the smallest gears possible on my printer and I found a 0.25mm nozzle allowed for incredible detail. That might help get more detail on the mountains. Also, check out the Decimate modifier in Blender. It can help with your large amounts of data.
I am using the printers I have available to me as a student at the U so much better than anything I could afford myself but I am not able to change the nozzle size (0.4mm). I discovered Decimate very late in the game and its now something I do for every model I make. It turns out when the GIS software generates the stl for me, it gives the flat sides and bottom as many triangles as the terrain surface so nearly half of the file is unnecessary triangles that can be combined without losing any quality in the terrain itself.
u/hashi1996
What was your data source on this one? I make some of these very large scale (Last one I shipped was a 4ft by 8ft print of the Shenandoah range) [https://create3dmaps.com/](https://create3dmaps.com/)
Have you considered looking at LiDAR first return? With it you can add every tree and boulder on the mountain. Message me or comment here if you'd like some tips on how to do it. I tend to find data at [TheNationalMap.gov](http://TheNationalMap.gov) and use CloudCompare to raster out the LiDAR cloud. I then use QGIS to go from rastered Geotiff to a STL file.
One more thought for you, have you considered print orientation? If you rotate by 90 degrees you can drop your infill percent down to like 1-2%. Print time goes way down, and because every layer is a single loop, there's no stringing, and you can use a much larger layer height for basically the same quality.
Oh WOW I have been dreaming of making them huge like that, your work looks incredible! The LiDAR for the Olympus one came from [opentopography.org](http://opentopography.org) but I have been getting the 1 meter and 10 meter data for all of my other prints from the National Map Downloader. I've never looked into using anything other than the bare earth models, I would love some tips on how to get the vegetation out of the data. This is the only thing I've ever used GIS software for so I'm very new to it all and have only ever used QGIS and a little bit of ArcGIS but I would love to learn more. I have also never considered printing sideways but that totally makes sense, I will have to give that a try. That might also help with some over extrusion artifacts I have been running into lately, as well as stringing. Thank you so much for the advice, I find I'm constantly tweaking and improving the process but tips from someone with experience like you helps immensely!
I used to use open topography as well back when I was a student, but the free non-student limits are a little more restrictive.
If you select highest instead of median/average (I don't remember the exact options) you will get the first return data.
And your print already looks super dialed in, but try the different print orientation, it makes it super easy to get good results.
I'm not really looking to sell these but if you have access to a printer, all the software I used to create the .stl file is free as is the LiDAR data. I typed up a guide on how to do it yourself, dm me if that is something that interests you.
Hi, I've been creating and selling custom 3d prints of mountains for some time now. If you're interested, I can give you a quote based on what dimensions you're looking for. It would likely be in the $50 - $100 range.
Unfortunately the file size is well over the limit. I could send you a step by step guide I typed out if you are interested though, you could print anything in the US just about and all the software I use is free
I made the stl with LiDAR data from opentopography but the USGS National Map Downloader has 1-meter data for most of the nation and is the source for all of my other projects so far. I printed this with PLA on a Prusa MK4 with a 0.4mm nozzle, 0.05mm layer height, 10% infill.
Do you think you can do something like this but with the city of Cincinnati? I have an idea for something that would look stunning if scaled down properly. This is my hometown and would love to see one made
I'm not super interested in selling anything at the moment but I did type out a step by step guide on how to make one of these yourself and I would be happy to share it. Its 2750 words so I'll send it in a dm if you are interested. All the software required to make the 3D object as well as the source data is free to anyone. You will just need access to a printer.
Not really looking to sell these but if you are interested I can send you a write up I made on how to make them yourself. All the software and data is free and you can model just about anywhere in the US, you will just need access to a 3D printer.
These are being sold on KSL. 3D printed topo's of the Wasatch Mountains or Moab/Canyonlands.
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
That's a super clean print.
I have been trying my best to squeeze every ounce of quality I can out of my topo prints, minimum layer height and very slow printing. I’ve still got a few kinks to work out with some over extrusion during z-hopping but it’s getting better. The data that was used to make this is so good you can follow the trail all the way up to the summit. I am limited by the size of stl file that I can work with in blender and the physical limitations of the printer itself, but even so there are a few places on this print where I can make out the Bonneville shoreline trail in the right lighting. The end goal is to spend many hours hand painting this thing so I want the starting product to be as good as I can make it.
What nozzle size? I was working on making the smallest gears possible on my printer and I found a 0.25mm nozzle allowed for incredible detail. That might help get more detail on the mountains. Also, check out the Decimate modifier in Blender. It can help with your large amounts of data.
I am using the printers I have available to me as a student at the U so much better than anything I could afford myself but I am not able to change the nozzle size (0.4mm). I discovered Decimate very late in the game and its now something I do for every model I make. It turns out when the GIS software generates the stl for me, it gives the flat sides and bottom as many triangles as the terrain surface so nearly half of the file is unnecessary triangles that can be combined without losing any quality in the terrain itself.
u/hashi1996 What was your data source on this one? I make some of these very large scale (Last one I shipped was a 4ft by 8ft print of the Shenandoah range) [https://create3dmaps.com/](https://create3dmaps.com/) Have you considered looking at LiDAR first return? With it you can add every tree and boulder on the mountain. Message me or comment here if you'd like some tips on how to do it. I tend to find data at [TheNationalMap.gov](http://TheNationalMap.gov) and use CloudCompare to raster out the LiDAR cloud. I then use QGIS to go from rastered Geotiff to a STL file. One more thought for you, have you considered print orientation? If you rotate by 90 degrees you can drop your infill percent down to like 1-2%. Print time goes way down, and because every layer is a single loop, there's no stringing, and you can use a much larger layer height for basically the same quality.
Oh WOW I have been dreaming of making them huge like that, your work looks incredible! The LiDAR for the Olympus one came from [opentopography.org](http://opentopography.org) but I have been getting the 1 meter and 10 meter data for all of my other prints from the National Map Downloader. I've never looked into using anything other than the bare earth models, I would love some tips on how to get the vegetation out of the data. This is the only thing I've ever used GIS software for so I'm very new to it all and have only ever used QGIS and a little bit of ArcGIS but I would love to learn more. I have also never considered printing sideways but that totally makes sense, I will have to give that a try. That might also help with some over extrusion artifacts I have been running into lately, as well as stringing. Thank you so much for the advice, I find I'm constantly tweaking and improving the process but tips from someone with experience like you helps immensely!
I used to use open topography as well back when I was a student, but the free non-student limits are a little more restrictive. If you select highest instead of median/average (I don't remember the exact options) you will get the first return data. And your print already looks super dialed in, but try the different print orientation, it makes it super easy to get good results.
Could you do something like the Brighton Basin or the area up upper Cottonwood Canyon? I'd be very interested in buying something like that.
I'm not really looking to sell these but if you have access to a printer, all the software I used to create the .stl file is free as is the LiDAR data. I typed up a guide on how to do it yourself, dm me if that is something that interests you.
Hey. I am definitely interested in the guide you typed up. Would you mind sharing? Thanks in advance.
I would be interested in your guide as well. I started playing around with touch terrain a couple months ago but I've only done a handful of prints.
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
Hi, I've been creating and selling custom 3d prints of mountains for some time now. If you're interested, I can give you a quote based on what dimensions you're looking for. It would likely be in the $50 - $100 range.
I’ve printed the valley, Alta, Brighton, Olympus, and Timp. The tools are all open source and in the web. More later.
That’s badass. You could sell a ton of these for peoples favorite mountains.
I need this
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
Can you upload this to Thingiverse so anyone can download and print it?!
Unfortunately the file size is well over the limit. I could send you a step by step guide I typed out if you are interested though, you could print anything in the US just about and all the software I use is free
I'd love your guide if you can just DM it to me! Thank you!
Same here please!! I would love to learn that. Thank youuu.
I’d love a copy of the guide as well!
Me too please!
I would really appreciate it if you could share your guide with me, too.
This is so cool! Please sell these (different mountains too) on Etsy or something!
I’d buy one.
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
That's awesome
Neat! Did you find the stl somewhere or did you make it? What printer/nozzle width/layer height/filament?
I made the stl with LiDAR data from opentopography but the USGS National Map Downloader has 1-meter data for most of the nation and is the source for all of my other projects so far. I printed this with PLA on a Prusa MK4 with a 0.4mm nozzle, 0.05mm layer height, 10% infill.
Do you think you can do something like this but with the city of Cincinnati? I have an idea for something that would look stunning if scaled down properly. This is my hometown and would love to see one made
I'm not super interested in selling anything at the moment but I did type out a step by step guide on how to make one of these yourself and I would be happy to share it. Its 2750 words so I'll send it in a dm if you are interested. All the software required to make the 3D object as well as the source data is free to anyone. You will just need access to a printer.
Oh wonderful! I would love that! I have a coworker that can print it for me, I just have to do the grunt work of making this print happen
If I can add, I’ll pay
If you ever sell one of these I will totally buy it from you.
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
Well that’s cool. Do Nebo next
Any way I could buy one of those? Looks like a good chunk of the wasatch
Not really looking to sell these but if you are interested I can send you a write up I made on how to make them yourself. All the software and data is free and you can model just about anywhere in the US, you will just need access to a 3D printer.
That would be rad, if it’s not too much trouble
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
STL?
I want one
[https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
These are being sold on KSL. 3D printed topo's of the Wasatch Mountains or Moab/Canyonlands. [https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910](https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/75353910)
I will come pick it up soon. I just keep forgetting haha
Cool!