Hello this is a tutorial used to create a GIS laser cut contour map.
Tools/Software needed
QGIS – Free
Autocad/Draftsight
Illustrator/Inkscape
LaserWeb 4 running on a K40 40w Laser
- Download QGISA A free and open source Geographic Information System software from here http://www.qgis.org/en/site/
- Download your GIS data as im using UK coastlines ive used OS terrain data from here https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendatadownload/products.html i downloaded the ESRI shapefiles
- Sort through the different shapefiles until you find the correct data set for the location you are planning to plot
- Export the project to DXF and open in Illustrator/Inkscape – select all the artwork and ‘Fit Artwork to Selected Bounds’
- Select all artwork and give the contours a stroke of 0.01pt
- Then select the coastline – i had to delete the lowtide mark and join some lines due to the harbours and estuary. Copy the layer and paste into a new layer called ‘Coastline’
- Delete the selected coastline in the original layer then select the remaining contours and paste into a new layer called ‘Contours’
- You then need to clean up the coastline and contours so there is a clear definition between the two, i had a few island outcrops and odd small single lines i had to delete. It should now look like below
- Export or Save As SVG
Open LaserWeb for install instructions – http://community.fabcreator.com/t/laserweb-4-install/44
To be continued -im waiting for a dedicated PC to run the laser cutter