[gkamradt]

I’ve used QGIS for a few years to build www.TerraMano.co

We make 3D Maps of American Landscapes in bronze.

We take Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, do light transformations in QGIS and convert it to an .STL file before additional 3D modeling.

Our latest project was a hairy one doing Oahu (https://terramano.co/blogs/product/oahu-bronze-3d-map)

[jtr1]

Wow, these are gorgeous! Can I ask where you get your DEM data and at what resolution? I’ve been wanting to play around with some relief maps of various bioregions (eg the Great Lakes watershed, Cascadia, etc), but I’ve had trouble figuring out where to find data at the right resolution

[gkamradt]

Where do we get it? Only publicly available sources. Usgs has a great portal. Private data is too expensive to get. I was quoted 6 figures for a larger area. They were going to fly a plane and capture it :)

What resolution? Totally depends on the area the customer would like to cover. If it’s their ranch or property, we usually need 1-meter. If it’s a mountain range than 30-Meter works.

It mainly depends on the resolution limit for 3D printing. So it also depends on the size of the model they want.

Unfortunately not all areas are covered with high res

[defrost]

Did they quote by line-kilometre flown, any chance of sharing the number?

Full multi channel or just LIDAR?

[gkamradt]

It was one of these two vendors, I forget which:

https://apollomapping.com/digital-elevation-models https://www.l3harrisgeospatial.com/Data-Imagery/Elevation-Da...

I don't wanna share the number but it was 6 figures

[defrost]

USGS provides all their data for free

https://www.usgs.gov/the-national-map-data-delivery/gis-data...

They have full US coverage and many infill sets at higher resolutions.

They have 1 metre DEMs ( ~ one elevation per three foot x three foot square )

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/items?q=&filter=tags=Dig...

and more if you get to know their community and products (they are a firehose of likely more data than many can afford to reliably store).

[NoboruWataya]

There a number of publicly available sources, but I have used https://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/

(Near) global coverage, 90m resolution. Easy to fetch tiles with a script.

[foobarbecue]

For the benefit of those who aren't familiar: SRTM was the space shuttle radar tomography mission. 30m resolution is now available (I remember 30m being released for the first time in the 2000s sometime I think).

[aqfamnzc]

What are you using to get it into an STL? I've had OK results with DEMto3D plugin, but it has some weird artifacts that I can't seem to get rid of. Are there any better options you're aware of?

[gkamradt]

I actually use DEMto3D. It's touchy, but I do post-work on the .stl/3d model in blender so it works out ok for me.

If you have weird artifacts, I'm guessing that is due to the underlying data vs QGIS itself. Have you looked at their documentation (https://demto3d.com/en/)?

I outline how the whole process works here https://www.gregkamradt.com/gregkamradt/2020/2/29/manufactur...

[ryantgtg]

Dang these are sweet!

You have fewer products for sale than I was expecting.

I live in NE Los Angeles, which has the Verdugo and San Gabriel mtns, plus Mt Washington and other modest peaks - I think it would look great in this style. Especially because all the development would be excluded.

[gkamradt]

The upfront costs are pretty expensive.

For every new location you do the process looks like: 1. Get the data and prep it for print (fixed) 2. 3D print it (fixed) 3. Rubber Mold (fixed) 4. Wax Model (variable) 5. Bronze (variable)

Steps 1-3 are 40-60% of the costs. So I haven't put the money out of pocket yet to put up new locations. I've let customer's ask first and then do them.

Surprisingly, most of our orders have been custom

Here's my info packet on the custom process https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IkiHG_Z5JS03mWYHv-KNAhi8...

[verelo]

+1 to this, I can think of a few places id order for but i couldnt figure out how. Did i miss the link? Looks like it refers to "custom orders" but i wasnt sure how that works.

[gkamradt]

Here's the process on custom orders. I'll put the link right on the site to try and avoid confusion.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IkiHG_Z5JS03mWYHv-KNAhi8...

edit: whoops added link

[prox]

I can’t help but think that archeologists of the future might think these are ritual objects of holy places :)

Anyway they look beautiful.

[gkamradt]

Thank you

[samstave]

use these plates on a larger scale to make terra-cotta impressions and turn them into 'chia-pets' such that you can grow micro greens on the landscape of a particular area.

[gkamradt]

Ha that would be sweet.

Do you have a video link of what you're referring to?

I once tried to use the molds to make chocolate representations of the mountains ha! I learned the hard way that tempering is difficult for a novice

[otter-in-a-suit]

Those look phenomenal!

[gkamradt]

Thank you!

[n1b0m]

That’s beautiful

[gkamradt]

Thank you