{"id":66307,"date":"2019-05-02T09:12:12","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T16:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ponoko.com\/blog\/?p=66307"},"modified":"2019-06-20T09:55:02","modified_gmt":"2019-06-20T16:55:02","slug":"custom-topographical-maps-peaks-on-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ponoko.com\/blog\/maker-success-stories\/custom-topographical-maps-peaks-on-point\/","title":{"rendered":"A Perfect Combination Of Technical And Artistic Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Peaks<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why Peaks On Point Chose Laser Cutting To Create Its High-Quality, Custom Topographical Maps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Timeline: December 2015. Colin Stuart needs a unique\nChristmas gift for his parents, and something generic from the mall just won\u2019t\ndo. So he puts on his creative cap and comes up with a plan: A laser cut\ntopographical map of Okanagan Lake, British Columbia, Canada, where his mom and\ndad live. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a hit with his parents\u2026and everyone else who saw it. With such positive feedback, he wanted to offer this kind of product to others who share his design aesthetic. That\u2019s how Peaks On Point<\/a> was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Peaks offers 13 stock map\ndesigns\u2014everything from the well-known Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Vancouver\nIsland, British Columbia to the more obscure Pinecrest Lake, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peaks<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am currently expanding my pre-designed\nofferings because they are less labor intensive, but the custom locations are\nby far the most popular product,\u201d Colin says. \u201cEach custom map undergoes a\npersonalized design phase with the customer, including a digital mockup of what\ntheir final product will look like, before I build anything. I think this helps\nthe customer better understand exactly what they are going to receive and gives\nthem confidence in placing an order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the future, I am looking to expand not only\nthe range of available locations but to also have a variety of price points for\ndifferent customers,\u201d he continues. \u201cI think I have an untapped market for\nsimpler designs at a lower price.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venturing Into Mapmaking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the thing with laser cutting<\/a>: People typically<\/em> don\u2019t just wake up one day and decide to laser cut artwork (although, theoretically that\u2019s possible). The more likely scenario is that there\u2019s a progression. Perhaps it\u2019s from an engineering standpoint where other manufacturing options don\u2019t work. Maybe it\u2019s from a artistic angle where someone is looking for an unexpected means of creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how did Colin get from a blank canvas to\nbringing intricate topographical maps to life? He\u2019s always been interested in\nbuilding, and everything changed in seventh grade when shop class became an\noption. He began working with sheet metal and eventually progressed into\nwoodworking through the end of senior year. After high school, he even worked\nin a cabinet shop before starting art school where he refined his digital skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, Colin spends his days as a digital\nartist at Minted working on image retouching and compositing, where he primary\ncreates composited product images (combining photographed and digital assets)\nat a large scale using scripts and other tools. Then he spends weekends,\nevenings, late evenings and early mornings honing his craft for Peaks products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI considered 3D printing as an option, but the\nmedium didn\u2019t have the right aesthetic for something that would be hanging in a\nliving room,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I also wouldn’t have been able to achieve the intricately\ndetailed pieces of wood required for these maps with any hand tools or a scroll\nsaw. Thus, laser cutting was a perfect combination of my technical and artistic\nskills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peaks<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Working With Ponoko<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once Colin determined that laser cutting was the way to go for his topographical maps, why did he choose Ponoko? \u201cI had come across Ponoko a year or two before I ever used any services; I was intrigued but didn’t have any ideas at the time,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen I finally had a reason to do some laser cutting, Ponoko was the first place I checked. The instant quoting and amazing file upload system was almost entirely why I chose the service and is why I continue to use it to this day. Being able to instantly see my price and refine the files to cut costs<\/a> is incredibly valuable to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since maps are all about highlighting terrain, Colin chose amber bamboo plywood<\/a> to tap into the natural feel of the material. \u201cI like the consistent figuring of the grain, and it has a good combination of strength without being too thick,\u201d he explains. \u201cI wanted to incorporate as many layers as possible on each map, typically including 12-18 layers depending on the terrain and water depth of the location. I plan to build prototypes using the new thin bamboo to see if I can double the amount of layers on a map.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peaks<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While the frames were originally made from the same bamboo and stained dark, there was a problem. \u201cThe strength of my construction was lacking,\u201d Colin admits. \u201cAfter a customer received a broken map in the mail, I switched to walnut veneer MDF<\/a> that was much stronger and suitable for box\/finger joints on the corners. This design was also much easier to put together, and it finished beautifully with Tung Oil.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peaks<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The back panel of each map is made from the thickest natural MDF<\/a> for its strength and excellent engraving (the name of the location and Peaks branding is included on the back).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refining The Process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s another thing about laser cutting: There are always little ways to improve, whether with design elements to enhance appearance or through techniques (such as nesting<\/a>) to save costs (an important consideration if you\u2019re creating products to sell<\/a> and want to maximize profits).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach time I order a map, I am able to subtly\nrefine my process,\u201d Colin says. \u201cOver time, I have reduced my making costs by\nan average of 15% – 25%. I’ve also been able to build with higher quality due\nto the ability to quickly and cheaply iterate. Early maps were comparably\nflimsy and didn’t look like a professional product. Over a year or so, I was\nable to clean up my designs and tailor them to be easier to build.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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