# First topo/laser result **URL:** \ **Category:** Projects\ **Created:** [November 26, 2024, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003 "2024-11-26T20:55:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![djdelorie](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/djdelorie/32/515_2.png) [@djdelorie](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/djdelorie)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/1 "2024-11-26T20:55:43Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/9/9b86396159e4cfde04d70351379a182a681fb767.jpeg) After seeing others do this, I wanted to do it too for my own home town. I ended up learning all about GeoTIFF and OpenMaps to get the data, and custom software generated an STL I could import into FreeCAD for the milling, and a gcode file for the laser (the laser has to follow the topology, so a generic openmaps-\>laser conversion wouldn’t have worked) As for why it’s so small… 🙂 I’ve “standardized” on 3x3 squares of wood for testing purposes, and have a vacuum jig on my table that holds them in place. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/2 "2024-11-26T22:29:57Z")
Sweet! Did you see the tutorial I did on those last year? ---
**Author:** ![djdelorie](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/djdelorie/32/515_2.png) [@djdelorie](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/djdelorie)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/3 "2024-11-26T23:34:33Z")
I’ve watched and read everything I could get my hands on, but I never have good luck running off-the-shelf software for these kinds of tasks. It’s partly because my PC is set up a little weird, and partly because what I need is usually a little different than what is offered. Plus I’m a software engineer and I like learning things 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bstanga](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/bstanga/32/791_2.png) [@Bstanga](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Bstanga)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/4 "2024-11-27T01:50:57Z")
Eric, On this subject how is the laser nozzle height applied? I need on the XT8 for the nozzle to be .3 above the work surface, I went into wizard and set custom z offset to .3 but it is almost 1.75" above the work. ![2024-11-26 19.47.26](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/1/11356404cd8e7b224dfd7c57c602c31c8163c6aa.jpeg) ![2024-11-26 19.46.09](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/e/e503ff26078c47ba2dbb99c81dca1ec1d8ed5a74.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Scott](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Scott)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 1:01pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/5 "2024-11-27T13:01:25Z")
May I ask you to point us to that tutorial? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/6 "2024-11-27T13:06:42Z")
@Bstanga when you measure the laser with the tool height offsetter it adds the nozzle height to it. Are you sure that’s the correct height for that 45 watt? ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/4/46a71ce299e8f712eedd7d5e1157528fe798cc8a.png) > [@Scott](#): > > May I ask you to point us to that tutorial? Are you talking about the laser setup tutorial? ---
**Author:** ![Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Scott](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Scott)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/first-topo-laser-result/4003/7 "2024-11-28T13:16:01Z")
Sorry my mistake - I thought the tutorial was about creating topo carvings and incorporating laser into the final project - thank you for the quick reply and have a great thanksgiving! Scott