A CNC router and a laser want the same thing from a map: clean vector layers with a clear depth order. The difference is in the build. Where a laser cuts each layer from a separate sheet and you glue the stack up, a CNC carves the whole relief out of one solid board - each map layer becomes a pocket at a different depth, so the terrain steps down into the wood instead of building up off it.

The free Map Designer on MyLaserTools.com exports per-layer SVGs that are exactly what your CAM software needs to generate a pocketing toolpath at each elevation or depth band.

Best Presets for CNC Carving

Preset Carves Into
Topography Stepped mountain relief
Lake Depth Chart A carved lake basin
Coastal Depth Chart A sea-floor basin
Land and Sea Relief Map Mountains and lake depth in one block

Tip: Fewer, well-chosen layers carve better than all sixteen. 8-10 elevation steps give a clean terrace without an unreasonable number of toolpaths.

What You’ll Need

Item Notes
CNC router Shapeoko, Onefinity, X-Carve, or larger
CAM software Carbide Create, VCarve, or Fusion 360
Hardwood blank Basswood, maple, walnut, or a glued-up panel
End mills A downcut/compression bit (1/8”) for pockets, a V-bit for engraving

Step 1: Plan Your Depth-Per-Step

On a CNC the layers cut down, not up. Decide your total relief depth and divide by the number of layers:

  • Example: a 20 mm-deep carve across 10 bands means each band sits 2 mm lower than the one above it.
  • The topmost layer (highest elevation, or the shore plate) is the surface of the board - not pocketed. Every layer below is a pocket cut to its step depth.
  • Keep the deepest pocket comfortably above your blank’s thickness so you don’t cut into the spoilboard.

Step 2: Export the Layer SVGs

  • Export the per-layer SVG ZIP - one closed outline per band, named in order.
  • Turn on small-polygon cleanup to drop tiny islands that would become un-machinable nubs.
  • Keep the holes/inversion setting as the preset ships it so each band exports as a plate-with-hole.

Step 3: Toolpath and Carve

  1. Import all layer SVGs into one CAM file at the same origin so they stay in register.
  2. Assign each layer a pocket toolpath at its step depth - highest band shallowest, deepest band at full depth.
  3. Use a downcut or compression bit to keep terrace edges crisp and tear-out free.
  4. Add a V-carve pass for engraved coastlines, the lake name, or coordinates.
  5. Cut a profile pass last with small tabs to release the panel.
  6. Always run a test carve of two or three bands on scrap to confirm your depth math first.

Water as an Acrylic Inlay

For depth charts, pocket the basin a few millimetres deep, then cut a matching shape from tinted blue acrylic and inlay it for a glassy water surface - or flood the carved basin with tinted epoxy.

Make It Yours

  • Carve a favourite peak (Banff, the Tetons, your local ski hill) as a single hardwood block and oil it.
  • Paint each pocket a hypsometric tint before a light surface sanding so only the terrace tops stay bare wood.
  • Glue up a walnut-and-maple striped blank so the carved terraces reveal contrasting bands.

For the tool’s own walkthrough, see the MyLaserTools CNC guide. New to CNC entirely? Read I Bought a CNC Router - What’s Next?.

All exports are free for commercial use.