Model Render Print Box

Printable 3D models of the Earth rendered from the global elevation model (GDEM) data on the shared /datasets volume — a small desk globe that prints as two halves with a twist-lock cylinder joining them. The render source is ETOPO 2022, maintained by the model-elevation-earth project.

Status

How it works

The project reads the GDEM tiles from the shared datasets volume, renders the globe at 100 mm sea-level diameter as two hollow hemisphere shells divided at the equator, and adds a hollow twist-lock cylinder whose outer surface mates with the inner surface (socket) of the two halves. The ring is entirely inside, so the hemispheres' rims meet at the equator. Bayonet pins on the cylinder engage L-shaped grooves in each socket; twisting the two hemispheres in opposite directions locks both halves while the ring stays put, and the relief seam is aligned when locked. Each half carries a 2 mm vent hole on its pole axis, bored through the shell so air escapes as the halves are pushed together. The approach is decided in documents/05-globe-box-approach.md.

Inside the globe is Pellucidar: each half holds a liner carrying a map of Burroughs' inner world, its geography taken as our own inverted — its continents are where our oceans are, and its seas where our continents are. The liners nest against the inner surface of their halves, seating on the socket ledge and clearing the twist-lock ring, and the two together form one continuous world. Open the assembled view to look into the northern bowl.

Printing workflow

Assembled globe

Documentation