Map Maker

Generate laser-ready city, topographic, and bathymetric contour maps from real geospatial data.

By Scott Bedow, Founder & Lead Developer · Published July 27, 2026

Manufacturing manager who runs CO2, diode and MOPA fiber lasers; builds and maintains every Reticle Red tool.

Method — Documents the shipped behaviour of the current build. Updated when the tool changes, and dated so you can tell how far behind the build it may be.

Map Maker builds clean, layered vector maps of any location by querying OpenStreetMap directly through the Overpass API — real road, water, building, park, and rail paths, not AI approximations. The result is a multi-layer SVG with each feature on its own stroke color so LightBurn auto-assigns palette layers. Perfect for city map engravings on wood or acrylic.

How to use Map Maker

Step 1: Search Location

Type a city or address in the search bar. The map pans to your location.

Step 2: Frame the Area

Zoom and pan to frame exactly the area you want. The CAPTURE AREA outline, shaped like your output size, is what gets extracted.

Step 3: Create a Free Preview

Preview the framed area at no charge. Extraction runs through Reticle Red's controlled service and the editable source is recoverable after a refresh.

Step 4: Add Relief Contours

Open Relief and choose Topo, Bathy, or Both. Pick automatic or fixed contour intervals, meters or feet, and how often a heavier index contour appears. NOAA BlueTopo is preferred for covered bathymetry; global relief fills gaps.

Step 5: Customize and Export

Tune OSM and relief layers independently. The first export costs 2 CR and unlocks SVG, DXF, LightBurn, tiled, and repeat exports for that preview. Verify dimensions, layer operations, and kerf before running the laser.

Tactical Tip

Paste coordinates or a Google Maps link, import a GPX route, or add selected POIs. Decorative Water Rings and Stack boards are geometric shoreline insets, not measured depth; use Relief > Bathy for data-derived contours. Relief artwork is not for navigation.

Before a production run with Map Maker

Save the source file before changing geometry or parameters, confirm the final physical dimensions, and inspect the smallest details at the intended output size. Use matching scrap to test focus, speed, power, frequency, and layer order. Record the settings that worked with the material and machine so the next job starts from a verified result.

Open Map Maker Tool Workspace