TOPOGRAPHY

In this tutorial I will show you how to cut topography out of chipboard by hand. Here in the shop, students often cut topography from MDF on the bandsaw or chipboard and museum board on the laser cutters using this very same

technique.

Tape your templates on to your chipboard pieces. In the shop, students often glue templates on to MDF using

spray adhesive. In this case, blue painters tape or drafting tape works better for adhering to paper products.

Using the print outs as reference, determine the number of topos in your model. Cut the number of pieces out

of chipboard accordingly. Be sure your chipboard is the same size as the print outs.

The first step is to make several print outs of your topography to the scale of your model. Cut each print out to the exact size of your model. You will use these as your templates, so the accuracy in cutting these will determine

the precision your model.

Label your pieces as you go before taking off the template. You do not want to lose track of the pieces.

Cut along the lines of your topography. Notice I am using a small X-acto knife (not a mat knife) to ensure accuracy because the blade is held firmly in place by the handle.

Lightly trace the printed top piece onto the bottom piece of chipboard for registration.

Until now, our topos have lined up on the outside edges and then we have used a pencil line to register the last

side. Towards the peak of your topo, you will have pieces that are floating in the middle.

I am now going to skip ahead a few topos for this demonstration’s sake. Here I am cutting topos closer to

the top, trying my best to follow the curves acurately.

Here is my number 1 and number 2 topography.

Here I am using an awl and a mallet. These are wood working tools and are good for larger

topographies, especially in MDF and wood.

To register these topos, you will need to make pin marks through the template in to the

chipboard topos below.

A sharp pin will also do the trick and may be more readily accessible for you at home.

Be sure to make registration marks all the way around the permiter of the topography.

The holes made by the awl are both larger and deeper than those made by the smaller pin.

You can now align the floating topography with your pin marks.

Next, I need to glue the topos together. I have everything numbered and all registration marks

are carefully laid out.

Glue can be slippery and it is easy to nudge your pieces out of alignment.

Elmer’s glue is the best for this application and you need very little glue for the chipboard. Too

much glue will make the paper warp.

I continue to line up the pieces with the registration points.

Carefully line each topography with the registration marks and the outside edge.

Here we have one finished section of the larger topography you see on the cover page.