About Laser Lakes
The Laser Lakes Story (Short Version)
Laser Lakes started the way a lot of my projects do — completely by accident.
I had been into 3D printing for a few years and had bought a few machines from Creality. One day, I got an email saying they were launching a new laser engraver — the Creality Falcon — and that the first 100 people could get one for half price.
Being the cheap geek that I am, I figured I’d give it a shot.
The next morning, I sat there wildly refreshing the page. I ended up being number 98 out of 100 and got my first laser for $259.
A few weeks later, it showed up… and I had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
At first, I made the usual kinds of things — dog tags, Halloween decorations, a couple of wooden boxes. It was kind of interesting, but nothing that really stuck. After a while, I started to lose interest.
Then one night, I had the idea to try making a layered map of the lake my cabin is on.
I had actually tried 3D printing one before, but it took two days and honestly wasn’t that impressive. This time, I started designing it for the laser.
And that was it.
I remember the moment vividly. It was like I had been struck by a bolt of lightning.
I became completely obsessed with the process — the design, the layers, and the way the contours came together. My first few attempts weren’t great, but I didn’t care. I had awakened a dormant passion that I didn't know existed, and it came roaring out of me.
As I kept working on it, I started looking at other lake maps out there, and something clicked:
From a cabin owner’s perspective, nobody was making the kind of maps I would personally want to buy.
I wanted more detailed contours, more layers, and more character in the top layer — something that actually reflected the lake, the surrounding environment, and the personal details that mattered to me.
So I decided to make the map that I would want to buy.
The first “real” map I created was of Cass Lake in northern Minnesota — a lake I had always found fascinating because it contains an island… which contains a lake of its own. (Lake Windigo if you're curious)
That map took me about 90 days to design and build.
I delivered it to a coworker on Christmas Eve, and he and his family loved it.
Not long after that, other people saw it and started asking if I could make one for their lake.
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to make more lake maps.
And that’s how Laser Lakes began.
What Laser Lakes Is About
The idea behind Laser Lakes is pretty simple:
Make high-quality artwork that people will appreciate for decades — and price it fairly.
I’m not trying to make as much as possible, as fast as possible.
I’d rather be selective, focus on quality, and make pieces I’m genuinely proud of.
I make the kind of work that I would personally want to buy — not just own, but actually feel good spending my own money on.
That approach lets me stay focused on the part I care about most:
the process, the details, and the final result.