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How the globe is made
Real relief, raised
Heights come from the whole world's elevation data and are raised many times so they show at print size: Earth 30×, Mars and the Moon 8× by default. Turn on sea-floor relief to carve the ocean basins and trenches too.
Two halves that fit one way
The globe splits at the equator. Three holes for 1.75 mm filament pins or disc magnets sit in a pattern that only fits one way round, so the continents always meet. Each half prints flat side down.
Hollow without supports
The inside never overhangs more than 45°, so the hollow halves print without supports and use a fraction of the filament. A solid rim round the flat side holds the pins or magnets.
Ideas to try
Earth in sea and land colours at the last ice age, a Moon with its craters for a desk, Mars with Olympus Mons for a space fan, or a set of the planets and moons side by side.
Elevation: Mapzen Terrain Tiles on AWS (SRTM, GMTED2010, ETOPO1 and others); other worlds from NASA, ESA, JAXA and USGS mission data. Want just one place? Make a lithophane or Moon lamp, open the TerraPrinter app or see more 3D map gift ideas.