Joe is a professional GIS cartographer and self-taught globe maker who has been practicing this ancient art for over 30 years. After studying boat building, cartography and computer programming, he decided to build a fiberglass mold for a 30” hemisphere in 1984. While working in the remote sensing industry for firms including International Imaging Systems, Space Imaging, Digital Globe and ESRI, he continued his craft of making 30” globes. To date, he has built more than 50 large globes.
Early globes were made using paper maps, but the transition to adhesive vinyl allowed maps that are more long lasting. The availability of geographic and astronomical data has allowed Joe to make customized globes of the Earth and other planets and moons.
In 2012 Joe partnered with Real World Globes to invent maps and techniques for an 18” globe that could be built by hobbyists as a kit. These techniques were subsequently adapted to support a 10” globe as well.
In 2014 Joe collaborated with CCGM (Commission de la Carte Geologique du Monde, the international agency charged with coordinating the geological data from many countries) to create globe maps reflecting the database compiled by Dr. Philippe Bouysse. The resulting globes have been well received at trade shows and have been purchased by universities and museums worldwide. “The need to portray this incredibly detailed data as well as possible has led to refinements in every aspect of the process.”
In 2016 Joe retired and moved to Port Townsend, Washington, where he continues to make 30” globes and currently adding 3D molding. “The local artists and boatbuilders have inspired me to hold myself to the highest standards, and I am very happy with the way the newest globes are turning out”.
Visit Joe’s web site www.roubalmapping.com to see the Roubal Mapping Collection of 30” globes and articles he has written about map projections and distortions in world maps.