I have fallen in love with a machine. The laser cutter at the uni. Well; actually, it is what it can do, that captivates me. I am craftsperson –  I have two educations in crafts. I am a potter and bookbinder. So I have a sense for materials, how they act, what you can and cannot do, and how they respond. Laser cutter changes everything. Of course, laser cutters are nothing new. What is new is that they are accessible, and with makers spaces, becoming even more so.

Plywood laser:

It eats vector (<3), and 500dpi. It cuts and engraves with a ridiculous precision. Here is the thing in action. I think I can stand and stare at the magic all day:

Here is my original doodle and its plywood cut and engraved result:

And then, how could I not do a little Visual Squirreling?

Acrylic laser:

So then it was time to play with acrylic (plexi). It is magical, how the edges are razor sharp. My craft background brain reels from the fact that there is no work to be done afterwards: no grinding, polishing, sanding. It is perfect.

I have an ambitious idea cooking; it involves a bronze mirror and transparent acrylic. I will report back; it will either be an amazing thing or a waste of material and time.

Here is a previous article about laser cutting plywood.