I recently got a chance to play around with a laser cutter for the first time thanks to my tech class. Besides the awful smells whenever the thing was opened, I would consider it a pretty good first impression. The process is a lot faster than 3D printing thanks to working with one less axis, and the designs are much easier to make as well. I ended up using all three dimensions for my project anyways though - because apparently I felt like making things more complicated for myself. I decided to make a chess set by joining two halves of each piece with slots, creating some plus-sign-shaped pieces that could stand upright pretty well. I could have glued the halves together for some sturdier pieces, but I thought it would be more interesting to let them be mixed to make some half-and-half “hybrid” pieces. I would never end up making all of the pieces needed for a game of fusion chess, though - I ran into several issues along the way, like needing to share one cutter and wood supply with the entire class. The half-pieces also weren't exactly robust, and thin sections were prone to bending and snapping. I have ideas for making a better set - including using different kinds of wood for black and white and playing around with the slots for a better fit between any two pieces - but since we've moved onto other units in the class, that plan will have to stay on the back burner for now.