Be realistic about expectations on cutting 1/4" “junk” ply with a laser. While the thin veneers usually cut clean, the glue can be a problem, so you end up not making it through, even with multiple passes.
This is my experience with a K40 nominal 40W CO2 laser, I’d expect a diode laser to have even more trouble.
yeah, i should have been more clear. thanks for the heads up
with the laser, id buy ‘laser-rated’ basswood ply or the like that seems to be very common on amazon for this application. i wouldnt use this junk stuff. i expect this particular piece i bought for this project is going to end up in the back of the garage for the next 6 years, because i even feel bad burning it as scrap after smelling how it came off the circular saw.
OOOOh that is going to be nice!
Right? I love it. This is a tester piece to nail the design. The path is 1/16” but I may bump it to 1/8”. I forgot to clear the cells with another toolpath so I did it with a handheld router
Plan is to scale this up and do a 24”x 60” 2” thick white oak desk top and do a rainbow gradient fill.
Also going to do ‘honey boards’ like mini charcuterie board for holding honeycomb. Big seller at craft fairs around here
How about adding some drips in there to make it kinda look like running honey.
Just cuz I like the look of the fresh pour that kinda Winnie the Pooh sloppy honey, contrast to the precise hexagon.
Just an idea…I could get off my butt and give it a try myself. 
It also reminds me of hive (the game):
https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Zone-Games-5525890-Possibilities/dp/B000EN5ZLW
Lol, I could just leave it the way it is and call it done.
Oh heck yeah! But if you get in there and change anything…drippy drippy
I might try to do a 3D carve of a bee, and some drips. That’s a cool idea
Wow!!!
(I got my drippy!)
Can you do a "builds post so we can add that to the gallery please 
Sure.
That one just sold.
And I got three orders, including 1 custom.
They want a 3D relief life size honey bee inside one of the cells and filled with clear epoxy
Lol
Found a walnut off cut- 27 minutes from finding it, to this end product. That includes 5 minutes finding the sd card and another 3 because carveco crashed (I had 11 project windows open, lol)
And my laser came today. Won’t get a chance to fire it up until after kids are in bed. Feels like Christmas lol
Still need to figure out the mount. I might just end up squaring off a face of the makita mount rings on the belt sander and epoxying a piece of acrylic on there, that I can then bolt the aluminum plate (comes with laser) to
My remix skills suck
I’m about to start building the LR3 for the CNC aspect, but I would like to get a laser installed on it at some point. When you have yours all setup, can you please give us info on it? (what laser you use, problems you have, etc)
Absolutely!
I got the Neje E40, which is a 10w module designed for extended run time for cutting. I’ve seen video demo of it cutting 10mm birch ply n one pass, and 18 in 3 passes. It has integrated air assist which is what swayed me against the A0406 (I think that’s it)
Plan is to use it for cutting 6-12mm ply for signage, and for come engraving (company logo wood coins). Wife want to use it for 3mm cuts for decor
Apparently it’s a simple 2 wire hookup to skr pro board PC9 pin and ground, and separate 12v 4 amp power.
I’ll update as I go, keep you posted
