The GF UI allows you to set operations by the color of the line or shape you have. By default lines with no fill are set as cuts and fills with no lines are engraves. But you can change the operation to what you might want n the UI. You can set power, speed, etc settings by color as well so you aren’t limited to a single set of settings for operations. For instance you can set red to engrave at half power and top speed and blue to engrave at quarter power top speed. The red stuff will come out with a darker engrave.
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@Reeveseye, be sure to check out the Glowforge Tips & Tricks category. In there you will find all kinds of introductory (as well as more advanced) training. In particular you will be interested in Glowforge Customers Training Center - Designing for the Laser - Google Sheets
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Wonderful! Even simpler than I’d hoped. Thanks to all of you.
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Today’s experimentation was fun with cylinders. I wanted to experiment with wide curved shapes, but without living hinges. The idea was to cut a bunch of slats that could be inserted into slots to form shapes. Pictures below because I am doing a poor job explaining. Cut out of cheap baltic birch with imperfect masking and power settings.
I have a lot of follow-on ideas because this went even better than I had hoped. Further experiments along the way will involve things like altering the density of slats, and compound shapes that are more complex than a simple circle.
In the mean time I have a nifty little toothbrush holder because waste not, want not. 
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Ooooo, nice!
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Love it! 
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unrelated, but it totally made me think of a wooden oil filter when i saw it in your hand…
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You’re not alone, that’s definitely the first thing that sprang to mind for me too. 
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I was thinking you could do a hamster wheel.
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So pretty! And the possibilities. . .
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