Absolutely correct! I have seen some done very well and take advantage of the effect. I just don’t all of my projects to look it.
I am also looking forward as adding a glowforge to my toolbox, not using it just as a single tool.
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I understand why Glowforge as a company wants to demonstrate that many things can be done while only using a laser cutter. But will never be the type of person looking at a solution in search of a problem.
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Being new to lasers (and even woodworking), that’s one of those subtle design things that I never realized before you mentioned it, but now that you mention it, I have always thought the projects I see it on feel a little, I dunno… cheaper? Maybe that’s not the right word for it… Now that you’ve pointed it out, I’m definitely going to be digging into alternatives.
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I think part of the reason it works so well as a unique design element on your dresser is that it’s not completely overdone. The “Instructables” style projects we see a lot of pretty much use these on every single joint. Your dresser, on the other hand, only has it showing on the vertical edges of the drawers—the rest of the dresser is solid which makes the small texture feel like ornamentation and adds a little visual interest to something otherwise very simple.
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Also note that there’s a huge difference between plywood/hardwood and the raw edge and a sanded & finished edge when it comes to finger joints. Hardwood finger joints look amazing, and even better after sanding and finishing.
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I happen to love box joints (which is what my dad the woodworker always called them).
However I don’t really like the way they look in plywood or when the edges are burnt.
I have been trying to remember over cut them so I can sand them back flush and clean, but usually I just wanna fire the laser and I forget to check.
Painting the plywood is a decent alternative, but my sense of esthetic would require that I first fill it, sand it, prime it, and then sand it again. Which is a lot of work!
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I usually hand cut my dovetails. In may cases its much faster and more attractive than using a router jig. I took a class from a master, and although I’m still rank amateur status in comparison, I picked up some really good tips and techniques.
I think the laser will be a great tool for laying out the pins, perhaps even cutting them if the slab is thin enough. I could also be used to mark the tails, then followup with a dovetail saw and chisel to finish cutting them out.
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Can you autofocus while cutting? Because then (for some small hardwood pieces) you might be able to get enough tilt to cut the pins to a decent angle. (Have I got my pins and tails right?)