1. Laser-cut ABS in replica light sabers

Internal assembly of saber handle showing stacked laser-cut parts.

These light sabers made by Michael Murphy illustrate how two-dimensional laser-cut parts can be stacked to create three-dimensional pieces. If you look closely at the black cylindrical parts in the light saber handle, you can see that some of them are assembled from two-dimensional circular parts (similar to the ones shown in the layout on this page) that we laser cut from sheets of ABS plastic.

ABS is a relatively strong plastic that resists cracking, so it is appropriate for mechanical parts that need to withstand some stress or impact. We stock black ABS in several thicknesses: 1/4", 3/16", 1/8", and 1/16". If you are mainly concerned with how a part looks, or if your part does not need to be particularly sturdy, you might consider using acrylic instead: it is protected with paper masking, it comes in a variety of colors, and it is cheaper to laser cut.

To get started with laser cutting your own parts, see our custom laser cutting service page.

Layout for laser cutting stackable parts.