There is also the concept of 2.5D -- where paths are specified as 2D, but are modified into 3D with and up/down z-height passed in. That way you can 3D print images and laser-cut files. On Mon, Feb 16, 2026 at 12:06 PM Jon Bondy via Discuss < discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > I agree that 3D printing sheet goods is not optimal. I think what was > meant was any flat sheet, that could have been cut out of plywood or MDF > or plastic. > > Jon > > On 2/16/2026 11:27 AM, larry via Discuss wrote: > > On Mon, 2026-02-16 at 07:28 -0800, Lee DeRaud via Discuss wrote: > >> Speaking as someone who has had a laser for decades, once built a CNC > >> router > >> (a story for another time), and now also has a 3D printer: > >> Anything done on the laser is an order of magnitude easier than on a > >> CNC > >> router. > >> Anything done on the laser is an order of magnitude faster than on a > >> 3D > >> printer. > >> Or more concisely, anything that CAN be done on the laser SHOULD be > >> done on > >> the laser. > >> > >> (The CNC was *much* more fun to design/build than it was to > >> use...ended up selling it a couple years later to free up garage > >> space. And I'm still a bit amazed at the number of people who use a > >> 3D printer to print 2D objects.) > > Really? Can you tell me what you consider a 2D print on a 3D printer? > > A print has to have at LEAST 1 layer. > > > > Larry > > > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. > www.avg.com > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

On Mon, 2026-02-16 at 12:53 -0500, John David via Discuss wrote: > There is also the concept of 2.5D -- where paths are specified as 2D, > but are modified into 3D with and up/down z-height passed in.  That > way you can 3D print images and laser-cut files. Exactly, things like lithophanes, hueforges and keychain tags. > On Mon, Feb 16, 2026 at 12:06 PM Jon Bondy via Discuss > <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > > I agree that 3D printing sheet goods is not optimal.  I think what > > was > > meant was any flat sheet, that could have been cut out of plywood > > or MDF > > or plastic. > > > > Jon > > > > On 2/16/2026 11:27 AM, larry via Discuss wrote: > > > On Mon, 2026-02-16 at 07:28 -0800, Lee DeRaud via Discuss wrote: > > > > Speaking as someone who has had a laser for decades, once built > > > > a CNC > > > > router > > > > (a story for another time), and now also has a 3D printer: > > > > Anything done on the laser is an order of magnitude easier than > > > > on a > > > > CNC > > > > router. > > > > Anything done on the laser is an order of magnitude faster than > > > > on a > > > > 3D > > > > printer. > > > > Or more concisely, anything that CAN be done on the laser > > > > SHOULD be > > > > done on > > > > the laser. > > > > > > > > (The CNC was *much* more fun to design/build than it was to > > > > use...ended up selling it a couple years later to free up > > > > garage > > > > space. And I'm still a bit amazed at the number of people who > > > > use a > > > > 3D printer to print 2D objects.) > > > Really? Can you tell me what you consider a 2D print on a 3D > > > printer? > > > A print has to have at LEAST 1 layer. > > > > > > Larry > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > > OpenSCAD mailing list > > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org