Would it be possible to make some sort of low power plasma cutter like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nR24XqGSGE&NR=1

I have a plasma ball that I have no use for

?????? Tiny arc by induction?

Those $20 plasma balls & plasma discs that you can get at Spencer's don't even use a completed electrical circuit, btw. I built one into a computer case (which I still have) and it only takes one 12V lead.

I'm thinking if we had some sort of x,y table paper or maybe even veneer could be cut into intricate designs either like this, or with a laser.

I think that using something with a finer point than a paper clip and something more pointy than, uh a quarter... on the bottom might be able to produce a clean cut (burnt) line.

Cool!

Hey, speaking of lasers, I have a large soft tissue laser in my garage. Totally forgot about it until last night when I tripped over it.

The label on the back says:
CLASS IV LASER
1060nm 200mJ 120us pulse

I have no idea if it actually works, though a person who should know says it does. I haven't tried turning it on -- no eye protection. It's got a couple of feet of fiber optic cable coming off the emitter; I was thinking of trying to tape the cable to Cory's CNC router head, to see if it'll burn something nifty into wood...

Well I'd give that a much better chance of working cleanly than a stoner toy.

probably, even my small homemade lasers burn wood nicely

Yeah, I figured by the scorched operation notes taped to the top of the chassis... I'm real curious to fire it up, but not without some serious safety work first. This thing is dangerous.