Cool projects. One particular thing struck me, as my partner owns a laser cutter as well. "The backing and mat are made of birch plywood". Here in Europe, 6mm thick birchwood rectangles (60x90cm) are 36 euros now, which used to be 3 euros.
Oh yeah wood prices went crazy since covid. I bought a pre-made tabletop of fern-wood in the hardwarestore for 70 bucks pre-covid, now. Same thing now is around 300