Like you, I like these Celtic Knots and while I have no idea where I'll use them, I have decided to take up the gauntlet between casks of vino.
Sorry Splinter (bless you), when it comes to setup, fine tuning of the laser and experimentation,, you leave me in Antartica, however, when it comes to graphics hope I may offer some suggestions from my novice hacking experience.
I believe the cross has a circle in it, so there should be some minor cutouts to accentuate the circle, Yeah, yeah... bloody MDF... hell, here in downtown Churchill the residents are just learning to plant seeds and harvesting trees is a long way away.
I have found that when backfilling you cannot engrave to the edge, else you don't have a surface to build up the edge backfill against. I always create a .5-1.0mm artificial circumference to give a supporting wall, the outside line is the cut kerf.
Will try to emulate this project, if only to convert users to Timbermate and bolster my shares value. My BAC is suggesting I don't imbibe and indulge in a sabatical, our limit is 0.05... don't believe a Canon... the reading lies.... errr, I've just had a tad sample of a full glass. As all bad smell, I don't go away.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD