As indicated by the title, this project is proof of a concept above all. I started with a 3D model (courtesy of mckoss on thingiverse,) trimmed it down in Blender, and imported it into 123D Make. I expanded it by ⅛ inch, sliced it for ⅛ inch stock, and exported it for laser cutting. Lasered, stacked and glued, then sanded down with a dremel.
Next time I’ll leave it the right size in 123D Make and expand the paths in Illustrator instead. Expanding it in 123D Make left the alignment holes so far out that by the time I’d finished sanding I couldn’t leave it unfinished because of all the little dark marks. Not a great loss, since I botched the cutting and had to use a piece of stock that was a slightly different shade, resulting in unappealing random stripe. Those minor issues aside, I think the method works beautifully for the art-related ideas I was thinking of when I devised it. And, of course, I have a real life pair of 3D antlers now.
If you know me at all you know that any time I’m presented with an inanimate object my thoughts immediately turn to how I could wear it upon my person. Success in this case, but opportunities where I won’t risk removing the eyes of the innocent are limited. I would say that if I ever decide to move to a new place and change my identity I might consider becoming a deer. Those pointy antlers really make you feel safe. Maybe that’s why deer aren’t afraid of cars.