Here is a simple method to align top and bottom cuts with your laser to allow two sided cutting so you can cut twice the thickness.
Nice video Jim! Thanks for the effort. Maybe one day I’ll have a laser.
The diode lasers are now pretty serious cutting machines. They can actually cut thin (very thin) sheet metal. They really complement a spindle on a big cnc router.
Nice project but why not use the double sided functionality of Vectric and make the pocket in the cardboard the same size your blank for a nice tight fit? That’s the normal way to do it using a router. I must be missing something.
Then the blank would have to be cut out exactly to the hole, or the hole cut exactly to my blank. With the router, you can cut the blank out and the pocket, and get that tight fit.
With this method, I’m exceedinng the cutting depth of the laser, so I can’t cut the outside perimeter out with the laser (I just used the table saw). I don’t have to have any precision at all with the size of the blank with this.
There is merit even with the router for not requiring a precise fit particularly if you try to use the same pocket for several blanks in a production type run. After several uses the pocket becomes a loose fit if MDF is used, don’t ask how I know. So this process has some good uses. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
You are correct, with this method, you only need the inner outlne of the cardboard jig in your design. The outer perimeter of the jig, as well as the workpiece doen’t really matter as long as the workpiece fits inside the jig inner box. Makes it pretty simple for simple people like me 
I haven’t tried it with the router yet, but it should work as well (acuracy wise) as the dowel pin I’ve method I’ve been using, but is easier to do process wise.