Copper-tipped slats for laser cutting

A slat for supporting a work piece comprising:

• (a) An elongate receiver plate made of a first material and having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first front surface, a first back surface and a plurality of receiver slots spaced along the receiver plate, each of the receiver slots extending from the first front surface toward the first back surface and from the top edge toward the bottom edge, and defined by an inner engagement surface having a plurality of first locking sections extending from the first front surface toward the first back surface at first draft angle;
• and
• (b) A plurality of insert members, each insert member made of copper and comprising a tip section and an interlocking section, the interlocking section comprising a second front surface, a second back surface, and an outer engagement surface extending between the second front surface and the second back surface at a second draft angle and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner engagement surface and including second locking sections, wherein the insert members are coupled to the receiver plate by mating from the first front surface of the elongate receiver plate the interlocking sections of the insert members to a receiver slots such that when so mated the tip sections of the insert members extend beyond the top edge of the receiver plate such that the tip sections can support a work piece above the top edge of the elongate receive plate.