If I need to design a vector graphic from scratch, beyond grabbing a pad of paper and pencil to draw my idea first, I’ll ...

Of course, you don’t have to use Inkscape. Any CAD program that puts out DXF (for example, FreeCAD or LibreCAD) ought to work with this technique.

If you use Inkscape to lay out your laser cutter designs you might want to look into this box maker extension. Inscape is [Elliot’s] drawing software of choice since it’s easy to use ...