This tutorial is a continuation of this topic, where a print graphic needs to be updated to work with laser cutting and engraving. Print graphics can have hidden/background geometry that laser software recognizes, resulting in unwanted laser marking and cutting.

This is just one way to approach the task... there will be many ways, depending on the designer/user's  preferences.

Let's get started.

First, I would ungroup everything and move the text elements to their own layer.

Next, I'd select everything and remove the clip objects.

Next I'd add in some guides.

Then I'd clean up the pattern in the upper right.

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Now, we'll clean up the crucifix. 

(I had to clean up the bottom nodes after the recording, to make them aligned horizontally.)

After grouping (seen above), the group can be duplicated and positioned for the other quadrants.

I put the crucifix and the pattern into their own layers.

I then noticed that they didn't meet at the center guide, as the crucifix group is more narrow. This is easily resolved with a node adjust, as the centering of the crucifix does not need to be geometrically precise (the casual viewer is not likely to notice). True centering could be accomplished with numeric positioning and node tweaks on each side.

Some readers may be wondering: "Why do all this fussing when the text will cover many of the objects?".  

Good question!  It's mostly because the artwork is being revised and we don't really know what will/won't be visible. And this is a tutorial, so it all (hopefully) has value to the viewers.

More to come soon!

Lower elements need addressing.

Seems to be a bug when using the splitter and the node tool. (deselecting)

Bug workaround.

Clean up the lower ornament.

Since this may go any number of directions, I'll save the current version and continue further with a new copy.

Some more node cleanups:

My goal is to eliminate any overlapping geometry, without little odd pieces hanging around. I'm working this one more than the original, since we (I) don't know what the revisions will be.

Now it's time to use the Shape Builder tool to remove overlapping geometry. 

But it seems I have a problem... (might be a bug).   I can't get the first O to be recognized as a valid path.

I removed duplicate nodes, copied and pasted the other O... nothing worked. Then I came to the conclusion that it would be faster to only merge the largest text outline (blue), then put the rest in (black & white). Then, using the Shape Builder would be much easier and the rest of the text would be a non-issue since there are no remaining paths that overlap.

It's not perfect. There are colinear lines that the laser may cut twice, but it should be ok for engraving.

The Shape builder is fast, but it is destructive editing... I would save a copy prior to using the shape builder, so if any further revisions pop up, the components of the design will still be available.

I hope this helps, and inspires you to explore new ways of using Inkscape.