We describe several approaches to basic femtosecond machining and materials processing that should lead to practical applications. Included are results on high-throughput deep hole drilling in glasses in ambient air, and precision high-speed micron-scale surface modification of composite materials and chalcogenide glasses. Ablation of soda-lime silicate glass and PbO lead-silicate is studied under three different sets of exposure conditions, for which both the wavelength and pulse duration are varied. Ablation rates are measured below and above the air ionization threshold. The differences observed are explained in terms of self-channeling in the ablated hole. Fabrication of practical devices such as waveguides and gratings is demonstrated in chalcogenide glass.