My usual suppliers (Craft Closet, G2S Awards, Smokey Hill) only offer 12x19" sheets.
I used to be able to buy real 12x20" size MDF from Moth Creative, but they’re unavailable for a few months while they relocate their shop.
Does anyone other than Glowforge sell MDF that’s actually 20" wide?
I print some odd-shaped cutouts on a daily basis, and can nest 3 on a 20" wide sheet but only 2 on a 19" wide sheet, which means that extra inch cuts my material and labor costs significantly. But, a lot of “12x20” listings are really 12x19" and I’ve already blown $150 testing suppliers to try to find a Proofgrade alternative that matches Proofgrade size.
Bummer. Cutting your own is much cheaper and opens a lot of local suppliers up. I used to have a local wood shop that would cut to size, it was great… but they got bought out and the new owners don’t cut.
Might be worth asking at local suppliers if they have a panel saw and will cut?
HD’s MDF is not good laser material. They change what product occupies that SKU on occasion. It’s often thicker than 6mm, sometimes it’s really hardboard, it does not cut well at PG settings, and it produces more dust than every other brand of MDF I’ve used. It’ll kill my machine faster. I’m also not inclined to shop in-store during the peak of a pandemic, or to flag down employees to do craft cuts, which they’re not supposed to do or let me do with their saw.
TL;DR: I’m looking for an online store to buy 12x20" MDF from.
I think it’s a function of getting the most out of the full sheet when cutting it up. My SIL sells some nice quality MDF, but I just checked with him and his sheets are 11.75 x 19.25".
