UK Material Sourcing Please :)

Everything Else
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Could anyone help me with where to buy laser safe materials from ata reasonable place in the UK please? A google search revealed places that were quite expensive, particularly for acrylics…

Thanks!

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Acrylics are expensive compared to other laser safe materials. Start out with some cheap plywood or hardboard. Or better yet. Corrugated cardboard!

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Thanks! Cardboard sounds like a good option for practice. Is there a setting for cardboard or will I have to work that out with trial and error?

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There is a lot of information about cardboard in the Beyond The Manual forum category, if you do a search.

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I have used https://hobarts.com/ and https://www.cutplasticsheeting.co.uk, although I have only milled them, not lasered.

The price varies widely with colour. 500x300x3mm clear cast acrylic is £4.93 including VAT from Hobarts compared to $9.50 for PG, so considerably cheaper.

What do you count as expensive?

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Don’t forget amazon.

I’ve had some nice cheap birch ply from there.

Also cheap MDF 3mm sheets too

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Not yet tested, but these all had interesting stuff at consumer sizes/prices




https://hobarts.com

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I get great results with (speed/power/passes) 175/80/1 for cutting and 150/1/1 for scoring. Don’t engrave.

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Thank you everybody! :slight_smile:
I just took delivery and made my ruler! I guess that means I’m officially hooked!

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Woohoo! Now you’ll be haunting wood stores, tile places, Amazon, hobby & craft shops…and everywhere you go you’ll see things that will make you think “I could laser that” :slight_smile:

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I’ve used these guys before as the veneer was very reasonable:

I’ve used the deal on www.Kitronic.co.uk a while back to snag some reasonable 6 mm ply - but it’s not fantastic (internal knots and void here and there).

I was wondering if anyone else in the UK would consider splitting a mahoosive bulk order from a commercial supplier though? I’ve seen full packs (60-100 1525x1525 mm sheets!) of 3, 4 and 6 mm B grade birch ply. I’ve no idea how much that would cost but I’d be willing to consider forking out with a few others and helping to cut and reship an order like that to save us all some cash in the long run.

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True James! I’m wanting to laser everything!!!

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I may be interested Nathan. Just wondering what we cover it with? Masking tape?

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Painters tape in the normal recommendation in the forums but masking tape will do it too. I’m not too worried about that side of things as I’m sanding edges down tbh.

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I’m thinking about engraving too :slight_smile:

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Any Lucky on buying wood in UK?
I bought from Builders Merchant but I really want solid wood like the sample we receive with the machine, not plywood!

Does anyone know any good place?

Thanks in advance!!

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try British Hardwoods they sell veneer and planks of thin hardwood :wink:

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Thanks, I’ve checked their website before! But they don’t seem to cut to size ! :pensive:
I’ve sent them an email! Will see!

Thanks anyway!

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https://www.apptape.co.uk/ecommerce/application-tapes/p100-low-tack-paper-application-tape.aspx

This is a link to a sign supplies company - one of many. They sell the really wide masking tape, called application tape, that sign makers use. It’s what the sample proofgrade materials have on them.

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Thank you so much! :slight_smile: