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I'm planning on getting a laser cutter this year. I would like to cut some of my own MDF parts. But, I can't seem to find the kind of MDF that SeeMeCNC uses for their 3-D printers.
Does anyone know where this material can be sourced from?

Tmcrocker wrote:I'm planning on getting a laser cutter this year. I would like to cut some of my own MDF parts. But, I can't seem to find the kind of MDF that SeeMeCNC uses for their 3-D printers.
Does anyone know where this material can be sourced from?

Pretty sure I read Menards mentioned once a while back.

The Menards stuff is a bit more chippy but it would work.

I know about Menard's. I don't see anything less than a half inch thick and it isn't coated like the stuff SeeMeCNC uses.

Melamine is the product you're looking for, I don't think they call it MDF anymore after it's laminated.

Menard's does have 1/4" but you might have to order it. I have a sample and it is more coarse than what seemecnc uses

Usually what I find is Melamine coated flakeboard. What SeeMeCNC seems to use is melamine coated MDF board. I guess I'll just have to call them up and ask him directly, where do they get this stuff?

I believe they use a HPL melamine panel, HPL being an acronym for High Pressure Laminate.

Tmcrocker wrote:Usually what I find is Melamine coated flakeboard. What SeeMeCNC seems to use is melamine coated MDF board. I guess I'll just have to call them up and ask him directly, where do they get this stuff?

So, I work for a little company called Plum Creek. One of the many things that we DO is manufacture MDF. I'll talk with our sales guys and see where we sell the Melamine thin stock and see If I can get you a retail location.

I am the one who first sourced the melamine board and turned SeeMeCNC on to it for the first Rostock MAX.
(As a matter a fact I cut the first kits until SeeMeCNC got there own laser cutter. Fun times being involved in the 'birth' of this awesome machine. Great design Steve!)

Yes, 3 years or so ago it was purchased from Menards and they stocked 1/4" white in the store.
They no longer stock the correct stuff, the 1/4" board in store is no longer the fine MDF stuff it is coarse particle board core.
FYI the particle board core does not laser cut well at all. I won't use it in my laser.
The fine MDF core laser cuts wonderful! or is it actually LDF (low density fiberboard) ??

Anyway, you can still special order the MDF core in black or white, but must get a pallet of (50) 4' x 8' sheets.
I have considered selling the blank "laser ready" melamine sheets cut to 18" x 32" & 12" x 32" with paper mask on both sides.
Those are our "standard" sizes that fit well in most laser cutters and is good yield from a 4' x 8' sheet.
I just wonder if enough would sell to make it worth the inventory investment.
The cost of shipping and packaging for safe transport would be rather pricey also.
Currently I only keep enough on hand for producing my on products.

I have been looking for other sources and colors for a long time. If anybody knows of a supplier please let me know.

You can get small 12" x 24" sheets from this supplier...
http://www.laserbits.com/wood-sheets/du ... k-1-4.html
This is where I first got the stuff until I discovered the same thing at Menards.
They are a supplier to our Awards & Engraving industry, I don't know if they sell to individual hobbyists, but maybe.

As a side note, I called Laserbits awhile back asking if they would consider selling larger sheets (18"x32") They flat out refused and said they could not get bigger sheets. Which is ironic to me since the most common table size of laser engraving machines in our industry is 18" x 32" or 12" x 24"
And I know for a fact that 4' x 8' sheets are available, and would guess Laserbits have sheets cut to 12" x 24" for them.
12" x 24" is a common size for sheet plastic and such for the awards & engraving people.

I think there is a opportunity here, I just have not found the time to pursue it. probably should, but just not enough hours in the day.

Laserbits will sell to anyone.

g.

So I guess we don't make the melamine covered MDF, we just sell the MDF to the companies that do and I could only get an entire unit as Brian explained above.

Here is a trick tip:
The MDF core will wick in water-thin CA glue really well, making small parts rock hard!
I use this glue http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercury-Adhesiv ... 19ffcd1b7b
(You must use the water-thin CA, regular CA from the hardware will not soak in.)
You can actually drill and tap the soaked MDF from the edge, it will hold threads really well.
I threaded into edge of a part for a 6-32 screw and could not strips the threads.!

bvandiepenbos wrote:Here is a trick tip:
The MDF core will wick in water-thin CA glue really well, making small parts rock hard!
I use this glue http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercury-Adhesiv ... 19ffcd1b7b
(You must use the water-thin CA, regular CA from the hardware will not soak in.)
You can actually drill and tap the soaked MDF from the edge, it will hold threads really well.
I threaded into edge of a part for a 6-32 screw and could not strips the threads.!

Nice Tip Brian that will be very useful!

Too bad they don't make dibond in imperial measurements.

So for the heck of it I sent the DXF CAD files to a local metal shop. They quoted $1300 to laser cut out a v2 in aluminium. I think I'll just stick to wood for now

I recently bought an uncompleted Rostock Max kit that was missing a few parts. I found 1/4" 2-sided melamine MDF locally in the SF Bay Area at Macbeath Hardwoods in Berkeley for under $30 for a 4'x8' sheet. Unfortunately, my old 25W New Hermes (ULS) laser engraver couldn't get through it, even with multiple passes. One of these days I need to retrofit the thing with air assist. In the interim, I am using 1/8" single-sided melamine MDF that I got at Home Depot a while ago. I cut each piece along with its mirror and glue them back to back. Not perfect but darn close.

Michael

KAS wrote:So for the heck of it I sent the DXF CAD files to a local metal shop. They quoted $1300 to laser cut out a v2 in aluminium. I think I'll just stick to wood for now

There's a "certain" company (cough, Trick Laser, cough) that makes an excellent metal frame for much much less than that.