"2mm MDF" Topic

I've been looking for 2mm MDF for a while for basing; previously I've used plastic card and artists card, both fine but I thought MDF might be cheaper and certainly warp less. Local DIY stores do 6mm MDF or 3mm hardboard but no 2mm MDF. Googling local timber merchants produced no results (it's too thin for construction work) but I did note a link to 2mm MDF backing boards for picture frames!!

I realsied I'd been asking the wrong question.

What I needed were suppliers to picture frame and mirror makers. New searches provided the following:

olympicvarnish.co.uk

"Yes, we can do 2mm MDF sheets, 8ft by 4ft how many do you need?"
"Err… one?"
"One Sir? We can't really deliver for one."
"No problem, I'll collect".

I live about 5 houses away on the other side of the train track!!

So at £2.88 GBP including VAT I now have an 8by4ft sheet of 2mm MDF and tomorrow I go to my woodwork course at the college where the nice man has agreed to help me cut the sheet into bases!!

Result!

Steve P

I got my 2mm MDF in Homebase, but it was a couple of years ago now.

Try East riding miniatures. I get my bases from him, 2mm mdf and he will cut to any size.

Phil

Martin,
Our local Hombase and other DIY stores no longer stock stock 2mm, if they ever did.

Phil,
Yes, I have some of Tony's bases from ERM but they are 2.5mm and I prefer slightly thinner.

Steve P

Blimey Steve that is a bargain no doubt.
All you need is a laser cutter and you can make a fortune.

For those of you who aren't taking woodwork classes I have laser cut 2 mm MDF bases in stock at bit.ly/4pti3

--
Martin Stephenson
Vexillia: Wargames Miniatures & Accessories
vexillia.ltd.uk
vexilliagallery.blogspot.com
pikeandplunder.blogspot.com

Tony Barr at ERM moved on to 2.5mm because the quality of the standard 2mm stuff had declined so much. Manufacturers had reduced the resin content and it was too soft to cut cleanly and didn't produce as rigid a base.

I still use the 2mm but only because all my bases are backed with magnetic sheet so they get extra stiffness from that.

I buy mine from a local timber yard – he has it in stacks. It is used in various building and shopfitting applications but less so now that it used to be, hence the increasing scarcity.

I use 1.5 ply -is it more rigid than that.
I've always thought Mdf goes a bit funny at the edges, I mean the edge isn't very crisp and they wear easily.
What do people think?

Where do you get 1.5mm ply from? I can't find that either!

1.5mm ply – I get mine mail order from dbsportandscale.com.

Cheers

Paul

For those interesed the college cutters worked a treat. Not quite as accurate nor precise as laser cutters but the sawing machines worked fine. I'd cut my board into 4by4 to get it into the car and only took one of the halves. I cut into varying strips of 40mm and 60mm then used another saw to cut the strips to 15mm, 20mm etc… Very few have 'torn' corners and the smallest were the hardest to cut.

The depth of the saw obviously meant I lost quite a percentage of the material but have ended up with a shed load of bases.

I think I've unleashed a monster though. The course tutor wanted to know my purpose, when I explained he immediately asked about ebay and the pound signs flashed in front of his eyes!!

Funniest moment was the first lot I cut, they shot up the sawdust vacuum as they were so light. Took us a minute to realise what had happened :)

Steve P

Hi Steve,

I use a heavy duty artists card that I cut with craft knives. I don't get any warping because I seal it with spraypaint and magnetically back it, and ensure that it is on a magnetic tray when I apply gunk to it.

The advantage of card for me is that I can make the bases at home, and their profile is a little thinner than 2mm MDF.

Pics of the bases here:
link

Cheers,

Simon

Why bother with the hassle of sourcing then cutting it yourself when you get it from ERM ? I ordered via the site about 11pm on Tuesday, bases arrived here in the post this morning (Thursday).

I use ERM for MDF bases (superb) and Fenris Games (ebay) for cut ply (ditto).

Why bother with the hassle of sourcing then cutting it yourself when you get it from ERM ? I ordered via the site about 11pm on Tuesday, bases arrived here in the post this morning (Thursday).

Well, it was an experimental exercise and I wasn't trying to persuade people do the same. I was just sharing for those who might be interested, hence the nature of my first post.

Besides, what hassle? It was fun.

1) Collecting the 8by4ft sheet and carrying it home took 20 minutes, including waiting for them to get me change from petty cash for my £2.88 GBP purchase.

2) Cutting it whilst on my evening timber course took 1.5hrs. I'd finished my coursework the previous week so had the time. And it was an excuse to be let loose on the sawing machinery ;-)

3) Sorting and counting the bases took 20 minutes

So for 2 hours work and £2.88 GBP I now have:

128 * 60 by 30mm bases
160 * 60 by 20mm bases
88 * 60 by 40mm bases
32 * 60 by 60mm bases
17 * 60 by 80mm bases

250 * 40 by 15mm bases
300 * 40 by 20mm bases
288 * 40 by 30mm bases
156 * 40 by 40mm bases

So, 1419 bases of varying sizes, made from sheet bought Tuesday, cut Wednesday, for £2.88 plus 2 hours of my time.

ERM's are certainly better than my efforts and I'd recommend them, but mine are good enough for the wargames table and I now have a life time's supply.

Steve P

Ok, I wasn't really refering directly to you as an individual but in less specific terms about sourcing and cutting as a general comment, but for the undoubted majority who don't live 5 doors from the supplier and happen to have access to a cutter it is hassle. It would take me a lifetime and an unending supply of stanley blades to make 1419 bases, not counting the trips to Casualty to re-attached fingertips etc.

1.5mm ply….easily sourced and the cheapest basing material in the universe.
Go down from the office into the workshop.
Pull sheet of ply from the off-cut rack.
Grab apprentice by ear.
Say: "Cut this into 60mm by 45mm pieces, please"
He says: "Why?"
Say: "Don't argue, get on with it then go for your lunch"
He says: "Whatever".
Result:
The finest, cheapest bases available to humanity.

Seeking 2mm MDF in US, all I can find in 1/8 or 3mm.

Lee