What this is
MDF and plywood are the most-machined materials in our workshop, in the same way they're the most-used sheet goods in any builder's yard. Cabinet makers send us flat-pack carcass parts. Shop-fitters send us shopfront backers and counter detail. Sign shops send us routed-letter backers. Prop and exhibition builders send us everything.
MDF cuts cleanest of the sheet goods — uniform density, predictable edge, takes paint and lacquer well. We see it in cabinetry doors, painted signage panels, jigs, props, fixture mock-ups, and the inside structure of upholstered furniture. The downside is dust and weight; the upside is finish quality and price.
Plywood adds strength and a visible grain face. Marine and exterior ply for outdoor signage and marine fit-out; standard interior ply for shop joinery, furniture and rustic signage. Both route well; supply the grade you want or tell us the end use and we'll suggest. Voids in cheap builders' ply will catch out a clean cut — premium grades are worth the small extra cost for visible work.
For cabinet runs, send a cut sheet with quantities and we'll batch. For one-offs, send the file and we'll quote against the bed. We can route grooves, dadoes and shallow pockets in the same setup as the through-cuts — list them in your file with separate layers for each operation.