# List of Common Hobby CNC cutting materials **URL:** \ **Category:** Guides & Resources\ **Created:** [October 13, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743 "2020-10-13T19:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mowog](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@mowog](https://forum.sienci.com/u/mowog)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/21 "2020-10-15T00:01:27Z")
I honestly don’t know. I do know people do hit old nails and fencing wire at times. The GUM trees tend to very hard and tough. ---
**Author:** ![Steph\_B](https://forum.sienci.com/user_avatar/forum.sienci.com/steph_b/32/1079_2.png) [@Steph\_B](https://forum.sienci.com/u/Steph_B)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/22 "2020-10-24T18:58:26Z")
Chris, This list is awesome! Thanks a million for creating it! ---
**Author:** ![JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/u/JayDent)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/23 "2020-10-26T01:37:33Z")
As far as places to buy, two staples for me are Grainger and McMaster-Carr. Both are in my backyard. They have tons of locations and shipping. As far as local lumber options, local big box stores gets a reasonable selection. Owl Hardwoods in Chicago is a fun place to go browse. Johnson’s Workbench has locations in Michigan for the people over there. > **[McMaster-Carr](https://www.mcmaster.com/)** > > McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day. > **[Whoops, we couldn't find that.](https://www.grainger.com/)** > **[LL JOHNSON LUMBER MFG & JOHNSON'S WORKBENCH](http://www.theworkbench.com/)** > > Suppliers of \Hardwood lumber and plywood.\ We are a specialty lumberyard with over 80 kiln-dried domestic and imported species at wholesale and retail prices. If you can’t find it, chances are we can./\> > > \ **[Owl Hardwood Lumber](https://www.owlhardwood.com/)** ---
**Author:** ![Aazero](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Aazero](https://forum.sienci.com/u/Aazero)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/24 "2020-11-01T19:36:57Z")
I hear you there. Hard to find different resources ---
**Author:** ![stevendq](https://forum.sienci.com/user_avatar/forum.sienci.com/stevendq/32/166_2.png) [@stevendq](https://forum.sienci.com/u/stevendq)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/25 "2020-11-02T15:44:25Z")
The Owl Hardwood store in Des Plaines store is about an hour-ish from me (in SE Wisconsin) How are their prices? I didn’t see them online. ---
**Author:** ![JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/u/JayDent)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/26 "2020-11-10T23:20:29Z")
I’ve not been there in some time, but I recall they were competitive. They kinda have the market in the area though, so if you want something that Menards does not stock then it is a good place. Worth the visit, they have some exotic slabs to look at. ---
**Author:** ![ahliv](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/7993a0/32.png) [@ahliv](https://forum.sienci.com/u/ahliv)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/27 "2020-11-29T17:23:12Z")
I am extremely new to CNC (ok, brand new). Wondering what material you all would suggest for a beginner to start with. Ideally it would be easily attainable and cheap as I would only be experimenting at first. ---
**Author:** ![gwilki](https://forum.sienci.com/user_avatar/forum.sienci.com/gwilki/32/366_2.png) [@gwilki](https://forum.sienci.com/u/gwilki)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/28 "2020-11-29T18:03:14Z")
@ahliv It depends somewhat on the projects that you want to try. I started out with rigid foam insulation from Home Depot. It is inexpensive, it cuts very easily, it is easy on bits and you can do almost anything with it that you can do with wood. ---
**Author:** ![JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@JayDent](https://forum.sienci.com/u/JayDent)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743/29 "2020-12-23T14:54:11Z")
@ahliv I like using 2x materials for experimentation also. 2x4, 2x6 construction lumber is cheap wood overall. Some of the relief carvings I’ve done (Chris has a good video where he makes one) turned out very nice in the cheap wood. I’ve made gift boxes out of 2x also [Previous page](https://forum.sienci.com/t/list-of-common-hobby-cnc-cutting-materials/1743.md?page=1)