Sheet gauges we keep on the rack, and why it matters to you
Stock on hand is the difference between a two-week and a five-week lead time. Here is what is standing in the racks.
The difference between a two-week lead time and a five-week lead time is usually not the cutting or finishing — it is whether the material is already on the rack or has to come from a supplier. Here is what we stock, and roughly how deep, so you know before you ask.
Stock levels move with what is running through the shop that month, but this is the baseline we keep on hand for same-week prototyping.
What is always on the rack
Cast acrylic in the common thicknesses — 0.125, 0.25, 0.375 and 0.5 in — in clear, black and white. Baltic birch ply in 0.25 and 0.5 in. These cover the majority of quotes without a material order.
What is a couple of days out
Specialty acrylic colors, mirrored and frosted finishes, and thicker cast stock above 0.5 in usually come from a Dallas supplier within two business days. We will flag it on the quote if your spec calls for something not on the rack.
Why this matters for your timeline
If a job is time-sensitive, ask what is in stock before you finalize a color or thickness. A near-identical spec that swaps a specialty color for a stocked one can cut a week off the schedule with no visible difference in the finished part.
A material swap you cannot see in the finished part can save a week on the schedule. Ask what is on the rack before you lock the spec.
| Material | Common stock | Special order |
|---|---|---|
| Cast acrylic, clear | 0.125 – 1.00 in | Above 1.00 in |
| Cast acrylic, color/frosted | 0.125 – 0.5 in, common colors | Custom color match |
| Baltic birch ply | 0.25, 0.5 in | Other thicknesses on request |
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