Supplying Your Own Material for Laser Cutting? Here’s What You Need to Know

🛠️ Introduction

Got a sheet of steel leftover from another job? Want to save cost by supplying your own aluminium or stainless?

We get it—and yes, at Metalmorphic Laser, we’re happy to cut customer-supplied material.

But to make sure everything goes smoothly, there are a few important things you need to know before you drop it off.

✅ Yes, You Can Supply Your Own Material

We regularly work with clients who:

  • Have offcuts or sheets they want to reuse

  • Are working with specialty metals or finishes

  • Have already ordered material for a broader project

  • Need a specific batch or grade they’ve sourced themselves

It can be a great way to save money and reduce waste—but there are conditions.

⚠️ Here’s What You Need to Know Beforehand

1. We’ll Need to Inspect It First

Before we cut:

  • We’ll check for warping, rust, coatings, and damage

  • We’ll confirm it’s compatible with our machines

  • We may run a small test cut to ensure clean results

Some coatings (e.g. PVC, mirror film, or oily surfaces) can interfere with cutting and require removal.

2. Thickness Must Be Within Our Machine Limits

We cut the following in-house:

Material - Max Thickness

  • Mild Steel - 35mm

  • Stainless Steel - 18mm

  • Aluminium - 16mm

If your material is thicker or unusual (e.g. copper, brass, galvanised), check with us first.

3. We Can’t Guarantee the Quality of the Cut

If the material has:

  • Internal stress

  • Unknown coatings

  • Contaminants or odd compositions

…we can’t guarantee the cut will be clean or free from distortion. We’ll do our best—but some materials behave unpredictably under laser.

We’ll always let you know the risks before we start.

4. Label and Deliver It Clearly

Please:

  • Label your sheet with your job name or invoice number

  • Note if there’s a preferred grain direction, good side, or cut orientation

  • Ensure it’s flat and free of debris, film, or tack welds

  • Let us know the material type and thickness (especially if unmarked)

5. We Also Offer Material Sourcing

If you're supplying your own material to save money or hit a deadline—we’re happy to help.
But we also stock and source common materials including:

  • Mild steel

  • Aluminium

  • Stainless steel

  • Custom thicknesses and finishes

Let us know what you need, and we can quote cutting with or without supplied material.

🧠 Summary: What to Remember

✅ Yes, we cut customer-supplied material
⚠️ We’ll inspect it first and discuss any risks
📏 It must be within machine thickness limits
🔍 We don’t guarantee results on unknown or coated metal
📦 Label and deliver clearly

📞 Got Your Own Sheet? Let’s Cut It

Bring us your leftover metal, specialty stock, or custom alloy—and we’ll cut it to spec (as long as it checks out).

Contact Metalmorphic Laser today to arrange a drop-off, inspection, or quick quote.

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How to Streamline Your Laser Cutting Orders (And Save Time on Every Job)