...and BTW, is anyone going to point out the obvious hazards of DIY x-ray dosing? Like, okay, sure, you can perform CT scans on inanimate objects in the privacy of your own home, without subjecting living creatures to x-rays, but still... open source x-ray machines?
It's actually laser cut Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). There are several types, and only some are good for laser cutting. The good types include various fiberboards of a tan color, and if you scratch the edge with your fingernail, you should be able to loosen (and observe) individual fibers. I have purchased pre-cut sheets of this material at Home Depot in the US (midwestern and western US). They also sell a type which has a flat wood pattern printed on one side, intended as "wall board". It is cheap - 12-18USD for a 4x8' sheet.
The type that is used in clipboard backers is NOT good for laser cutting. Although it is also called MDF, it is dark brown, sometimes semi-gloss on the surface, heavier, and more structural. Unfortunately, the glue used to bond and seal it soaks up laser cutting energy and makes it very difficult to cut without significant char.
If you're looking for small amounts of laserable material for testing, laserbits is not a bad source (http://www.laserbits.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=82_...). However, in general I would recommend finding it locally at a lumberyard or home improvement shop as the quantity and pricing are better, and they will typically also cut it for you for a low price. Another source for this kind of material (at least in the US) are university bookstores, who havea (expensive) supplies for architecture majors.
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Off topic question: What kind of cardboard is that used in the prototype? I have been searching for such a material for some time.
It's not cardboard. It's laser-cut wood.
...and BTW, is anyone going to point out the obvious hazards of DIY x-ray dosing? Like, okay, sure, you can perform CT scans on inanimate objects in the privacy of your own home, without subjecting living creatures to x-rays, but still... open source x-ray machines?
Consider the infamous Therac-25:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therac-25
There's a big difference between imaging and treatment radiation.
It's actually laser cut Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). There are several types, and only some are good for laser cutting. The good types include various fiberboards of a tan color, and if you scratch the edge with your fingernail, you should be able to loosen (and observe) individual fibers. I have purchased pre-cut sheets of this material at Home Depot in the US (midwestern and western US). They also sell a type which has a flat wood pattern printed on one side, intended as "wall board". It is cheap - 12-18USD for a 4x8' sheet.
The type that is used in clipboard backers is NOT good for laser cutting. Although it is also called MDF, it is dark brown, sometimes semi-gloss on the surface, heavier, and more structural. Unfortunately, the glue used to bond and seal it soaks up laser cutting energy and makes it very difficult to cut without significant char.
If you're looking for small amounts of laserable material for testing, laserbits is not a bad source (http://www.laserbits.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=82_...). However, in general I would recommend finding it locally at a lumberyard or home improvement shop as the quantity and pricing are better, and they will typically also cut it for you for a low price. Another source for this kind of material (at least in the US) are university bookstores, who havea (expensive) supplies for architecture majors.
It looks like MDF.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fibreboard