Stock forms, types and sizes

Standard types, sizes and components of various material categories

Papers and Boards:

Types	Sizes/Forms	Standard Components
Cartridge paper Corrugated card Cardboard Mounting board Foam board	Sheet form (A3, A4 etc) Roll form Ply (layers) Sold by: Size (A series) Thickness (gsm) Weight Colour	Fasteners Seals Bindings Clips

Detailed Information:

Cartridge paper: Medium weight paper (120-150gsm) with slight texture, ideal for sketching and drawing.

Corrugated card: Fluted inner layer between flat liners, providing excellent protection and cushioning (used for packaging).

Sheet forms: Standard paper sizes follow ISO 216 system (A0=841×1189mm, A1=594×841mm etc.), with each size being half the previous.

Ply: Refers to layers - e.g., 3-ply board has three bonded layers for extra strength.

Weight measurement: Grams per square meter (gsm) indicates thickness - e.g., 80gsm=standard printer paper, 300gsm=heavy card.

Standard components: Includes treasury tags for document binding, ring binders, bulldog clips, and self-adhesive seals.

Timber Based Materials:

Types	Sizes/Forms	Standard Components
Softwoods Hardwoods Manufactured boards (MDF, plywood etc)	Planks Boards Standard moldings Sold by: Length Width Thickness Diameter	Woodscrews Hinges KD fittings (knock-down) Nails

Detailed Information:

Softwoods: Typically pine, spruce or cedar. Sold as PAR (planed all round) or rough sawn. Common sizes: 100×50mm, 150×25mm etc.

Hardwoods: Including oak, beech and mahogany. Often sold by cubic foot rather than linear dimensions due to higher value.

Manufactured boards:

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) - 3mm to 25mm thicknesses
Plywood - typically 4'×8' sheets in 3mm to 25mm thicknesses
Chipboard - often 18mm thick for flat-pack furniture

Standard moldings: Includes skirting boards (typically 70-120mm height), architraves (45-70mm width), and dowels (6mm to 25mm diameter).

KD fittings: Knock-down fittings like cam locks, connector bolts and corner blocks used in flat-pack furniture assembly.

Metal Based Materials:

Types	Sizes/Forms	Standard Components
Ferrous metals Non-ferrous metals Alloys	Sheet Rod Bar Tube Sold by: Length Width Thickness Diameter	Rivets Machine screws Nuts and bolts Washers

Detailed Information:

Ferrous metals: Mild steel typically sold in 1m, 2m or 6m lengths. Sheet metal commonly 0.7mm to 3mm thick.

Non-ferrous: Aluminium often in 3m lengths, copper pipes in 15mm to 28mm diameters for plumbing.

Alloys: Brass rods commonly 5mm to 25mm diameter, stainless steel sheet in 0.5mm to 3mm thicknesses.

Standard sizes:

Sheet: 1200×2400mm common for steel
Round bar: 6mm to 50mm diameter
Square tube: 20×20mm up to 50×50mm

Fasteners:

Machine screws: M3 to M12 (metric thread sizes)
Nuts: Match screw sizes with standard (ISO) or nyloc variants
Pop rivets: 3mm to 6mm diameter in aluminium or steel

Polymers:

Types	Sizes/Forms	Standard Components
Thermoplastics Thermosetting plastics	Sheet Rod Powder Granules Foam Films Sold by: Length Width Gauge Diameter	Screws Nuts and bolts Hinges Adhesives

Detailed Information:

Thermoplastics:

Acrylic (PMMA): Sheets typically 1mm to 25mm thick, rods 5mm to 50mm diameter
ABS: Often sold as granules for injection molding or 3D printer filament (1.75mm/2.85mm)
Polypropylene: Film from 20μm to 200μm thickness

Thermosets:

Epoxy resins: Sold as two-part kits (resin + hardener)
Melamine: Laminates typically 0.5mm to 1.5mm thick

Foams:

Polystyrene: Sheet insulation 25mm to 100mm thick
Polyurethane: Flexible foam in 10mm to 100mm sheets

Measurement: Gauge refers to thickness (1 gauge = 0.01mm), so 100 gauge = 1mm thick plastic sheet.

Specialist fasteners: Includes plastic rivets, threaded inserts for plastics, and nylon washers.

Textile Based Materials:

Types	Sizes/Forms	Standard Components
Natural fibers Synthetic fibers Blended fabrics	Yarns Fabrics Sold by: Roll size Width Weight Ply	Zips Press studs Velcro Buttons

Detailed Information:

Natural fibers:

Cotton: Typically 112cm to 150cm wide, sold by meter
Wool: Yarn weights from 2ply (fine) to 12ply (chunky)

Synthetic fibers:

Polyester: Common fabric width 150cm
Nylon: Measured in denier (40D for sheer tights up to 1000D for heavy bags)

Fabric weights:

Lightweight: 30-150 gsm (voile, chiffon)
Medium: 150-350 gsm (cotton poplin)
Heavy: 350+ gsm (denim, canvas)

Standard components:

Zips: Sized by teeth width (e.g., #3=3mm, #5=5mm)
Press studs: 7mm to 15mm diameter
Velcro: Available in 20mm to 100mm widths

Electrical & Mechanical Components:

Types	Sizes/Specifications	Standard Components
Resistors Capacitors Integrated circuits Microcontrollers	Sold by: Quantity Volt rating Current rating Resistance (ohms)	E12 resistor series Dual in-line IC packages (DIL) Microcontrollers (PIC) Transistors

Detailed Information:

Resistors:

E12 series: 10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82 (and multiples of 10)
Common power ratings: 0.25W, 0.5W, 1W
Tolerance: Typically ±5% for E12 series

Capacitors:

Electrolytic: 1μF to 4700μF, voltage ratings from 6.3V to 100V
Ceramic: 1pF to 1μF, small 0805 or 1206 surface mount sizes

DIL packages:

Common pin counts: 8, 14, 16, 18, 20, 28, 40
Standard spacing: 2.54mm (0.1") between pins

Microcontrollers:

PIC series: PIC10F to PIC32MX with 6 to 100 pins
Voltage: Typically 3.3V or 5V operation
Clock speed: 4MHz to 200MHz depending on model

Transistors:

BC548 (NPN) and BC558 (PNP) common for general purpose
Maximum ratings: 30V, 100mA typically

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