26
votes
Accepted
Is working with MDF going to kill me?
Is working MDF bad for your health?
Yes but only if you are ignorant of your tools and materials.
It certainly can be. However the answer of "Yes" is misleading as the concerns surrounding ...
- 20.2k
21
votes
Accepted
Is vertical storage of sheet goods causing my boards to warp?
MDF is heavy and we all know that. Like keshlam says if it is not supported across its vertical span then it will pull itself down slowly warping it. Gravity is a [w]itch.
Now if you cannot store it ...
- 20.2k
11
votes
Accepted
What is the difference between MDF and MDO?
MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard and it's made by essentially combining resins with sawdust and compressing it into a fairly dense, extremely flat and smooth sheet. In general it can be worked like &...
- 1,446
8
votes
Is vertical storage of sheet goods causing my boards to warp?
If you lean stuff against a wall at an angle, it's weight will tend to cause it to bow. If you can stand it fully upright with support on both sides that will be less likely to happen.
Or you can ...
- 9,191
8
votes
Connecting the MDF corners, so there's no gap
The other answers are great from a technical standpoint, but they overlook the much simpler solutions which are actually used on mass-produced arcade cabinets. If you look at commercially-produced ...
rob♦
- 18.6k
7
votes
Accepted
What is this plywood joining mechanism and hardware for knock-down furniture?
Cam bolt and cam screw connector. Very popular in european style cabinetry.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt-15-mm-x-19-mm-Cam-Connector-Zinc-50438/203088336
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...
- 3,841
6
votes
Dado for T-track cross cut sled
The sled is made out of 18mm-thick MDF. I would only be leaving behind 3mm thickness of wood to allow a dado deep enough for the T-track. Is that enough?
My brain works in Imperial units, so I'm ...
- 12.1k
6
votes
Space between assembly
How much space is taken up by the glue between two pieces? 1mm per side? Less?
Usually, this thickness of glue in a butt joint is negligible to the point of being zero, at least as far as woodworking ...
- 12.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Does MDF board dull tools quickly?
The glue is much harder than the wood, hence the extra wear on blades and tools. Pine is pretty soft compared to hardwoods, but construction lumber is often wet which might explain your experience ...
- 4,788
6
votes
Does MDF warp less than pineboards?
MDF is practically purpose-made for this application. It is very dimensionally stable, one of its prime selling points. And while it's not as stiff or strong as ply it is as a rule more stable these ...
- 64.5k
6
votes
What is the best way to transport (ply)wood on the roof of a vehicle?
Drive Very Slowly, and Do Not Overload. The Car Talk guys have a story about a friend who sheared off most of the front of his car when he stopped suddenly but the pile of plywood on the roof didn't.
...
- 9,191
6
votes
Accepted
Connecting the MDF corners, so there's no gap
It sounds like you want a mitered corner.
You will want to find the overall angle of the piece in relation to the vertical one. Just a guess but it looks like it is 15-20 degrees above horizontal ...
- 425
6
votes
Accepted
"T" joint with MDF—No power tools
So far I've gathered that MDF and screws don't really get along and that I can use box joints for joining ends.
There are two main problems with using screws with MDF: splitting and strength. If you ...
- 9,558
5
votes
Does MDF board dull tools quickly?
There are many who say that MDF dulls cutting tools really fast.
Bear in mind that a lot of that is from people milling it with power tools, where the blades are moving very quickly.
But I do ...
- 64.5k
5
votes
Space between assembly
I would say that you don't need to account for the space unless your angles will all be exactly, without fault, 90 degrees, and each cut will be accurate within 0.25mm.
In other words, woodworking ...
- 381
5
votes
What are the pros and cons of MDF as a workbench top?
What are the pros and cons of MDF as a workbench top?
Pros:
Relatively cheap.
Is already a flat sheet ready to use as a work surface, saving much time and effort.
Fairly flat to dead flat right from ...
- 64.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Using only MDF or Plywood to make all furniture
Is there a reason why people buy wood made of real expensive timber e.g walnut and not buy something that just has veneer on the face and strips of that expensive wood on the sides but the bulk of the ...
- 64.5k
4
votes
Space between assembly
I agree with this answer that having a zero tolerance precision can make for a big headache in woodworking (This is more true for real wood as it expands and contracts but the point still applies).
...
- 20.2k
4
votes
What is the best drill bit for MDF?
The brad point is the way to go.
Whenever you are making precisely located holes you should always use a bushing or jig of some type if you can.
Of course, making jigs is time consuming. One quick ...
- 2,049
4
votes
Cut-out from 18mm MDF
From your description WhatEvil's answer is spot on. Router is a great solution for this project given the materials suggested and desired outcome
You don't need a router if that is what you are ...
- 20.2k
4
votes
How to flatten MDF board
Rather than laminating two pieces of MDF together which is not guaranteed to remove the warp you see I recommend you build a torsion-box style lattice structure out of straight stock and skin it on ...
- 182
4
votes
Does MDF warp less than pineboards?
MDF is much more likely to be flat and is relatively dimensionally stable - however it's not overly strong when running long unsupported distances.
If the pelmet is attached at its top along the ...
- 1,045
4
votes
"T" joint with MDF—No power tools
Given your situation I recommend you consider dowels and glue.
Cutting an accurate dado with a circular saw is very tricky and mistakes there are hard to undo or hide. Generally that sort of thing is ...
- 2,189
4
votes
Accepted
What glaze or surface treatment to repair this bar?
how do I identify what the finish is that was used here, so that I can identify the proper repair?
There are some test you can perform to narrow down or identify the finish used on something. ...
- 64.5k
4
votes
Joining MDF - Pocket holes vs dowels
I would definitely recommend the dowels. The greatest stresses will be in tension trying to pull the boards apart and breaking the connection of the screw or dowel with the boards. Both the dowel and ...
- 8,274
4
votes
How to Protect melamine panel dining table from water and wear
As the Comment from @JanSpurny says, melamine IS the protection. If you think about it, if this is sold as tabletop material it should already be suitable for this application. As the PDF you linked ...
- 64.5k
3
votes
Is vertical storage of sheet goods causing my boards to warp?
Moisture can add to this problem. Do not let the wood come in contact with cement or concrete block. They will need to be supported in the back and possibly held down in the front. Even when stored ...
- 31
3
votes
What is the best way to transport (ply)wood on the roof of a vehicle?
I transport 4x8 plywood on my roof racks, I usually run a couple of 2x4s under the roof racks the full length of the ply and strap to those at the front and back as well as strapping to the actual ...
- 147
3
votes
What is the best drill bit for MDF?
I want to drill holes in MDF of varying thicknesses, laid out to sub millimetre precision. In other words, I need the positioning of the center of the holes to be accurate to within a half millimetre (...
- 64.5k
3
votes
How do I achieve a "piano black" high gloss finish on wood?
I know this is an old topic but hopefully this helps someone out.
Painting MDF can be very frustrating. End "grain" in MDF will soak up paint faster than you can apply it.
Sand that with 320 then ...
- 31
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible