Router Table Fence - MDF or BB Plywood?

[Jay Yoder]

Hey all, I am almost done with this NYWS router table and wondered which is better option, MDF or BB Plywood for the fence assembly? I like the price of the MDF, but it makes an absolute mess. That being said, it also machines very easy. My concern is that despite running a dehumidifier constantly it can still get humid in my basement shop. Would baltic birch resist this any better? Are there any other materials that I overlooked?

[Benjamin Miller]

As long as you don't get water directly on the fence, MDF would be the better choice. It's dead flat, and stays that way through temperature and humidity swings.

Are you covering the MDF with Formica or something similar? Melamine would also provide a slick, flat surface.

[Jay Yoder]

Like Norm, I was going to cover one side with Formica...

[Bruce Page]

Don't know if they still do but Woodcraft used to sell phenolic covered BB ply. Very nice for jigs.

[Jay Yoder]

still shows on the website but not sure my local store stocks it. I imagine shipping would be killer and I would be looking at $120 b/c I need (2) 2' x 4' pieces

[Wade Lippman]

I don't know what a NYWS router table is, but I use corian for fences. Great material.

[pat warner]

"Are there any other materials that I overlooked?"
**********************************
One of the few router things where wood (A.B. Walnut here (http://www.patwarner.com/images/rtf_opener.jpg)) is still applicable.
& I would use it before MDF or hardwood ply.

[Jack Jackson]

NYWS = New Yankee Workshop

[Jay Yoder]

Wade, you mean the countertop material? Never thought of using that, although I am not sure where I would find it locally? Am also now considering double sided melamine, since I have plenty of it laying around. Any thoughts on Melamine? It is pretty sturdy stuff...

[glenn bradley]

I have been using melamine covered MDF (Rockler) fence faces for years without issue. I have t-slots cut into them and contrary to what one (including me) might expect, they have never failed and continue to provide good service. Of course the MDF is mounted to a heavy aluminum extrusion as the MDF itself has little strength to remain true.

I would skip plywood altogether due to surface irregularities but, we all have our level of tolerance for that based on what we are doing. Phenolic ply is also about as irregular as the ply it is bonded to; I have seen good pieces and poor. I would be surprised if your Woodcraft didn't have some in stock to check out.

T-slots cut into ply are prone to failure due to de-lamination under pressure (DAMHIKT) but, you could sink t-track into it if you didn't want to use MDF. All of this is just based on my experience and is worth everything you are paying for it ;-)

[mreza Salav]

Had a fence made of BB, over time it bent and went out of square/straight. New fence is laminated MDF. Stays straight and square.

[Jay Yoder]

Leaning toward Melamine or MDF now due to cost/availability concerns. I just hate the mess that MDF makes when working it! Is it best to use aluminum T-tracks for sliding the faces in and out toward the bit or will the MDF hold the T-bolts fine over time?

[Rick Potter]

294446Jay,

Can't tell you if T slots in MDF will hold up or not, but I can attest that Particle board with melamine will. I have several fences of this and had good luck. The fence on my RAS is made this way, with T slot for the stop.....it's at least 10 years old. Several home made router fences too.

Remember, it this type use, you are not really pulling against the T slot to break it out, you are simply squeezing it against itself. I suppose you could manhandle it enough to break off an edge, but that hasn't happened to me yet, and I am pretty clumsy.

Wax the melamine once in a while. It can get scratched up, and I have always wanted to do things over with formica....someday.

BTW...If you decide to do slots, cut the main body of the slot with a flat topped rip blade, or dado, then use the T slot router bit just to put the wings in. The bit will last a lot longer.

Rick P

PS: Not good at pics, trying to show a shot of the RAS fence

[Wade Lippman]

Wade, you mean the countertop material? Never thought of using that, although I am not sure where I would find it locally? Am also now considering double sided melamine, since I have plenty of it laying around. Any thoughts on Melamine? It is pretty sturdy stuff...

Yes, the countertop stuff. If you contact contractors they should have piles of scrap.
I use it for router tables, drill table, fences, and ZCI. Strong, flat, and stable.

[Pete Janke]

80-20 over an MDF frame that attaches to my table saw fence.294485294484

[Ken Fitzgerald]

When I built my version of the Norm's router table, I used MDF, covered the working faces with formica and finished the uncovered surfaces with wipe-on poly. Instead of cutting slots into the faces for clamps, fingerboards etc, I dadoed them and I installed T-track.

[Wade Lippman]

80-20 over an MDF frame that attaches to my table saw fence.

How does it attach to your ts fence? That is what I have done also, but my attachment method doesn't do well with my Jessem stock guides; so I am looking for a better method.

[Mike Delyster]

I've put t-slots in MDF and haven't had any problems, although when I first did it several years ago I thought I might.

Here is a recent thread on shop made router fence's.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?219555-Shop-Made-Router-Fence

[Jay Yoder]

Ken that is what I was planning on doing initially, but am trying to finish this build off so I can actually build something. I was thinking that melamine already has the surface laminate on it. I did find that I have some white formica I could use but would have to buy MDF. Does your MDF swell in humidity?