Engineered Wood

[Mike OMelia]

I bought something from someone (a sanding jig) that I thought was going to be made out of MDF. Turns out its much harder and denser. Very light colored. Anybody know what this stuff is? Seems the fellow is being somewhat cagey about the product. Won't tell me. Lol.

[Andrew Hughes]

I know what it is but first you have to answer my riddle. What has two ends and is connected in the middle?

[Mike OMelia]

What? Am I missing something?

[Mike Circo]

High Density Fiberboard. The big brother to MDF. More difficult to find, used a lot in industrial applications, perhaps he "borrowed" it from his work, thus the caginess.

As to the riddle. I don't know. Perhaps a wire or line is the logical but non-funny answer.

[Mike OMelia]

Yeah, I’ve never seen HDF anywhere. But I see a lot about it in the web. I’m gonna check with some cabinet makers. The riddle stuff is a weird non-funny thing. But thank you.

[Frederick Skelly]

Can you post a pic Mike?
(Hard to help without seeing it. Maybe that's why Andrew posted the riddle? :D :D :D)

[Mike OMelia]

Maybe this helps?

[Mike OMelia]

It’s been coated in lacquer or shellac to protect it. I scraped an edge to expose it. It’s not MDF

[Frederick Skelly]

Man, I can't tell. The pics that come up when I google high density fiberboard look a lot like what I've always called masonite (pegboard, etc). And what you're posting just doesn't look like masonite to me. I have to defer to someone more knowledgeable Mike.
Fred

[Andrew Hughes]

I just thought it was a partial question since you have it in front of you. How would we know it could be anything plastic, arcylic mixed with wood fibers???
And there's no answer to my riddle it could be anything.

[Mike OMelia]

Yes, I agree. It’s not pegboard material. That’s what I found too. It’s really hard. No MDF feel to it at all. Has a tonal ting to it when u tap it. I really want to find some of this stuff. There goes appear to be confusing info on web regarding hardboard, HDF, etc

[Mel Fulks]

Different color Micarta?

[Bill Dufour]

I saw an armored car at the wrecking yard once. It was lined with what looked like 3/4" OSB. But it was much denser. probably more dense then Al
Bill D

[Mike OMelia]

It's called Medex.

[Mark Gibney]

Andrew's riddle is a koan, there is no answer. I'm guessing it was because the OP didn't provide us enough information for anyone to suggest an answer?

[Mac McQuinn]

Sounds like a product I've used in the past called "NovaPly", heavy, very dense and IMO was tough on my blades,bits, etc. We used it for countertops and I built a work bench from some "Shop Notes" plans with it. (4) 3/4" layers is heavy, took me and friend to carry just the top down the basement.
Mac

[Ted Phillips]

My first guess was that it is some type of phenolic composite material. There are about 1,456,237 types of phenolic composite (that's just an estimate), of which Micarta is a trademark name for a category of phenolic products...

TedP

[Mike OMelia]

Like I said earlier, I found it it is Medex. Would like to find a source for it.

[Mac McQuinn]

Like I said earlier, I found it it is Medex. Would like to find a source for it.

Check Roseburg's site, has dealer look-up.

Mac

[Ted Phillips]

Like I said earlier, I found it it is Medex. Would like to find a source for it.

Medex is a phenolic composite material using wood cellular material in a matrix of formaldahyde phenolic plastic. It is formed under heat and pressure similar to HDF, but it cures much harder.

TedP