Fastening MDF to Phenolic Ply

[Brian Kent]

I'm working on a router table with a torsion box supporting 3/4" MDF supporting 1/2" Phenolic baltic birch.

Should I use glue or screws or something else to attach the MDF to Phenolic BB?

Shoul I leave the MDF raw or finish both sides? There will be a hardwood trim around the edges so no MDF will be exposed.

[Russ Filtz]

phenolic BB? Never heard of it. I've used both phenolics and BB, never thought of mixing the two!

There's umpteen versions of phenolic so it may be hard to find a glue that sticks. MDF too is tough, glue will pull out the fibers, screws don't hold that well (I would find some made for MDF). I guess I would glue AND screw!

[Scott Loven]

The place I work makes a lot of phenolic sheet material. Customers who want to glue it to something often have us sand it with 60 grit sand paper. People use contact cement to glue phenolic/melamine decorative counter-tops to MDF all of the time.
Scott

[Brian Kent]

I heard about phenolic faced MDF on some Sawmill Creek thread. Here is where I found it:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3958

I'll use the sanding plus contact cement.


In another step in this process I need to attach a hinge to a box made of MDF. I would like this to last, so I thought about adding a wide strip of 3/8" ply under the hinge, and then maybe using bolts and nuts instead of screws.

How would you do this?

[Peter Pedisich]

I'm working on a router table with a torsion box supporting 3/4" MDF supporting 1/2" Phenolic baltic birch.

Should I use glue or screws or something else to attach the MDF to Phenolic BB?

Shoul I leave the MDF raw or finish both sides? There will be a hardwood trim around the edges so no MDF will be exposed.


Brian,

I think you have a product like FinPly which is a BB ply with a colored phenolic coating used in european furniture and cabinets and also concrete forms because nothing sticks to it.

To attach MDF to this ROO glue might work..

Pete

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Both will work with epoxy.