MDF Home made zero clearance inserts??

[Dave Cohen]

I made a dado insert out of MDF that I planed down to the proper thickness and then painted with rustoleum to moisture proof it. I'm planning to do the same thing for a zero clearance insert....

Anyone know of any reason why this is not a good idea??...seems like MDF is flat, stable and if you paint it, it will resist the ill effects of moisture...

Oh yeah and its inexpensive too :-)

[Mike Marcade]

Instead of painting why not put plastic laminate on both sides? Although I'm sure painting will work.

[Dave Cohen]

Sure, could do that, painting is easier and cheaper, and when I get it planed to the exact right thickness I can use it as is without adjustment screws. Plastic laminate would make it tougher though.

["Jason Belous"]

I make my inserts out of mdf with a maple laminate on both sides. This allows me to make one big piece and then can cut multipe inserts out of it. And by big i mean 2'x2'. The current one I've been using for about a year and no problems to speak of.

[Dave Cohen]

By maple laminate do you mean a maple wood veneer or plastic laminate that looks like maple ? Why go through all that effort? In that case wouldn't a sold piece of maple be more cost effective....or I suppose laminating is more stable.

[Steve knight]

once you remove the surface of mdf it becomes unstable. you would need to do both sides to keep it flat. mdf is not very strong or smooth and will wear fast i would think.

[Dave Watkins]

I use 1/2" mdf and install small tee nuts with inserts in the corners so I can level from the top. $15 bucks gets me a 2x4 piece of mdf, 100 tee nuts and 100 inserts, that makes a lot of ZCI's. I spray paint the top red to indicate the no finger zone then clearcoat with whatever I have around. Get in production mode and you can bust out a long time supply in a couple of hours.

Have fun,

Dave

[Bruce Benjamin]

I made a dado insert out of MDF that I planed down to the proper thickness and then painted with rustoleum to moisture proof it. I'm planning to do the same thing for a zero clearance insert....

Anyone know of any reason why this is not a good idea??...seems like MDF is flat, stable and if you paint it, it will resist the ill effects of moisture...

Oh yeah and its inexpensive too :-)

You planed MDF? This probably isn't very good for your planer knives. Also as someone else has already said, once you take the skin off of MDF it's not too stable. I've been using MDF for my ZCI's for a while now with fine results. I bought some 3/8" MDF, (Medex...Water resistant) and used the factory insert as a template. I didn't see any reason to paint it but I can see where the red paint for safety isn't a bad idea. But as far as moisture goes, that's why I bought the Medex. I think I paid about $25 for the whole 4x8 sheet and if I only use it for inserts it will easily last me the rest of the saw's life.

Bruce

[Mike Marcade]

Maybe melamine faced MDF would work too?

[Jim Becker]

That's what I made nearly all my ZCIs for the Jet cabinet saw out of -- 1/2" MDF...worked just fine and you can't beat the price.

[glenn bradley]

I see no problem with the MDF; your plane or planer may have a different opinion ;-)