looking for thick mdf

[brad kellner]

after reading about people making there own router tables i decided to give it a go at making my own custom 3 sided router table (for making raise panel doors) with cabinetry below and a small shopvac for dust collection. were can u find 1/2 thick mdf. lowes and home depot didnt have any mdf. also do you use normal tightbond for laminating it together? also for the formica top were can u get the red contact glue for the formica?

any help appreciated.
brad

[Lee Koepke]

hit and miss at lowes / hd for mdf full size sheets.

i found a local lumber yard that carries it among other items. titebond has worked OK, and same with contact cement.

[Mike Marcade]

Both Lowes and HD carry 3/4 MDF around where I live. A local lumberyard carries up to 1-1/4" MDF. You just gotta look around a bit.

[brad kellner]

thanks for the help, we have alot of local lumber suppliers but none of them carry mdf in sheets so im stuck with lowes or home ripoff. ill look online at lowes and see if i can find it on there.

[Bob Goldsmith]

I doubt you'll have much luck finding anything on Lowes website in regards to sheet goods. I'm really kind of surprised that neither your local Lowes or HD don't stock sheets of MDF. I haven't been in one of their stores yet (in Oregon at least) that didn't carry 1/2" AND 3/4" sheets of the stuff. As for the contact cement I'd think that any cabinet shop or local retail wood supplier would carry that. For that matter I'd guess Lowes and HD do also.


Maybe one of your local wood suppliers can order you some MDF sheets?

[Roland Chung]

Brad,
What area are you in? Maybe a fellow creeker in your area could tell you about a local supplier.

[Grant Vanbokklen]

Look in the Yellow Pages for "hardwood suppliers". My local one was able to order a sheet in for me a while back. I was amazed it in thicknesses up to about 1.5" to 12' in length.

[brad kellner]

i checked a lowes in another town near by and they had the mdf. now how thick should i make it. i was thinking about 1 3/8 think?

[Thomas Knighton]

I'd think 3/4" would be plenty thick myself. Obviously, the more weight you have, the more stable your table will be, but 1 3/8" will be a pain if you ever have to move it ;)

Tom

[Dell Littlefield]

I laminated two layers of 3/4 and covered both sides with countertop laminate. My table folds and I have to move it every time I use it. Heavy but very stable.

[Larry Fox]

I second Grant's suggestion - that is what I did and got a piece 1 1/2" thick and something like 9' x 5'. Warning though, a sheet of 1.5" thick MDF is HEAVY so take some help when you go to get it.

[Jim O'Dell]

My HD has MDF in 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4", full sheets (49X97) I used 2 halves of 3/4" glued together with Titebond II. Has held up well so far. Be sure to build a proper grid under the table so it doesn't sag. I used 3/4I plywood on edge to make a webbing, with the grid about 6'X9" or so. I only laminated the top and sides, but put 3 coats of poly on the underneath side to seal it off. I got the contact cement from HD also, in the paint department with the other glues. I got the solvent type as I heard it works better than the water based cements. It worked very well. Make sure you get a j-roller to work the laminate into the cement, or do as I did, get a piece of 2X4 and use some spray adhesive to glue some heavy felt on, and use that to press the laminate on. Jim.

[Chuck Lenz]

My top is going to be from a office cubicle desktop I chopped up. 1 1/4 thick MDF laminated on both sides and edged with rubber T molding. I have two tops, one is for backup incase I don't get the other one carved out right the first time.

[brad kellner]

thanks for all the info and oppinions i truely appreciate it.

there is a little info i probly should have shared. im not too worried about weight or size. i would much rather over build something and never have to do it agian than just do enough to get me through a few years. right now i took over my mothers garage as my woodshop since i dont have a garage (live in apt). the garage isnt huge it is about 28x28. i am planning on buying a house with enough room to build a 40x60x16 woodshop in the next year or 2. so space wont be an issue. but right now i have to work with the space i have but make everything the way i would want it for when i build my shop. so i dont have to spend a year or 2 just making tables and work stations. im trying to get as much of this out of the way as i possibly can. i do wood working/cabintry and home remodling as a side job and hobby (i build alot of fancy book cases and high end custom entertainment centers. always had to order doors but i want to make them now) i would love to do it full time but i am an apprentice and work full time and also go to school. ok now that i wrote my life story, back to the original

after doing a little figgerin in the woodshop/garage. i decided it would be a good time to make my tablesaw out feedtable/assembly table at the same time. the top will be 48x72x 1 1/2 with plywood underneith. i figure could mount a router in there also.

after reading this i think ill go with 2 layers of 3/4 mdf. im not worried about the weight because this will be on a cabinet with an htc moble cart (if i can find one to fit the cabinet size) under it. if i cant find a cart to fit i will make one out of 2" aluminum or stainless angle and weld some good locking castors to it, the cart shouldnt take more than an hour or two to make so im not too worried about it. i figure after i have the cabinet carcase and face frame together i will probly have to put it on the cart before putting the doors, drawers, cabinet top, home made fences, 3 small shop vacs, wiring, 3 router plates, 2 pc 690 routers (one for rails and one for stiles) and a pc 7518 router (for raised panel bit). it will have 2 tables one will have a router on each side of the 2x4 top and the the other table will sit about 6 inches below the stile and rail table top hieght and running longways along the side. i have been kinda playing with the idea for going on a year now and think i got a design i can be happy with. i dont se it getting built over night, probly take about a few months to build. but i think by having this table so i dont have to change bits and bit hieght i can take some of the human error out of making cabinet doors. i know when making some before changing bits and adjusting hieght really killed alot of time.

i drew a quick print up that i decided to go with, i would copy and scan it and post it but i have tried about everything to post a pic here but my pc wont let me, it blocks pop ups and i set it to allow this site but still does it. maybe i will try to use the future wifes pc to post it.

any help u guys could be along the way would greatly be appreciated.

[Al Killian]

Find a plywood dealer in your area. There is one close to me where you can order up to 2" thick mdf.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Honest to betsy I think you are way far better off making your own thicker MDF.

Reason: When you drill MDF with a Forstner bit you can sense that the middle of the material isn't as densely packed as the outside skin area is.
This suggests to me that the thicker stuff will have a larger region of poorly compressed material.
ERGO: you are prolly way better off making up your own thicker MDF by laminating a couple sheets together.

[brad kellner]

well i bought 2 sheets 1/2 mdf and am going to laminate it 3 layers to make the top 1 1/2. i am going to wrap the outside of it with oak. now my question is how to i attach it to the mdf? glue and pocket screws? glue and clamps? what is the best way? i am planning on attaching it some how and then laminate some formica on it then route it so the mdf is capped on the sides with oak and it isnt exposed? any help is appreciated