I've been spending my free time by thinking about building a router table. I had another recent thread about routers and simple tables. I went to a local supplier today who sells excess / seconds materials and Misc hardwoods for good prices. As I was walking in the door they had some pallets outside off to the right of some sheet goods. I didn't look it over before I went in, but I went in found sheets of laminate for $12 sheet and picked up one, thinking one day I may build a table. On the way back out I couldn't help myself and went to check out the sheet goods, couple pallets of siding t1-11 I think it's called and then a pallet of melamine. I walked closer to the particleboard melamine and realize it's either 1" or 11/4" pretty thick stuff. While I was standing there I see the price of $3 a sheet..... Which got my wheels spinning.
I did some searching of "melamine router table" and came across some threads about it and the general recommendation is laminated MDF is better, as the laminate is thicker / more durable. I looked at a scrap piece of melamine and yes the melamine portion is paper thin. Which leads to a few more questions
1) from what I've read melamine isn't really glue able with standard glues, so laminating two pieces is out of the picture correct?
2) is there any reason not to just screw two pieces face to face to make the lamination / top?
3) what about building a frame underneath and attaching the top via pocket holes from the frame underneath? Either the single thickness or using the two pieces screwed together?
4) besides the thinness of the melamine is there really another other reason not to use particleboard melamine? I think the flattest piece of wood I've ever owned was a old particleboard shelf. Compared to mdf it seems a little more stiff.
My thinking is $3 sheet = router table, maybe some garage shelving and or table saw outfeed table, shop cabinets etc.
Excuse my ignorance about this. My only experience with melamine is cutting down a old console cabinet thing my neighbor was throwing out to make a makeshift sharpening bench.
Thanks in advance
Michael