Mdf floating shelves

[crispy70]

Hi guys,

My daughter has asked me to make her 10 x 450mm x 170mm x30mm floating shelves.
I have ordered from the jungle several types of brackets to check out, mainly with a bar diameter of 10 or 12mm.
My plan is to use 18mm & 12mm fixed together. 18mm on top , with a routed 10 or 12 mm wide and deep groove underneath the 18mm and the 12 mm glued underneath. I thought this would be way easier than drilling them out.

I am a relative novice but does this sound this a plan that should work?
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[TheUnicorn]

seems like a good way to make the slots without a drill press, my only concern would be the freshly cut grooves getting bunged up with glue when you laminate the two layers together.

 

[crispy70]

seems like a good way to make the slots without a drill press, my only concern would be the freshly cut grooves getting bunged up with glue when you laminate the two layers together.

Thanks for the reply. I do have a drill press but I just thought for me this way, and the fact she wanted 30mm might be my best option. Tbh I hadn’t even considered glue going in the grooves so thanks for pointing that out.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Thanks for the reply. I do have a drill press but I just thought for me this way, and the fact she wanted 30mm might be my best option. Tbh I hadn’t even considered glue going in the grooves so thanks for pointing that out.

i wonder if a second smaller groove running around the outside of your main groove could act as a barrier to excess glue

 

[crispy70]

i wonder if a second smaller groove running around the outside of your main groove could act as a barrier to excess glue

They are going to be painted so I could just keep the glue away from the channels and pin it.

 

[Chrispy]

If you haven't already got the wood you may be better ti use two pieces of 15mm, sometimes when laminating mdf unequal thicknesses will cause the whole panel to bow a bit.

 

[crispy70]

If you haven't already got the wood you may be better ti use two pieces of 15mm, sometimes when laminating mdf unequal thicknesses will cause the whole panel to bow a bit.

Unfortunately I have already arranged it. Is that the case with mr mdf as well?

 

[Chrispy]

Yes it can still happen with MR mdf but you may be OK.

 

[stuart little]

I see we have Mr MDF, do we also have Mrs MDF?

Well, you guys did ask for a joke, albeit in the wrong place!

 

[crispy70]

I see we have Mr MDF, do we also have Mrs MDF?

Well, you guys did ask for a joke, albeit in the wrong place!

That’s a cheesy joke for a little mouse.

 

[Chrispy]

I see we have Mr MDF, do we also have Mrs MDF?

Well, you guys did ask for a joke, albeit in the wrong place!

 

[recipio]

MDF has little structural strength but at 450 mm long you are probably safe enough.
Some of the floating shelf brackets need a friction fit in a circular hole so you will probably need to rout a semi circular channel in each piece. The adjustable brackets are better as it's difficult to get two brackets exactly level drilling into masonry.

 

[crispy70]

MDF has little structural strength but at 450 mm long you are probably safe enough.
Some of the floating shelf brackets need a friction fit in a circular hole so you will probably need to rout a semi circular channel in each piece. The adjustable brackets are better as it's difficult to get two brackets exactly level drilling into masonry.

Thanks for the reply, I did opt for the adjustable ones. I made one today and tested it and it all seems to be fine.

 

[stuart little]

That’s a cheesy joke for a little mouse.

Although not that little these days!

 

[recipio]

Thanks for the reply, I did opt for the adjustable ones. I made one today and tested it and it all seems to be fine.

Great. To get a friction fit the hole should be the same as the bar diameter and that's going to be challenging. I think I would make a jig for the drill press.

 

[crispy70]

thanks for all of the advice guys.
They are up and haven't fallen down as of yet.
For some reason, the picture and the shadows make the spacing look but I have checked twice and they all are fine. The most important thing is that my daughter is happy