MDF Thicknessing

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devonwoody

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An Austrlian friend posted the following on the ozzie web site:-


Quote:
Originally Posted by jow104
Has anyone ever put MDF through a Thicknesser?


Yes, in view of my previous post suggesting it, I tried it out this afternoon. No problems except that the surface would need to be sealed or painted.


Peter.
__________________
The Jig Builder.



The reason for wanting to thin down some mdf was to accomdate a certain level, where a metal base was involved.
 
Dev, MDF is seriously sore on blades, wouldn't do it too often.

Noel
 
Maybe, personally if it's really necessary to reduce the board I'd do it with a hand plane. But bear in mind that once you've removed the sealed top surface the MDF will lose it's "hardness". Maybe better to laminate hardboard or thin ply up to the required thickness or use solid timber. If it's a wide board just glue up stips of thicknessed solid wood. What's it for anyway?

Noel
 
What's it for anyway?

Noel


Triton router table has a sliding table which is sitting proud of the main table .(the sliding portion is mdf)
 
Peter, I've seen it done quite a few times and the problems with doing what you plan are twofold.

1. It's quite hard on cutting tools as others have said. The glue and quite common stray bits of iron/steel see to that.

2. It puts the board out of balance leading to cupping. Examine the edge of MDF, or even better, chipboard, where the following characteristics are easier seen. The centre of the board has coarse fibres/chips, and the fibres/chips are finer at the face.

If you're going to plane it thinner at least plane equal amounts from both faces to keep the material in balance, but bear in mind that the faces add structure to the board and help give stiffness just as the same effect is seen in torsion box structures.

Why not use a thinner material and shim it up to suit? Slainte.
 
Nick M":2vgcs9r2 said:
Why would you want to do this? :?

Nick a certain woodworking machine has some mdf which stands a little proud of a working surface and thinning down the mdf was questioned.
 
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