Routing out MDF?

[musivarius]

I make mosaics so I'm more used to working with stone, my last attempt at woodwork was in 6th form, so it's been a while!
The marble I use I cut to 4mm thick and I've been looking for suitable bases for people to have as kits. They all seem to be too expensive to make it worthwhile buying in so I wanted to know, how difficult would it be to make something like these?

Width 180mm, thickness 18mm.
I really just need to be able to learn to cut out and make various shaped panels in MDF which need to have a recess of 4mm to set the marble into. I've got my own workshop and have all the stuff for protection from the dust. I'd need to get a router though.
Thanks!

 

[Racers]

Hi, musivarius

That one looks like it has a 4mm thick piece of MDF stuck to the top to form the recess, which is the easyest and best way to do it.
You would still need a router to do the mouldings on the edge and a jigsaw to cut to hexagon.

Pete

 

[paulm]

Would be worth making a template for the first one and then after that you could knock them out quickly and easily with a router and a bearing guided cutter running on the template, then use the router and different bearing guided cutter to shape the edges directly on the workpiece.

Cheers, Paul

 

[MickCheese]

Does the 'frame' need to be real wood?

If not and it were me I would start with a roughly shaped piece for the base, then stick the raise portion on so I had the recess but the outline was larger than I needed. Then using a template and a router and a straight cutter I would make the hexagon to the outside dimensions, then using my shaped cutter and router without moving the template cut the moulding.

If it needs to have a real wood 'frame' then you need to be very accurate with the mitres and for that I would suggest a guillotine

Does that make sense?

Lots of MDF dust though.

Mick

EDIT --- Paulm beat me to it while I was writing.

Mick

 

[tomthumbtom8]

give me the dimensions and I will cut your template at cost for you with this.

just pm me if you want

If your cutting your own what router bit are you going to use ??or are you going to be using a bushing or a cutter with a bearing ??

Tom

 

[musivarius]

Thanks for the advice, it's really helpful. Tom, I'll PM you.

Tom, I really know nothing about routers so I'm doing some reading up and I'll be asking some more questions on the tool section about what to go for and the types of bits. When I say I'm going to be taking this a step at a time, we're talking reeeeeal slow :wink:

 

[tomthumbtom8]

that's fine if you could send me your dimensions for the jig I will send you a drawing for approval the cost will only be for material and postage


cutting foot print of CNC is 935x665

Tom