I am pretty much a beginner to woodworking. After looking at the prices of commercial router tables, I am thinking of building my own. A lot of woodworkers (including Norm Abrams) seem to use 2 layers of MDF to build the top of the router table. I though one of the attributes of MDF for such an application is that it is supposed to be dead flat. When I look at 2-ft by 4-ft precut pieces of 3/4 inch MDF at Home Depot it seems almost all the pieces have at least some warp to them. How do I get around this? Do I need to buy a full 4 ft by 8 ft sheet? Can I expect flatter MDF from my local lumber yard where they charge about 50% more? Do I join the two pieces I am joining for the top in a way that the warps cancel each other out?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Replies
Evening pwood,
If your lumber yard is charging that much over HD prices then you should ask if the posted prices are "retail" and find out what the actual selling prices are. Some yards that do not want retail shoppers post retail prices.
Its been a long time since I looked at any cut-down sheet goods at HD or Lowers, but I seem to remember that they were stored in bins on edge, not flat. If I were in need of small pieces of sheet goods, and buying from the BORG, I'd get them to cut a 4 x 8 sheet into whatever sizes I wanted. Even paying .25 - .50 per cut it's cheaper than the pre-cut pieces out of the bin. And flatter!
You can sandwich pieces of MDF, etc. to somewhat cancel out the warp. Nicer to start out with flat stuff, however.
My first router table top was MDF, worked great, and lasted for a long time. I hope that you enjoy yours.
Best!
-nazard
You are correct. They do store the small pieces on edge, and they also lean a bit in the rack which is probably the casue of the warp. I noticed they had some full sheets that we stacked with good support. They might cut up niceley.
They might cut up nicely, indeed! BUT - in the previous post our friend BG had a nifty idea, too. Never thought of using a desk for that. (BG, if you are reading this I am at this minute giving you a big thumbs up. And typing 481 WPM at the same time....)
-nazard
481 has to be your IQ. You don't really think we would believe you type 481 WPM
:-)
Nope, you are so wrong. My IQ are closer to half of that 481. Both of them. But I really can type 481 words per minute while giving a big thumbs up sign. "A" is still a word, ain't it?
-Jerry
PS: It's way past time for that Sunday afternoon nap....
MDF is used a lot for Router table tops. MDF is dimensionally stable but with something like a big 7518 hanging on the underside you will get some sag which will increse over time. If you want something that will not yield under the weight of the router and plate, you should seriously consider one of the aluminum(Lee Valley) or phenolic(Jessum)
I am not sure what you will get if you start with two pieces that are not flat. I am not sure I know what you mean when you say "join" unless you mean face glue. Someone else will surely weigh in on this subject, and maybe will tell you about face glueing MDF. If that is advisable, I would suggest you use your table saw as a flat surface to lay the pieces on to glue them together.
I know the initial sticker price on a good top is a little much, but you'll never be wishing you had done something else. I have had a Porter Cable portable top for a long time. It left aluminum streaks on the stock because it was ribbed. I finally bit the dust and made my own cabinet but outfitted it with top, fence and lift from Jessum. It is an absolute joy to use. I am attaching pictures of it.
Cool
Mr. Cool,
That be a pretty cool router setup. I guess you know how easy it is to strike jealousy into the hearts of fellow woodworkers.
Best!
-nazard
I've seen your posts enough to know yours is 100% complement. Thank you.
I had two router tables before. One was a Craftsman with a brute of a router, 3 1/2 I think. I added the PC because many times I was working on something that needed two profiles on the same piece(stile/rail) and all that time, I really did not like either. I still have the PC and run a 1 3/4 PC under it but all that time, I always wanted a really good setup. I am forever satisfied now:-)
Very nice indeed (your setup). Yes, by join, I meant face glue.
Hi cool ,
Your router table is truly a thing of beauty , very nice job indeed .
How's things going back there , did you finish up the Katrina job ?
regards dusty
Thanks for the good feedback. I love this forum!
Yes I did. I meant to send you a picture of the cook island that you toutered me through. It turned out very nice!!
The lady got all of her cabinets done and I only charged her $1500 for materials which did not cover them. My pay was the look in her eye.
Cool
Cool ,
Your a good man and did a wonderful thing for the home owner , the world needs more folks like you .
dusty
pwood,
I picked up an old desk from the 60's that had formica both top and bottom for $2. Trimmed it out in oak, works great.
Some options on stand, top and motor.
Good information, and well thought out! Thank you.
With MDF of 2 thickness 3/4" +3/4" you will have 1 1/2" to penetrate before the bit is above the surface. The best option is to install a thinner "aftermarket" router mounting plate. This is fine. If sagging is a concern you can add solid lumber under the MDF for extra support.
I think the best surface for a router is a homemade torsion box. It lightweight, you can go portable, it stays dead flat. Door mfg's use this method and so do airplane furniture designers. A google torsion boxes will give you the ideas you need. My design had an opening for a custom steel 1/8" thick insert.
This allows the bit lots of avaialbe travel upwards.
pwood ,
Starting out with flat stock is always a good idea , but in this case you will fasten the top to a base or a frame of sorts right ?
It becomes less critical when fastened to a flat under structure as the sheet will conform to what you attach it to .
Imo gluing the 2 pieces of 3/4" together may be difficult to keep flat , then at 1 1/2" with a bow in it you may not be able to make it conform to flat.
The several photos of router tables shown are truly beautiful , if a person has the time and desire to build a furniture grade router table then go for it but in reality the wood you run through will not know the difference and as long as your surface is relatively flat the results produced will be the same , so it really is a personal decision .
I made a router table about 30 years ago as a temporary unit just to get me through the job I was doing at the time , it was made from some 3/4" scrap pieces of Fir plywood . Well guess what , I am still using it and have since covered the plywood top with a piece of 1/4" Melamine for a nice smooth surface .I routed out the bottom side of the top so that about 3/8" was left just enough for the base to fit so as not to lose depth .
It's not very pretty but honestly I'll bet I have run many miles of moldings with it and have never had any quality problems .
have fun dusty , maker of quick and ugly jigs that work
Try a different Home Depot; the sheets you saw may have gotten a bit damp on one side. I've purchased 2' × 4' sheets of MDF from Home Depot that were at least as flat as I could eyeball while in the store.
-Steve
I ended up buying a full 4x8 sheet at Lowe's, just because their stack looked better supported. I pulled out the third one from the top and it is very flat. Home Depot probably would have been fine also if I had bought a full sheet there.
someone else already mentioned, but you should make a torsion box part of your design. i have two pieces of mdf w/ countertop lamination ($40 for a 4x8 sheet at HD). The MDF wasn't perfectly flat to start off, but one you mount to your torsion box / router table base, it'll pull the top flat. I used the rockler alum insert.
Thanks. The folks on this forum are extremely helpful.
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