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uses of MDF?
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Author:  charliewood [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:48 am ]
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I ended up buying some MDF for my sanding drum which I am re-making on the advice of someone, who figured that the ply I made the original from - {baltic birch ply which has no voids}, may become unstable at high rotation, on account of diffferent densities in the wooden disks.
Whereas the MDF has more uniformity on account of its fairly homogenous makeup.
Anyway - I had to buy a whole sheet which I did not want to do, but now that I have - can bending forms and molds be made from this material?
If you have used this material, please let me know what you made from it {with respect to luthiery}.
I would appreciate it.
Cheers
Charliewood
Author:  Colin S [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:07 am ]
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I use it for my moulds, oh and radius dishes. I know some think it's too heavy for moulds but I like them heavy. I use ply for my bending forms, but see no reason that MDF can't be used.

Colin
Author:  Rod True [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:08 am ]
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Hey Chuck.....(as only pepper mint patty can say)

I've used MDF for my outside molds and the only issue I have is fastening to the end grain to keep them closed.
I would make solid bending forms or even use them as ends for bending forms.

If you plan to make radius sanding dishes, laminate two 24" square pieces together and you have a very solid platform for the dishes. 1 sheet gives you 4 24" dishes.

You could use it for the deck of the sander as well, seal it or add a piece of laminate for the deck surface.

If you were to do all of this, you may need another sheet
Author:  Brad Way [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:19 am ]
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Charlie...I used MDF for my bender forms and outside mold. It is very flat and stable. It doesn't hold up well if you drop it but with some care it should do well.
Author:  charliewood [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:24 am ]
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Thanks guys!
I am not crazy enough to make radius dishes, Im going to buy some from Shane as soon as I can afford a couple-a-few. I will put this stuff to good use, although my experience with it is very limited - I have always avoided MDF like the plague.
Cheers
Charliewood
Author:  Mattia Valente [ Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:47 pm ]
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Radius dishes, molds (like Colin, I like the weight), bending forms, initial templates (easier to work the thin stuff consistently than ply; I them copy-route to a ply master template), working templates (that don't need to last forever. Ergo the plywood master), benchtops (with enough legs and brackets underneath.) My main desk, which doubles as a go-bar deck when I crawl under it, is made of MDF, and it's been holding up very well for 7 years now, no problems.

It's cheap, easy to work, readily available, flat, cheap, and more than up to the tasks I use it for. I plan to use a mix of MDF and void-free ply for my thickness sander, because MDF is not the very strongest/sturdiest of stuff.
Author:  Sam Price [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:12 am ]
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MDF is ace..the stuff I have got is thrice recycled...it was a bed for my eldest daughter for a number of years, and then I jigsawed it into a castle for her dolls;

However it was took too much space in the house, and is now going to be used for a mold as soon as I have designed my third and hopefully final draft of body shape.

Also for a work table for the guitar, a jig for my router and part of it is already a rudimentary go bar deck I used on my first build. Sam Price39045.3432407407
Author:  nathan c [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:22 am ]
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Charlie,
I made my molds and some other stuff from MDF. Check the link in my sig and you can see my molds. Here's a thickness gauge I made.


Author:  James Orr [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 3:48 am ]
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Charlie, I should actually be finishing up my molds today. I bought a half
sheet to make the body mold and bending mold. I made a bending mold
out of MDF in 2002, and it's been outside everyday under our covered
padio. Rain, cold, 113 degree heat - everything - and it's still sound and
true.
Author:  Shane Neifer [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:42 am ]
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Charlie,

I too use it a lot. All of the radius dishes I make are made from it. I am just today starting on the benches in my new little guitar studio (YIPEEE!) and they will be mostly MDF. The density is great for banging on! My rim sander, which I use to make the dishes also, is made entirely of MDF. There are issues though. I use a biscuit jioner to fasten anything here the edges and for installing shelves etc. I glues very well but as Rod has noted screws into the edge can cause the product to spilt. So for forms I always glue a wood piece where I add the toggle clamp and hindges. If you add plastic laminate to it, do both sides to equal the pressure that the contact cement will have, otherwise it will likely start to cup on you.

Cutting is dusty! But the dust is heavy, settles fast and sweeps up well.

Good Luck

Shane
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:18 am ]
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Hey Shane, send progress pics of the studio once in a while so we can motivate you in there as well!

What everyone said Charlie, i used MDF for bending molds also and Alain Desforged used some for a body mold!

Enjoy my friend!
Author:  Lillian F-W [ Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:36 am ]
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ShopNotes had a great article on using MDF in the March 2006 - Issue 86. The one about the thickness sander. They gave some really "duh" tips, like putting glue on a cut edge and giving a moment to be sucked in, before applying more glue, because MDF is so absorbent when cut. If you don't have the issue, its worth chasing it down to read through the tips section.
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