Cutting MDF for cabinet.

[Sinner]

When cutting cabinet sides from 3/4" MDF, is it a good idea to clamp the 2 sheets together, and then cut?
Is it even possible?  I was thinking that this might be the way to go, but couldn't really find threads saying this.
Anyone have any experience?
Thanks.

[slayj]

That would make a very thick piece of wood to cut.  If your balde stays in place too long it will start to burn your wood.  I would not suggest it.  I would cut the first piece and then lay it on your second, trace it, and then cut.  You will have few differences, if any, in the two pieces and those can be fixed with some sanding.

[Keller888]

I don't think it is a good idea to try and clamp the 2 pieces together and cut them that way, they are really heavy and you would have to clamp and unclamp as you cut around.

[Sinner]

I went out on the weekend and bought a 18V cordless drill and a circular saw (Skill)...both were on sale for $45CDN each...I figured I couldn't go wrong...I guess all I have left to buy is a sander and a router...

I have no wood working skills, but I've decided i want to do this on my own without having to go to a cabinet making place and have them do it for me...

I really appreciate the tip...one at a time, it is...wish me luck...

[slayj]

Good luck........ I never picked up a tool before and I am almost complete with my first cab.  It's very rewarding.

[SirPoonga]

if you have the equipment that can cut two at once sure.  You'd need a table saw with a sharp blade that cut 1.5" of wood (a 2x4 so that shouldn't be a problem).  It will be heavy so you will want those rollers you see at hardware stores so you can run a full sheet through a table saw.

However, if you are going to make curves I'd do them individually.  Most jig saws and routers can't handle that thinkness very well.

[IntruderAlert]

he's not going to be cutting curves with that new circular saw though

... time for ANOTHER NEW TOY

[Veinman]

I'm gearing up to start mine too! I've got calls in to 4 different places looking for 5/8" MDF. The only stuff in town is 3/4". I want to use 5/8" for my CP top since I now have a 1/8" sheet of Lexan sitting next to me.

If I end up using 3/4" for the top, I'm debating whether I should get taller T-molding for the CP, or just leave the lexan sticking over the molding. Any opinions?

[tommy]

I used 1/2 MDF on a smaller cab i built and it worked out fine, maybe some can go with that.

[dema]

When cutting cabinet sides from 3/4" MDF, is it a good idea to clamp the 2 sheets together, and then cut?
Is it even possible?

[Sinner]

he's not going to be cutting curves with that new circular saw though

... time for ANOTHER NEW TOY

I already have a jig saw...

This project keeps getting more and more complicated...

[IntruderAlert]

don't worry

you'll feel better once you've cut your first panel

[Sinner]

don't worry

you'll feel better once you've cut your first panel

I hope so...I've been planning and collecting for months, now I'm almost ready to start...though, I can just see so many things going wrong and causing me problems...most are with the building of the cabinet...

The wiring and PC part seem like the easy part...getting a big wooden box to house everything seems like the area where I'll have most of my difficulty and unfortunately, the only people I know that can help me with any kind of wood working are 2000 miles away...and maybe the people on this board, but even that isn't quite the same as someone  looking at your project, and letting you know what you did wrong...

Oh well, I'm sure I'll be posting pictures and asking questiones...

[SirPoonga]

Go look at the construction page for my cabinet.

[Avery]

You could do this, but your saw is going to be working awfully hard.  Better for it if you made two cuts.

Oh, and here's a tip.  For your long straight cuts, get a nice straight board or a piece of angle iron and some clamps and use that to guide your circular saw.  You'll have to clamp it a few inches back from the line you want to cut so that the base of your saw rides up against your straight edge.  And remember that the distance from the edge of the base of your saw to the blade is not the same from both sides.

[DrewKaree]

If all you have is a jig saw, there's a slimmer than slim chance in hell that your sides will match up.  Circular saw is the way to go unless you have patience enough to go slow enough for the blade to do the work without bending.

If you have a circular saw, it will cut an inch and a half thickness.  Skip the clamps and do the following:

Get some finish nails.  Do not use ANY other type of nail.  FINISH NAILS ONLY.  Nail the two pieces together.  Cut.  Separate.  Bingo.  Identical pieces.  The finish nails will leave a small enough hole that it won't be an issue to fix.  Some putty (water putty or wood putty) will fill 'er up, and you'll be good to go.  Just don't try to escape filling holes and use only 2 nails   4-6 nails will be good enough, but less than 4 is asking for trouble.  If you REALLY want to avoid filling holes, put the nails in the "waste" area of the MDF sheet....you'll still need to stick 2-3 in the "good" area, but that's the easiest way. 

Your jig saw will NOT work for this method though.

[spriggy]

A really easy way to do it if you want the sides to be exact would be to cut out the first side of the cabinet and lay it on top of another piece of wood. Then use a router and a flush-cut bit and just trace it to the outline of the first cabinet. While the router method will spray the wood dust out like a vortex, which sucks, it will give an exact replication of the first.

You state that you are going to buy a Router.  Hence, follow 'dema's explanation.  Quick and easy way to replicate straight and curved cuts!

I find that before you trace around with the router, pencil trace the completed side onto the new source and rough cut a 1/4' or so outside the trace line with a jigsaw (& circular saw for the straight cuts if you want).  Escpecially if your tracing onto a large sheet.  Easier to manipulate.  Common-sense prevails that you screw the two pieces together with three countersinking wood screws to be sure of no movement.

Good luck.

[Craig]

Be careful with the circular saw. I almost cut my leg off a while back 

[spriggy]

Be careful with the circular saw. I almost cut my leg off a while back

[Craig]

I wasn't using the saw properly and it jacked back fast and just missed my leg. 

[IntruderAlert]

Here's a good basic circular saw guide
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00051.asp

covers Safety and tips on cutting Sheetgoods (MDF, Plywood)

[markrvp]

I did it.  I found it was the least time consuming way to get two identical sheets.  Keep in mind, two pieces of 3/4" MDF is the same thickness as one 2x4 stud, so not a big deal to the tools.

[IntruderAlert]

so which procedure did you use?

[tommy]

Looks good but you dont have much marquee room, i like to have a big marquee area on top.

[trimaniax]

It sounds like I'm in the same boat as you Sinner, I have no woodworking skills nor do I know anyone with woodworking skills. SO, I've pretty much had to learn all this on my own and purchase tools at the same time.

The major step that I have completed is that I've cut the two bottom side pieces of the Ultimate Arcade II plans by cutting one, tracing that piece on another piece of MDF, and then cutting that out. Of course now I have two pieces that aren't quite exact and I am going to have to do some sanding to get them right. So my advice would be to try to work out a procedure in which you have a good chance of getting two exact pieces, either the "cut the two at the same time" method or the "route around the first piece" method.

BTW, does anyone have any tips on sanding MDF? Should I purchase a dedicated sander or try to do it the best I can by hand? It looks like I have about 1/16" or so of material I will need to sand off. I'm not looking forward to this at all.

[armax]

I did it.

[markrvp]

I did it.

[armax]

Mark, so the jigsaw successfully cut through both 3/4" pieces of wood?  I went out into my garage and looked at my jigsaw (didn't have a blade) so I wasn't sure.  Any tips for using your method?

[markrvp]

MDF cuts very easy.  The jigsaw didn't even breathe heavy. 

Look at Home Depot (or Lowe's) at the jigsaw blades.  What you want is one of the longer blades with fine teeth (wood finishing or metal). 

[markrvp]

Here's the blade I used:

[armax]

thanks mark!  I'll hit up the HD this weekend.  You've got quite a collection of goodies there.  Heck, you've got enough to start your own arcade.

[Zook]

A circular saw cuts through 2 sheets of MDF like butter.  My problem was using a jigsaw for rounded cuts and finishing corners.  I found that the blade warped/bent and didn't make an even cut with the bottom sheet of MDF.  A power sander would even things up in a hurry.  I didn't have one and spent a bit longer sanding the edges to match by hand......

[Dire Radiant]

Seems a lot of people have problems making cuts with a jigsaw. Seems to me they're either using cheap blades that flex too much or they're trying to force the saw through the cut instead of letting the saw do the work (which again will cause the blade to bend) I never have a problem with mine and mine isn't anything special ($50 Skil) It also looks as though people think a jigsaw is going to make finish cuts. Never going to happen, no matter how fine a blade you use. You're always going to have to sand it sooner or later.

[AceTKK]

That depends on the quality of your jig-saw.  My Bosch 1587 makes finish cuts in MDF that are as square and true as the  factory edges.

-Ace-

[Samstag]

I want to add my vote to the router method.

[markrvp]

I want to add my vote to the router method.

[str1der]

Another suggestion that really made things easy for me. When cutting a large heavy piece of MDF, instead of trying to use saw horses go to Home Depot and get a 4 X 8 sheet of that pink foam wall board. It's about 2 to 3 in. thick. Lay it on the ground then lay your MDF on top. Set your circular saw balde depth so that it doesn't go all the way through the foam. This gives you excellent support so that the MDF doesn't sag and bind your blade. You also don't have to worry about cutting your saw horses in half.

[armax]

I agree.  Not all tools are equal.  You truly get what you pay for with tools.  there is a HUGE difference between a quality jigsaw and 19.99 jigsaw.  Same for circular saws.  If a 1.5" piece of wood is causing a great strain with a circular saw, the problem lies with the particular saw.   My hypoid circular cuts through 1.5" like paper.

[DrewKaree]

What the heck is a hypoid?  Is that the brand name?  I've never heard of one, that's why I ask.

[markrvp]

Here are the tools I used to cut the sides of my cabinet out of MDF.  For those shopping for tools, I can recommend these as good for the job.

The blade on the Circular Saw is a Freud that works great for MDF.  Use this blade for MDF or cross cuts on wood.  More Teeth = Better finish cut.  Do not use this blade for ripping.

[DrewKaree]

The blade on the Circular Saw is a Freud that works great for MDF. 

Dynamite tip.  Swap out the generic blade they supply with a saw if at all possible, and Freud is one of the best aftermarket cutter manufacturers out there.  CMT also makes some dynamite stuff

[armax]

a hypoid is a a heavy duty design used in circular saws.

[DrewKaree]

Squares:

Speed Square



Try Sqaure



Combination Square



Using a square:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/print/0,17071,403568,00.html

For whoever this will work for.  Hope it helps.

[DrewKaree]

What about if they laid those two pieces of MDF on the ground atop a piece of that insulation, as was recommended earlier?  Solid support throughout the cut, no chance of the waste piece dropping off and binding the blade, no grain direction to worry about, no knots to worry about, no nothing to worry about other than cutting your cord and creating a semi-cordless circ saw.

Would that recommendation work?

Solid-foam insulation down!  Saws up!  Go ahead, have a th'o-down in Motown (and all other places you plan to cut MDF like this.

The insulation slab is very cheap.  Pick one up and saw away.

And yes, in this instance, there's STILL more stress on the saw than a 2x4, but then, any longer cut is more stressful than a shorter cut.  That's just science at work there.  Does that address everything?

[Sinner]

Well guys...I've decided to try and cut them one at a time...I think it'll  be safer in the long run, since I'm a spaz when it comes to this stuff...
I appreciate all the help...

Matt

[Steve Kaz]

Well, i just started my cab project the other night (my first one) and i really think that clamping two sheets of MDF together and cutting is the way to go.

[Sinner]

I know we all want things to be perfest, but I was wondering how much trouble you could have if you were out by a 16th of an inch in some places...would it be that noticable?  I just mean on the sides, not the other cuts...

[Truecade]

I just built a mini cabinet and I cut the second piece using a plunge router and a laminate bit.  It worked excellent and the two sides were identical.

First, cut one side and make all of the finishing touches exactly how you want the other side to look.  Then, clamp this side "template" under another piece of wood and set the router bit to the correct depth.  Then its just a matter of tracing the edges of your second side using the router. This will give you two identical sides.

I was using particle board, but I'm pretty sure this would work for MDF.  Just use make sure you're using a good mask because the MDF dust will get everywhere.

[Avery]

First, cut one side and make all of the finishing touches exactly how you want the other side to look.

[DrewKaree]

I know we all want things to be perfest, but I was wondering how much trouble you could have if you were out by a 16th of an inch in some places...would it be that noticable?  I just mean on the sides, not the other cuts...

Only if you're fastening another piece to it at a right angle.  It'll show up as a slight gap on either side of the amount you're over, or a gap in that area of the amount you're under.  You can sand it flush to the line you marked if you wish. 

[teetu]

I don't know what all this hooting is about.  I got a skill jigsaw on sale from home depot for 10 bucks, and it cut through 2 pieces of 3/4 MDF clamped together just fine.  I did have a nice blade (for ripping of course), and stopped twice during the cutting to let things cool.

I'm still gonna get that bosch jigsaw though, and I know that could cut through just about anything.

[Tailgunner]

What the heck is a hypoid?  Is that the brand name?  I've never heard of one, that's why I ask.

Hypoid is descriptive of a style of gears. A hypoid saw is built like a worm drive saw, both types have the blade on the left side and the motor's shaft running front to back. In both types, power is transmitted through a 90 degree gearset from the motor's shaft to the blade mounting shaft. They are built with stronger motors and tend to outlast normal circular saws by a conciderable margin.

[DrewKaree]

And worm drive's are those long-looking circ saws, right?  Almost like the handle is behind and detached-ish?  Are they easier, the same, or harder to control on-line?

[Tailgunner]

Generally easier, as you can see the cut better. That's assuming you're using it wrong like most carpenters do by using their right hand to control it. A worm drive or hypoid saw should be used left handed as using one right handed puts the blade in line with your body.  When (not if, use a circular saw enough and you'll experience kickback.) it kicks back, you'll cut your pee-pee in half. 

I'm a lefty, so I naturally prefer a wormdrive or hypoid saw.

[armax]

Generally easier, as you can see the cut better. That's assuming you're using it wrong like most carpenters do by using their right hand to control it. A worm drive or hypoid saw should be used left handed as using one right handed puts the blade in line with your body.