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MDF wood working advice
Bones:
I mounted a 27" D9200 on 18mm MDF which spanned 700mm. This was supported by two pieces of 2X4 on each sides.
Initially it seemed solid as a rock and could hold my own weight, but after a week or two there was some bowing of the shelf. Only very slight but there was a visible gap between the bottom of the monitor frame and the shelf.
Since then I have reinforced the shelf with some framework and I doubt I will have anymore problems. I would suggest something similar considering the extra weight of a 33" screen.
Tailgunner:
Something else no one has mentioned, get yourself a box of dust masks. MDF contains formaldehyde, and produces a fine sawdust when you cut it. Inhaling it is hard on your lungs, and enough of it can make you rather ill.
elvis:
--- Quote from: Tailgunner on August 18, 2005, 01:25:49 am ---Something else no one has mentioned, get yourself a box of dust masks. MDF contains formaldehyde, and produces a fine sawdust when you cut it. Inhaling it is hard on your lungs, and enough of it can make you rather ill.
--- End quote ---
I'm glad this was mentioned. I was going to say the same.
Even worse than making you "rather ill" the longterm effects of the carcinogenic dust/glue particles are emphysema and/or lung cancer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emphysema
If you're working with this stuff, use a good dust mask that will filter fine particles. And not some cheapy $2 face mask either, for the sake of your health.
RandyT:
To augment what has been said, faster feeds and speeds are usually a good idea with this stuff if your equipment can take it. You want to make little chips, not dust. Even when cut on a tablesaw with a coarse blade, the finish is quite good compared to other materials. A little coarse sandpaper will shape it right up.
It's a fairly free-cutting material and slow speeds and feeds can make dust so fine that it will float around the room and cover everything. One time I forgot to turn on the dust collector for the CNC router and when I cam back 10 minutes later, there was literally 1/16" of fine MDF powder on everything in the room. >:( 2 hours of cleaning time later I was back cutting, but I never made that mistake again.
RandyT
Negativecreep0:
thanks for all the replies. What type of wood is best for the supports inside? looking for something that can support the 33" monitor. Also what type of sandpaper is good for the mdf.