Warning: MDF Mayhem *cough*!

[Gaston77]

Hello guys,

I was cutting out my latest cabinet from MDF sheets. I was working with a breathing mask, good protection (like everybody should!) and good ventilation. Immediately after I cut the wood I felt that something was wrong. The day after I was coughing like I have never coughed before. I did some research and found that MDF can be toxic and cause chronic lung damage when inhaled! In Europe, there is no warning anywhere and they do cut the wood for you in the DIY stores, so I was surprised to find out that MDF can be such a hazardous material. I spent two weeks hacking up dry coughs, regardless of the protection I used. I even had to stay home from work 2 days because I didn't sleep for 4/5 nights. Nightmare let me tell you!

So if you are cutting out your Cab from those MDF plates; Please pay attention when you're cutting MDF. My advise is to do it outside with the best protection you can find (even if that might seem like overdoing it a little bit). Your health is worth much more than cutting out the arcade cabinet panels.

[leapinlew]

Yes! I've heard this discussion on here a few times. I made sure to cut mine outside because of it. Good to hear it again though...

[pointdablame]

Yes! I've heard this discussion on here a few times. I made sure to cut mine outside because of it. Good to hear it again though...

You definitely need to cut outside.

And on a much less serious note, yet still very relevant... MDF dust gets EVERYWHERE!!!   You wan't to cut it outside anyway, even if there wasn't a health risk because that stuff just covers the entire room.

[BioFreak]

Yep MDF is bad news.
I noticed even when we cut some of it outside.
I still had a sore throat for several days after working with it.
Luckily we didn't have to cut the entire cab out of it.

[RickDIII]

Made the mistake of not wearing a dust mask the first time I worked with it. 

Spent the next week blowing particles out of my sinus cavity...

Side note:  MDF dust and boogs make some kinda' indestructable putty concoction...gotta be a use for it somewhere.

[michelevit]

my first cab was mdf.
never again. i used a mask and wore a beanie which made the cutting experience
survivable. my biggest complaint is the dust. -it gets everywhere.
even with a dust collector. the dust is a really fine powder that
clings to everything. i am still trying to clean the mess.

now all my wood is plywood or real wood.
i wouldn't recommend it for anything. plus its really heavy.
i think the only advantage is the price.

[ahofle]

my first cab was mdf.
never again. i used a mask and wore a beanie which made the cutting experience
survivable. my biggest complaint is the dust. -it gets everywhere.
even with a dust collector. the dust is a really fine powder that
clings to everything. i am still trying to clean the mess.

now all my wood is plywood or real wood.
i wouldn't recommend it for anything. plus its really heavy.
i think the only advantage is the price.

It's also easier to paint.  I guess I'm lucky I cut my MDF outside too.  I got a few specs in my eye a couple times (even with ear protection) but I didn't have that many issues with it.

[horseboy]

I got a few specs in my eye a couple times (even with ear protection)

How in the hell did you cut with those plugs jammed in your eye sockets?

[ahofle]

LMAO oops   

"EYE" protection

[deadkenndys1105]

I got a few specs in my eye a couple times (even with ear protection)

How in the hell did you cut with those plugs jammed in your eye sockets?

LOL. I when I cut mine I was in a closed garage    I had a mask but I didnt use it that much.    I would cut outside if I could. The people down the street are very anal about things like it tho.  Next time I ever have to cut the stuff I am doubling up the mask or getting a better mask.

[RayB]

I used a cheap strap-on mask. Dust got into the nostrils anyways. Makes me nervous about my health now...

[MameMaster!]

...and we all know my story of my MDF cuts in my apartment....stupid idea...and I too was coughing for days.....and couldn't sleep. 

[pointdablame]

LOL. I when I cut mine I was in a closed garage    I had a mask but I didnt use it that much.    I would cut outside if I could. The people down the street are very anal about things like it tho.  Next time I ever have to cut the stuff I am doubling up the mask or getting a better mask.

Would you be cutting on your property?  If so, tell your neighbors to go to hell.  I hate people who make stuff their business when there is no need to.  Unless you were dumping saw dust into their living room, tell them to shut up.

[Xiaou2]

 You need a  "Dust Collector"  to cut MDF.   

 Portable:

 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=31810



 or this larger one..

 


 When hooked up to the bottom of my table saw, there is almost no dust at all.  And more importantly, none flying airborn in the air. 

 660 to 1600 cubic feet of air moved per minute!   Its not like a vaccume with high pressure..  its low pressure but high air volume.

 Even when cutting typical wood with a tablesaw,  I noticed that my lungs would sometimes  get dust in them..   and  the mess was bad too.   With the dust collector, theres no more dust all over my basment equipment..  and theres no  more blowing my nose and seeing black gook come out.   

 I Highly recomend investing in one if you plan on doing a lot of woodworking projects.



 

[Luckydevil]

I use a 3M painting mask when cutting MDF and it has worked great for me. For only $20 it is a great piece of gear.

Link

[babydickonboard]

my room is right next to the garage where i worked on my cab, and i pretty much lived in the stuff for a couple months.  my clothes where constantly covered w/ mdf dust particles. i never really had any health problems or coughing.  i never wore any mask, even when i was routing out the t-molding. ( which caused so much dust it looked like the entire garage was smoked up. ) mdf doesn't really bother me much exept for its wieght and it dulls all of my tools. but in my mind the benifits of it exceed the negitives. ( mostly cost and ease of painting...but mostly cost .)

[Luckydevil]

i never really had any health problems or coughing.  i never wore any mask, even when i was routing out the t-molding.

Come on man, use your head. That stuff is so bad for you to breathe in it isn't even funny. Just do a google search on "mdf dust" and you'll get a huge list of sites saying how hazardous it is.

[Vigo]

I'm sensitive to the stuff, use a havy duty mask and eye protection. but I found that it even makes my eyes go red for days even with the eye protection. Soon, I'm going to invest in tight goggles so I don't have eye damage later in life.

[nullb0y]

i bought cheap masks and was carefull to keep my face away from excess dust i still had mdf clumps in my nose ewwww lol

[NightGod]

Weird, my buddy and I cut the stuff in his garage with no protection and never had anything worse than a mouthful of dust that a swig of beer took care of.

Granted, I would be more careful now after reading up more on it, but I guess we're lucky neither of us was ultra-sensitive.s

[Vigo]

If you have power tools that suck up extra sawdust as it cuts and sands, that helps a lot.

[shardian]

I've had mdf blown straight into my face from a router and never had any problems at all (Iforgot to pull down my goggles). I bought a pack of contractor grade 3m masks from lowes. Those masks are really good. They look like the cheapo white fiber masks, but they are really thick, and have filtration in them. If you don't have a professional mask, at least get these. Those paper masks are a joke.

[BlinKY1337]

All this talk of coughing and lungs hurting makes me wanna cig 

[Boz]

I've been researching and reading for nearly a year. I finally started my cabinet but used plywood instead of MDF because everyone said it's stronger. Now that I'm half into my cabinet and am considering making my CP out of MDF, I find this thread.

Great! Maybe I'll get lucky and kill my dogs with the fumes too.

Wait! I have an old M-12 military style gas mask. Maybe that'll work. 

[DrewKaree]

You need a  "Dust Collector"  to cut MDF.   
 

What a collossal and NON-NECESSARY expense.  Also, quite the poor information to tell people they "need" one to cut MDF.  Get a good dust mask and cut outside.  If you MUST cut indoors, you can take a furnace filter and strap it to a box fan as a makeshift dust collector if you feel like you'll need one, but NOBODY "NEEDS" a dust collector to cut MDF.

Simply false.  In2ishun, thanks for bumping this thread so misinformation can be addressed.

[AMDman13]

I always wear a 3M mask when cutting.. However, I am dumb enough to cut and sand small bits in the garage.. I can't recommend it though..What a mess!

[fixumdude]

I've cut tons of MDF without any kind of protection and never had any ill effects...in fact, the new third arm growing out of my chest just makes it that much easier to handle large sheets of the stuff on my table saw!