Why is 5/8" MDF so rare?

[paulscade]

I'm ready to start my build.

I visited Home Depot and Lowes (in multiple locations) and none of them seem to stock 5/8" MDF.... the sales guy said that they simply don't carry it.

They had piles of 3/4" MDF... they had piles of both 5/8" and 3/4" particle board... but NO 5/8" MDF.

I ended up ordering 5/8" MDF at a local lumber store (84 Lumber).... and I probably paid too much.

What's going on here?  Are they discriminating against arcade cabinet builders? 

... I want my 5/8" MDF.... 

[HaRuMaN]

Why do you need 5/8"?  Why not 3/4"?

[Avrus]

Why do you need 5/8"?  Why not 3/4"?

Plexi is 1/8" thick, so it ends up be 3/4" thick which is perfect for most T-molding.  Been discussed to death.

Totem in Calgary was recently advertising 5/8" and 3/8" MDF as well as 3/4" MDF.

[shardian]

There is no practical use for 5/8 MDF, thus Home depot doesn't carry it. everyone uses 1/2" or 3/4"

[mountain]

Some Home Depot stores do carry it. I bought some MDF over the weekend that didn't have a barcode on it. When the guy did a search for MDF, 5/8" came up in their system.

Hell, 12-15 years ago, Home Depot didn't even stock MDF in most of their locations. Lowes only recently started stocking it.

[northerngames]

the menards by us is having a sale on them for $16.something a sheet try them if there a local

[paulscade]

I know about the 5/8" + 1/8" Plexi = perfect 3/4" molding...
but... I don't plan on covering my cabinet in Plexi (or laminate).
This is fine for the CP.

I'm stuck on 5/8" because I feel that 1/2" is too thin.... and... have you lifted a sheet of 3/4" MDF lately?  Wow... not exactly light "wood" there.

If you do the math... 5/8" MDF should weigh 1/6th less than 3/4" MDF.  With a 100 pound monitor, speakers/sub, control panel, computer, and 3 sheets of MDF (no, not complete sheets)... that's quite a bit of weight.

I wanted my cab to be as light as possible without sacrificing too much strength.

[deadkenndys1105]

I use 5/8 myself and I think it works best because it keep weight down.  I don't like putting wheels on a cabinet plus I have to move this thing up and down stairs and within the year Im going to collage and getting my own apartment and I need to get that and my millipede into my room.  I don't think my roommates will mind giving up some space for them considering all 4 of us are going to school for GSP (game and simulation programming)  Yup im one of the young guys in the hobby.  ^_^

[somunny]

I ended up ordering 5/8" MDF at a local lumber store (84 Lumber).... and I probably paid too much.

What did you pay?  It should run about $20 per 4x8 sheet.

[vizzinni]

I gave up looking for 5/8" MDF and ended up using 3/4" birch plywood instead; it's quite a bit lighter than the MDF.  I'm building a bartop, and it would weigh way over 100 pounds if I used MDF.  You kinda expect a full size cab to be heavy, but I figured a bartop should be light enough for one person to lift up onto the bar (but not so light it moves around during play).

[Donkey_Kong]

Some Home Depot stores do carry it. I bought some MDF over the weekend that didn't have a barcode on it. When the guy did a search for MDF, 5/8" came up in their system.

Hell, 12-15 years ago, Home Depot didn't even stock MDF in most of their locations. Lowes only recently started stocking it.

We didn't even have Home Depot 12- 15 years ago!    We do now though 


We have Menards and Depot, both of which stock MDF in 1/2 and 3/4, 4x8. Then they have lots of 2'x4' panels in a bunch of thicknesses, my wife wants to try carving stuff in mdf...Will the dust kill her? Isn't it dangerous or something? Then I read somewhere that a certain type of mdf is made to carve (harmless dust) and that there is a dangerous type out there for breathing of the dust (contains formaldehyde?). Does anyone know anything about the two types of mdf? I can't find that article now...

[Mattiekrome]

I ended up ordering 5/8" MDF at a local lumber store (84 Lumber).... and I probably paid too much.

What did you pay?  It should run about $20 per 4x8 sheet.

Lol, I did the exact same thing.  84 Lumber was the only place around me (Charlotte NC) that had 5/8" MDF.  I ordered a sheet, it was $33.16...  It was a lot compared to the 3/4" MDF @ the local Lowes ($24.00).

[Extreme8]

... and within the year Im going to collage and getting my own apartment ...  Yup im one of the young guys in the hobby.  ^_^

Which "collage" are you going to young'un?
(sorry, couldn't resist!)

[solderguy1]

Someone posted about a month ago that if you have 3/4 with plexiglass, just grind down a 45 degree angle along the bottom side of the wood, do just enough so the T-molding fits.  No one will be able to tell unless they bend down under your CP.

[deadkenndys1105]

... and within the year Im going to collage and getting my own apartment ...  Yup im one of the young guys in the hobby.  ^_^

Which "collage" are you going to young'un?
(sorry, couldn't resist!)

Im going to DeVry in Tinley Park just out side of Chicago.  Very small school and very selective.  I know for damn sure I didn't get in because of my GPA but my computer knowledge.

[paulscade]

I paid $28.99 for one 5/8" 4 x 8 MDF sheet (@ 84 Lumber).

... but when I saw that Mattiekrome paid $33.16, I felt much better.   

[BobbyG66]

Someone posted about a month ago that if you have 3/4 with plexiglass, just grind down a 45 degree angle along the bottom side of the wood, do just enough so the T-molding fits.  No one will be able to tell unless they bend down under your CP.

That's what I did, works great, no one notices or can see it.

[Ummon]

What is MDF used for? I asked a couple people who do or have done construction and they weren't familiar with it.

[Danny R]

Its not used in construction so much as in furniture building.   Go to a mass produced furniture store and look at their shelves, etc and you'll see lots of MDF there.

And building a cabinet is much the same as building a desk or other piece of furniture using MDF.

[ahofle]

We have Menards and Depot, both of which stock MDF in 1/2 and 3/4, 4x8. Then they have lots of 2'x4' panels in a bunch of thicknesses, my wife wants to try carving stuff in mdf...Will the dust kill her? Isn't it dangerous or something? Then I read somewhere that a certain type of mdf is made to carve (harmless dust) and that there is a dangerous type out there for breathing of the dust (contains formaldehyde?). Does anyone know anything about the two types of mdf? I can't find that article now...

I'm not familiar with the harmless type of MDF, but yeah I wouldn't recommend cutting the normal MDF with formaldehyde in it on a regular basis.  Not only is it a carcinogen, but it really irritates your eyes and lungs.

[TOK]

What is MDF used for? I asked a couple people who do or have done construction and they weren't familiar with it.

Buildin' da dope giant speaka boxes to put a 3000 dollar stereo in a 800 dollar car, yo! 

[Avrus]

Totem in Calgary, Canada advertised 5/8" at $21.

[itismejs]

... and within the year Im going to collage and getting my own apartment ...  Yup im one of the young guys in the hobby.  ^_^

Which "collage" are you going to young'un?
(sorry, couldn't resist!)

Im going to DeVry in Tinley Park just out side of Chicago.  Very small school and very selective.  I know for damn sure I didn't get in because of my GPA but my computer knowledge.

DeVry is not very selective at all. They just want your money.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/158/RipOff0158603.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=devry+scam&btnG=Search

[deadkenndys1105]

I'm going to have to argue with you there.  I have looked at quite a few schools and Devry was the top school.  I have talked with the many of the people who work there and I have visited twice now.  The school was also recommend to me but multiple people with including my own cousin who is a one of the lead programmer with microsoft in her division.  Your sources weren't exactly credable ether.  Now before we get even farther off topic lets end this.

[Green Giant]

... and within the year Im going to collage and getting my own apartment ...  Yup im one of the young guys in the hobby.  ^_^

Which "collage" are you going to young'un?
(sorry, couldn't resist!)

Im going to DeVry in Tinley Park just out side of Chicago.  Very small school and very selective.  I know for damn sure I didn't get in because of my GPA but my computer knowledge.

DeVry is not very selective at all. They just want your money.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/158/RipOff0158603.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=devry+scam&btnG=Search

I wouldn't call a nationwide school with locations in every city small or selective.  They are similar to ITT Tech in which you focus on career training instead of your traditional University.

There own website says, "We major in careers."  By the way, what exactly are you aiming for a degree in?

[deadkenndys1105]

Im going into there game and simulation programming.  While they do have a lot of school they are most very small and not that easy to get into for there computer based stuff.  Majority of the places that are based around computers only teach 3 or 4 programs.  Im taking the GSP they also have business programming, hardware, and they just introduced web design starting in the fall.  The BP programming is programming things like word and I hop you know the rest.  So yes DeVry has schools all over but they are all specilized and almost completely unrelated.  Sorry paulscade for this being so off topic.

[ghettodish]

delete

[Fozzy The Bear]

You should try the UK, where you can't get 3/4" or 5/8" Damned metric mm sizes!!! I hate it.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[shardian]

Donkey Kong,
I would advise against carving in MDF. It will never be as durable as hard-woods. And it is super nasty when you start removing large quantites of material. You also wouldn't have the grain texture, which I think adds to your projects.
Will it work? Sure it will. Will your materials cost go way down? Heck yeah. Will your final product suffer? I think so.




And about Devry, they are a technical institute (which I hate as a term because I graduated from a real "Institute of technology" University). It is not a "true" college or university, but isn't a bad thing either. ITT tech, Devry, etc work very well for highly motivated people who want to work in a better job than retail.

To be accepted unconditionally, you just have to be in the top 50% of your high school class, or have had a 2.7 or higher. If you don't have either of those, you can take a skills test (which I'm sure any competent high school graduate can pass).

I can say this - those that are good enough to graduate DeVry at the top of their class ALWAYS end up dissatisfied with their career opportunities, and want to go get more education.

[Donkey_Kong]

Donkey Kong,
I would advise against carving in MDF. It will never be as durable as hard-woods. And it is super nasty when you start removing large quantites of material. You also wouldn't have the grain texture, which I think adds to your projects.
Will it work? Sure it will. Will your materials cost go way down? Heck yeah. Will your final product suffer? I think so.

Wow, Ahofle, Sherdian. I forgot how nasty that stuff is once you crack it open. We used a ton of this stuff for furniture in our last business and I forgot how nasty it is when you router, cut, etc.  yeeash. not worth it. Thanks guys!

Good for furniture and cabs though...