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Wood/Plexiglass Thickness to Allow 3/4" T-Mold

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RxBrad:
I'm having a really rough time finding 5/8" thick MDF where I live.  Everything around here seems to be either 1/2" or 3/4".

For my control panel, can anyone foresee any problems with using 1/2" MDF overlaid with 1/4" Plexiglass, and using 3/4" T-molding? 

I plan on using 3/4" MDF for everything else on the cab.

jennifer:
      It sounds like a good plan.... Incorporating a steel back plate may not be so out of line to help reduce stress on the C/P however.   

JDFan:
How thick is the cutting bit for the channel and can you offset it enough to get a good cut in the 1\2" MDF without having to cut the 1/4" plexi also and still have the channel hold the t-molding in place ?

EDIT : seems 3/4" T-molding has a 3/32" channel cut which would mean you are cutting the channel only 2/32" from the edge of the MDF if trying to cut it centered so might be difficult to not have it break off while routing. (haven't tried it myself so not sure but might want to test cut some scrap first.

IAmDotorg:

--- Quote from: RxBrad on December 01, 2014, 01:54:44 pm ---I'm having a really rough time finding 5/8" thick MDF where I live.  Everything around here seems to be either 1/2" or 3/4".

For my control panel, can anyone foresee any problems with using 1/2" MDF overlaid with 1/4" Plexiglass, and using 3/4" T-molding? 

I plan on using 3/4" MDF for everything else on the cab.

--- End quote ---

I can't imagine how that will possibly work. You need to cut the slot at the halfway point, which is centered at 3/8". The slot needs to be 1/16th of an inch, and the T-molding will dig into it to hold. That'll put the slot 1/16th of an inch from the side of the 1/2" MDF. Even if you had some magic tool that could cut that, leaving that 1/16th of an inch undamaged, the entire thing would break off when you inserted the t-molding.

You're probably going to have to forego the plexi and use a polycarbonate laminated overlay instead. Its near as, or just as durable, but paper thin.

jennifer:

--- Quote from: JDFan on December 01, 2014, 05:01:11 pm ---How thick is the cutting bit for the channel and can you offset it enough to get a good cut in the 1\2" MDF without having to cut the 1/4" plexi also and still have the channel hold the t-molding in place ?

EDIT : seems 3/4" T-molding has a 3/32" channel cut which would mean you are cutting the channel only 2/32" from the edge of the MDF if trying to cut it centered so might be difficult to not have it break off while routing. (haven't tried it myself so not sure but might want to test cut some scrap first.



--- End quote ---
   You bring up a good point!!!.... I suppose one could just notch the whole edge and add a aluminium strap around it.... This would leave a big sloppy hole but hot glue would hold the "T" in place.

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