Replies

1. 
   AJinNZ | Sep 16, 2002 10:04am | #1

   Rich,  MDF wont tolerate much abrasion or friction related stress. It will go " fuzzy " on the affected edge. All downhill from there. As to movement.......MDF doesnt at all. If it gets really wet it will swell in thickness as the " layers " as it were, grow.

   If it was me, I would go with the solid timber. Only need to do it once right? I have seen several tool storage units, boxes etc that used or incorporated MDF, they all looked awful. Dirty, fuzzy, fat swollen joints.  Do I give the impression that I dont think much of the stuff for tool boxes? <G>

    

   Wood Hoon

2. 
   AlanTurner | Sep 16, 2002 01:50pm | #2

   I saw a piece (decorative, I think) that was large, oval, a base for a something (wall art?).    It was this large oval base  which was the MDF, and it needed to be stable.  It was split apart like crazy.  The fellow who was showing it to me told me the story that the  builder used MDF because of its stability, which was 1% movement, winter to summer, in the Philadelphia area.  1% of 96" is about an inch, which on this piece was a bunch; hence, the splitting.

   I don't use MDF so can't confirm this 1% expansion characteristic.  If I were building a toolchest, I would want only solid wood.  I tend to think of MDF for jigs only.  Quick, cheap, expendable.  For a permanent jig, I wouldn't consider it.  Note that baltic birch ply at a 12 mil. thickness (7/16's) is 9 ply, all hardwood, no voids, and 61 cents a sq. ft.  Comes in 5' x 5' sheets.  I know that there are much thinner sheets available.  It is quite strong.  To avoid all of the glue ups, planing, fitting, etc, this is an alternative.

1. 
   richspez | Sep 17, 2002 05:27am | #3

   thanks all for your replies.

   I kind of had an idea that mdf wouldn't hold up, now I know for sure it won't. The baltic birch would make things alot easier than milling and glueing all that lumber. Will expansion be an issue even with baltic birch plywood? the sides are 21" deep (that will be cross grain. I know solid wood shelves will have the grain in the same direction. Do you think this will pose a problem after a couple of seasons? I have a feeling I should start milling my lumber ( I am looking for an lazy way out considering all that will be going into this chest.

   thanks for your help

   rich s.

1. 
   AJinNZ | Sep 17, 2002 09:38am | #4

   I dont think ply would move much at all, considering how its made. The solid sides of your box will however and if the ply is going to be firmly attached to that, then allow things to move independantly of each other. Better than having your nice new box crack later, right? 

   Wood Hoon