Replies

1. 
   john_c2 | Dec 23, 2022 05:20pm | #1

   Phenolic plywood is extremely slick, and MDO is not. I'm not sure you can make MDO slippery.

   Phenolic is also a lot denser and thus heavier than MDO.

   If I couldn't find Phenolic, I'd use Baltic birch.

2. 
   gregs55 | Dec 23, 2022 05:39pm | #2

   Thanks for the reply

3. 
   carbide_tipped | Dec 26, 2022 09:29pm | #3

   I use MDO for a lot of my jigs, including my crosscut sled. I agree it's not as slippery as Phenolic ply and not as dense, but a light sanding at 220 and a coat or two of paste wax makes it plenty slippery. Or you can add a strip or two of UHMW tape. MDO is plenty stiff enough for a crosscut sled, is nice and flat (if it's been stored properly by dealer) and the lower density translates to lighter which is actually helpful for a crosscut sled. And of course, these days, MDO is a lot cheaper than BB, if you can even find it. Bottom line, IMO Phenolic ply, MDO, and BB can all make a good, stable sled.

4. 
   Deleted | Dec 28, 2022 09:08am | #4

   “[Deleted]”

5. 
   user-1118538293 | Jan 02, 2023 09:31pm | #5

   Tried to post this a big ago but for some reason it did not take. I actually quite like MDO for this kind of thing. As carbide_tipped notes, you can make the underside slippery, and the top side has a nice texture to it--not sticky like sandpaper, but a little bit of friction helps keep your workpiece in place.
   I find the offcuts to be super handy around the shop since they are so flat and uniform--wonderful for fences and such. Uniform on the faces, that is. The edges may contain some voids--it's like good-quality construction-type plywood on the interior. Nothing major, in my experience, just not perfect.