I have been doing a lot more router work of late, but in the past, all my work has been ‘stand-alone’ in as much as the shaped parts were not having to mate with other shaped parts.
I have had a lot of success routing with 6mm MDF as my preferred template option as it requires little work to shape.
My current project however requires three curved pieces to nest into each other and I am having the devil of a job getting them to match up. I am using bearing-guided bits, cutting a kerf with the standard bit, then re-cutting a new template from the old negative template with a bearing three times the size of the bit. On small stuff, it works really well.
After a frustrating day, where templates would just about match up, I realised that the problem was probably flex in the materiel. Even though the templates are 80mm (about 3 inches) across, there was a bit of flex. They are 1500mm (about 5 feet) long. Not helped by using 4mm when I ran out of 6mm…
So before I go out and buy more MDF, what thickness would you use for this template? I’d prefer the minimum wastage, and as the parts are quite large, I can only get four out of a full sheet. Price is not a consideration. Will 9mm do, or should I go the whole hog and use 12, or even 18mm?
Would you use another sheet good?
Replies
Baltic birch plywood would flex less. But if you get thin enough, most things will flex.
6mm is pretty thin. Try half inch. Making it wider than 3 inches will help, too.
Keep in mind that with repetitive use, edges of mdf will breakdown. Plywood is sturdier there, too.
Baltic Birch is the solution, and 12mm (1/2") should be the minimum. If you want to get fancy with it, glue a thin strip of hardwood along the edges, to smooth-out lumps and bumps from the machining and sanding process.
That said, a 1/2" to 3/4" piece of maple or ash would work, as well. Something ridge, but workable.
IMO MDF is over-sold as a template material - yeah it's cheap and seemingly ridged, but it dings quickly, and yields under load.
Agree with mdorsam about MDF as a template material - at least in the 1/4"/6mm thickness. I use 1/2"/12mm MDF for templates when it is a one-off project - If I am saving it for use in the future I pay the extra and use 1/2" Baltic Birch...
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled