MDF

[jimbo]

Do Blades wear quicker cutting MDF than cutting medium hard wood??
Jimbo

[scrollgirl]

Yes-sir-ree-Jim!  I cut the prototypes of my See Creatures in MDF and I have one word of advice - Patience!  I don't know either how one material can make seemingly so much more dust than the other (MDF vs. Wood) but somehoe it does.  Maybe because it is finer dust it just seems like more.  I still like it for certain stuff - especially some things that I paint, but it is  definitely a different animal than regular wood. 

Sheila

[ufgator]

Thanks for asking that question jimbo.  I just bought some MDF yesterday and would not have given that a thought. Nice to know.

Happy Scrolling
     Bill

[dunk]

MDF has so much more glue in it that you will find most of the time you will get half the blade life.

[GrayBeard]

Definitely agree!
I use quite a bit of MDF and it contains so much 'resin' that it really heats up the blades and they break down very quickly.
Dust is definitely a matter of concern so PLEASE wear a mask! It is not so much dust as a fine powder that goes everywhere! Especially your lungs.

~~~GrayBeard~~~

[jimbo]

The MDF I am cutting at the moment is 27mils thick and I did notice the blades really heating, I'm using an extractor fan and that helps with the dust, I have as yet to set up a dust extractor system, that is the next project now that I have had a play, thanks for the info.
Jimbo

[KENINLEX]

I the truck load of wood I got there is some nice oak wood that has MDF sandwiched in between. it really looks nice better then plywood. that is what I cut my honey do's with.

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[northie66]

Nice looking Ken!  I almost always use poplar.  It's easy to cut, fairly cheap, and I paint most everything I make.  It irritates the gent that taught me to scroll saw that I paint most of it.  ha!

[jimbo]

Don't paint wood thats why I use MDF I get most of it free
JImbo

[Judy Hunter]

Ok...what is MDF?  Is that like the baltic birch I use?

[Russ C]

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, often in a defibrator, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming panels by applying high temperature and pressure. MDF is more dense than plywood.
It is made up of separated fibers, (not wood veneers) but can be used as a building material similar in application to plywood. It is much more dense than normal particle board.

 

[Judy Hunter]

Thanks Russ... Now I know.  A long time ago there were two kinds, the saw dust glued together or the wood chips glued together.  When we first used the sawdust kind for flooring, it fell apart if it got wet,  I am sure it is better now.  Back then we called it pressed horse "poop" and it was said you could even see the oats in it

[GrayBeard]

Unfinished MDF soaks up water like a sponge in my experience.
Swells and starts to break down.
I keep a sheet on top of my workbench and seal the holey beejesuz out of it. When it gets messy I simply unscrew it and replace. Take the old one, flip the good side up, cut some door toppers, paint 'em up and donate!

[Dawie]

MDF is surely a saweater. I use MDF quite a bit as it is cheap and readily available here. Use it mainly for puzzles and stuff I paint.
David

[jimbo]

Thats what I am useing for as well David, looks good painted, will post some pics when I get time
Jimbo