Woodnet Forums › › Active › Woodworking v
MDF or plywood?

▼
Peter Tremblay Offline
Banjo Pickin Priest/Father Sparky
Posts: 22,682
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Burlington, North Carolina
#25
04-26-2018, 12:49 PM
Hello,

I am planing on making a few templates for the router table.

Would you recommend MDF or plywood for the most sturdy and durable template.

What thickness?
Peter

My "day job"
Website Find
Reply
▼
SteveS Offline
Member
Posts: 6,179
Threads: 0
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Bothell, WA
#26
04-26-2018, 01:12 PM
Depends on how many copies you intend on using it for. If it will be used extensively I'd go for 1/2" thick ply. MDF seems too soft for long term use.
Cellulose runs through my veins!
Find
Reply
▼
KC Offline
Honored Veteran
Posts: 12,197
Threads: 2
Joined: Nov 1999
Location: Nebraska City
#27
04-26-2018, 04:46 PM
(04-26-2018, 01:12 PM)SteveS Wrote: Depends on how many copies you intend on using it for. If it will be used extensively I'd go for 1/2" thick ply. MDF seems too soft for long term use.

I  probably used three leg templates for near 200 dining chairs over the years.  MDF is easier to shape, in my experience.
Find
Reply
Cecil Offline
Member
Posts: 2,840
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
#28
04-26-2018, 09:15 PM
(04-26-2018, 01:12 PM)SteveS Wrote: Depends on how many copies you intend on using it for. If it will be used extensively I'd go for 1/2" thick ply. MDF seems too soft for long term use.

^^^This.  I use MDF, but I don't do production work.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
Find
Reply
CLETUS Offline
Rufus
Posts: 29,861
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Mid-MI
#29
04-26-2018, 01:24 PM
5mm luan works great for templates.
Mark

I'm no expert, unlike everybody else here - Busdrver


Nah...I like you, young feller...You remind me of my son... Timberwolf 03/27/12

Here's a fact: Benghazi is a Pub Legend... CharlieD 04/19/15

Find
Reply
Bill Wilson Offline
This is Your Life...and we bet it will be a really good one because he works hard and really, really
Posts: 14,931
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Butler, PA
#30
04-26-2018, 01:26 PM
I would likely choose plywood, simply because I hate cutting MDF.
If you are going down a river at 2 mph and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to shingle your roof?

Website Find
Reply
John Mihich Offline
Honored Veteran
Posts: 2,274
Threads: 90
Joined: Jun 2001
#31
04-26-2018, 05:23 PM
I tend to use 1/2 birch plywood.  They do hold up for years.  I have some that at 15 years old which I use a lot.  It's light, easy to cut, and fairly cheap.
John

Always use the right tool for the job.

We need to clean house.
Find
Reply
jteneyck Offline
Member
Posts: 12,884
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Lewiston, NY
#32
04-26-2018, 05:36 PM
1/4" MDF.  Uniform "grain" and much easier to shape.   

John
Website Find
Reply
wood-chips Offline
Member
Posts: 314
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Carson Valley, NV
#33
04-26-2018, 07:51 PM
I've had good success with 1/4" tempered hardboard. Easy to shape and much more durable that MDF.
If you use plywood you have to deal with possible voids.
Find
Reply
▼
Peter Tremblay Offline
Banjo Pickin Priest/Father Sparky
Posts: 22,682
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Burlington, North Carolina
#34
04-26-2018, 09:28 PM
(04-26-2018, 07:51 PM)wood-chips Wrote: I've had good success with 1/4" tempered hardboard. Easy to shape and much more durable that MDF.
If you use plywood you have to deal with possible voids.

What's tempered hardboard?
Peter

My "day job"
Website Find
Reply
Thread Modes
MDF or plywood?


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.