Hi all,
So I'm a novice, at best, at all things woodworking. I'm about to finish hanging drywall in my new office, and as it's the first room in our entire house I'll be installing trim/molding/sills in, I have to pick out shaper bits and materials this coming week to get started on it. I've been reading and searching these forums furiously for answers so I won't waste everyone's time with inane questions, but I'm afraid it's time for a couple :surrender:
I bought a second-hand Delta 43-122 shaper last year (hurray craigslist). Here is a picture of a similar one, missing it's fence. If memory serves, my shaper came with a spindle insert that allows router bit use, but I'll have to go look at it again this weekend and verify (I'm aware that would require a much lower feedrate, as the shaper rpm should be approx 9-12k vs a router 20-30k speed). I'd like to form the trim and cabinet/built-in parts and pieces needed for the upcoming projects using this shaper.
My goal is to completely overhaul my home trim/molding (baseboards, windows, doors, and possibly crown molding in living room/dining room). I will also be trying my hand at designing and building a number of built-ins around a large fireplace. All to be painted white.
Questions for the veterans of the forums; could you give me your opinions on what types of woods I should use for the following;
- Base molding, window trim, window sills (I have 11 windows I recently installed that I need to build sills for). I've read that mdf is too easily dinged/damaged, even when well primed/painted, and nails can cause mushrooming you have to sand down - not nice in an occupied home. Is pine really much of an upgrade in durability, or should I just go with poplar (or another hardwood)? I know it seems a crime to paint any hardwood white, but my wife and I are very sold on the look for the entire home (going to learn my way into building cabinets and remodel 2 bathrooms and a kitchen over the next decade). There is a good chance I'll be installing wainscoting and chair rail in the dining room, which means a lot of exposed high-traffic areas.
- Crown molding. I have seen many people recommend doing these with MDF, and no one speaking out against it. If you think it's wise to go with another material, why?
- Built-ins, and cabinets in general (with doors/doors/sliding panels). Since I'm building them from scratch, painting them white, is MDF the right direction to be going in the name of strength and cost-effectiveness? I assume that any exposed detail pieces should be the same material type as my trim in the rest of the house, but am curious if this is correct.
I know that's a ridiculous pile of questions, and there's probably a fair number of you who are dying to tell me what an idiot I am for doing an entire house in painted white woodwork. Sorry about the pain Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!
So I'm a novice, at best, at all things woodworking. I'm about to finish hanging drywall in my new office, and as it's the first room in our entire house I'll be installing trim/molding/sills in, I have to pick out shaper bits and materials this coming week to get started on it. I've been reading and searching these forums furiously for answers so I won't waste everyone's time with inane questions, but I'm afraid it's time for a couple :surrender:
I bought a second-hand Delta 43-122 shaper last year (hurray craigslist). Here is a picture of a similar one, missing it's fence. If memory serves, my shaper came with a spindle insert that allows router bit use, but I'll have to go look at it again this weekend and verify (I'm aware that would require a much lower feedrate, as the shaper rpm should be approx 9-12k vs a router 20-30k speed). I'd like to form the trim and cabinet/built-in parts and pieces needed for the upcoming projects using this shaper.
My goal is to completely overhaul my home trim/molding (baseboards, windows, doors, and possibly crown molding in living room/dining room). I will also be trying my hand at designing and building a number of built-ins around a large fireplace. All to be painted white.
Questions for the veterans of the forums; could you give me your opinions on what types of woods I should use for the following;
- Base molding, window trim, window sills (I have 11 windows I recently installed that I need to build sills for). I've read that mdf is too easily dinged/damaged, even when well primed/painted, and nails can cause mushrooming you have to sand down - not nice in an occupied home. Is pine really much of an upgrade in durability, or should I just go with poplar (or another hardwood)? I know it seems a crime to paint any hardwood white, but my wife and I are very sold on the look for the entire home (going to learn my way into building cabinets and remodel 2 bathrooms and a kitchen over the next decade). There is a good chance I'll be installing wainscoting and chair rail in the dining room, which means a lot of exposed high-traffic areas.
- Crown molding. I have seen many people recommend doing these with MDF, and no one speaking out against it. If you think it's wise to go with another material, why?
- Built-ins, and cabinets in general (with doors/doors/sliding panels). Since I'm building them from scratch, painting them white, is MDF the right direction to be going in the name of strength and cost-effectiveness? I assume that any exposed detail pieces should be the same material type as my trim in the rest of the house, but am curious if this is correct.
I know that's a ridiculous pile of questions, and there's probably a fair number of you who are dying to tell me what an idiot I am for doing an entire house in painted white woodwork. Sorry about the pain Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts!