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Hello everyone. New to this forum!
I'm re-building my router table because my 6 year old top has lost its flatness. It was built with 1-1/8" thick MDF, with 1/2" melamine glued to it for a work surface. It was mounted to a vanity cabinet, but the back of the table overhung the cabinet by about 12", and the sides and back overhung about 8".
Overall, the new table will be about 46" deep, and about 32" wide. It needs to be that deep to accomodate my Incra system. The new table will also incorporate a Woodpeckers phenolic plate (until I can afford to buy an aluminum plate with a nice Woodpeckers lift). The melamine on the old table wasn't as durable as I'd like, so the new table is going to have a Formica top.
Here's the question...
What do I use for a substrate for the Formica? Since the table overhangs so much, I need it to be something that won't sag over time...I need a flat table. I've been told that particle board will remain flatter than MDF, although I'm not sure if that is true??? I'd like to buy 3/4" thick material and adhere layers of it together to yield something at least 1-1/2" thick. I might also make a box frame underneath the table to provide support to help keep overhanging edges from sagging.
I'd certainly appreciate any advice that you folks have. I just want to make it myself...Don't want to buy something commercially made.
Thanks,
Aaron
I'm re-building my router table because my 6 year old top has lost its flatness. It was built with 1-1/8" thick MDF, with 1/2" melamine glued to it for a work surface. It was mounted to a vanity cabinet, but the back of the table overhung the cabinet by about 12", and the sides and back overhung about 8".
Overall, the new table will be about 46" deep, and about 32" wide. It needs to be that deep to accomodate my Incra system. The new table will also incorporate a Woodpeckers phenolic plate (until I can afford to buy an aluminum plate with a nice Woodpeckers lift). The melamine on the old table wasn't as durable as I'd like, so the new table is going to have a Formica top.
Here's the question...
What do I use for a substrate for the Formica? Since the table overhangs so much, I need it to be something that won't sag over time...I need a flat table. I've been told that particle board will remain flatter than MDF, although I'm not sure if that is true??? I'd like to buy 3/4" thick material and adhere layers of it together to yield something at least 1-1/2" thick. I might also make a box frame underneath the table to provide support to help keep overhanging edges from sagging.
I'd certainly appreciate any advice that you folks have. I just want to make it myself...Don't want to buy something commercially made.
Thanks,
Aaron