MDF or Plywood

[heathicus]

The stuff that cheap Wal*Mart furniture is made out of seems to be a couple grades below the MDF that I've bought in 3/4"x4'x8' sheets at Home Depot.

I built a fireplace surround out of MDF and it turned out just fine. I used MDF because it was one of my first projects and any mistakes wouldn't be all that costly.

Of course, I'd love to go back and rebuild it with hardwood that could be stained instead of having to paint it.

[dusty]

The stuff that cheap Wal*Mart furniture is made out of seems to be a couple grades below the MDF that I've bought in 3/4"x4'x8' sheets at Home Depot.

I built a fireplace surround out of MDF and it turned out just fine. I used MDF because it was one of my first projects and any mistakes wouldn't be all that costly.

Of course, I'd love to go back and rebuild it with hardwood that could be stained instead of having to paint it.

I think that stuff is actually chip board and not MDF. Sorta the same but different.

[osx-addict]

When we re-did part of our kitchen a bit over a year ago, the island that was installed ~15 years prior would not hold together when we tried to add a 3 foot extension cabinet to one end of it (which was built using cabinet grade 3/4" ply).. The old cabinet, while it looked like high-quality on the outside turned out to be crap once you started looking at it closer -- made with some sort of fiber-board crap like you'd see at the local Walmart or equiv. The cabinet was held together with a handful of dowels and a few screws here and there -- so when the new cabinet was attached, the old one started splitting at the seams.. Ultimately we ditched it and got another new much higher-end cabinet to replace it.. This has put the bug in my ear to re-do the rest of the crappy cabinets with something.. um.. better..

[dusty]

When we re-did part of our kitchen a bit over a year ago, the island that was installed ~15 years prior would not hold together when we tried to add a 3 foot extension cabinet to one end of it (which was built using cabinet grade 3/4" ply).. The old cabinet, while it looked like high-quality on the outside turned out to be crap once you started looking at it closer -- made with some sort of fiber-board crap like you'd see at the local Walmart or equiv. The cabinet was held together with a handful of dowels and a few screws here and there -- so when the new cabinet was attached, the old one started splitting at the seams.. Ultimately we ditched it and got another new much higher-end cabinet to replace it.. This has put the bug in my ear to re-do the rest of the crappy cabinets with something.. um.. better..

Do the old cabinets look like carp? Don't answer that, it is just a reaction to your post and does not deserve an answer.

However, this sounds to me like a very convenient excuse for redoing all the cabinets.

Go for it. Cost might be the only limiting factor which might have been the reason for the original cabinets..

[osx-addict]

Do the old cabinets look like carp? Don't answer that, it is just a reaction to your post and does not deserve an answer.

However, this sounds to me like a very convenient excuse for redoing all the cabinets.

Go for it. Cost might be the only limiting factor which might have been the reason for the original cabinets..

The old cabinets are covered in some sort of plastic coating that is all white. Our high-end cabinet place was able to send out to some company to duplicate the doors so the new stuff looked like the old stuff. In the end, our island is now a completely different color (light stained wood) than the surrounding white cabinets... We've got all the hallmarks of the crappy stuff in that the wider cabinet shelves sag in the middle due to lack of hard-wood edging as mentioned in this thread,etc.. Ultimately, when time permits, I'd LOVE to build some cabinets in our garage to get my feet wet and once I've worked the kinks out of Cabinet Building 101, then start fabbing up nice cabinets for the kitchen that will NOT be white!!!

[dusty]

The old cabinets are covered in some sort of plastic coating that is all white. Our high-end cabinet place was able to send out to some company to duplicate the doors so the new stuff looked like the old stuff. In the end, our island is now a completely different color (light stained wood) than the surrounding white cabinets... We've got all the hallmarks of the crappy stuff in that the wider cabinet shelves sag in the middle due to lack of hard-wood edging as mentioned in this thread,etc.. Ultimately, when time permits, I'd LOVE to build some cabinets in our garage to get my feet wet and once I've worked the kinks out of Cabinet Building 101, then start fabbing up nice cabinets for the kitchen that will NOT be white!!!

Rick, if you are not you ought to be a salesman. I really like that line.

"once I've worked the kinks out of Cabinet Building 101, then start fabbing up nice cabinets for the kitchen"

I've got to try that. I want a set of over head cabinets across the front end of my garage shop.

[osx-addict]

Thanks! (I think?!?) I've got tons of projects for my SS but it's still in pieces.. I might be able to start working on it in the coming weeks.. I HOPE!

[wlhayesmfs]

Question what would you guy's suggest you use to build the replacement table for a radial arm saw or making a sliding cross cut table. Right now I am looking at making projects that I have been putting off for sometime. Been turning pens and working on toys for my new grandson.
Looking forward to warm weather and opening up the shop and cleaning it out.

[charlese]

Bill - For the RAS, use any piece of particleboard or MDF that you happen to have around. For years, I used particle board tables on my RAS with good results. As you know the 90 and 45 degree grooves (and in my case, rip marks) in the table will eventually doom the table. If I had a RAS today I would use MDF. It might not last as long, but can be made smoother.

[a1gutterman]

MDF without a doubt!