Remembering the good old days

flyslinger · Post by **flyslinger** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:45 pm

I build a lot a drawers out of baltic birch and use tempered Hardboard for the bottoms. It's kind of a pain because it's not .25 thick, it's more like 7/32 thick and a if you run the groove on the table saw you have to use spacers in your dado set , otherwise the groove is too sloppy.......funny thing is we still call it masonite...guess it like calling an adjustable open end wrench a "Crescent Wrench" no matter who makes it.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:24 pm

flyslinger - When I rout a 1/4" groove for drawer bottoms - I use 1/4" MDF for the bottom. It is exactly 1/4" and fits the grooves snuggly. It is available in half (4' X 4' )and quarter (2' X 4') sheets at our local Home Depot. Cost was around $4 for a quarter sheet last week ($3.78 plus tax).

There was a sticker on the MDF saying the product contains substances known in California to cause cancer. So, guess you shouldn't eat it! But it makes a nice firm drawer bottom.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:09 am

flyslinger wrote:I build a lot a drawers out of baltic birch and use tempered Hardboard for the bottoms. It's kind of a pain because it's not .25 thick, it's more like 7/32 thick and a if you run the groove on the table saw you have to use spacers in your dado set , otherwise the groove is too sloppy.......funny thing is we still call it masonite...guess it like calling an adjustable open end wrench a "Crescent Wrench" no matter who makes it.

Hi fly (hey, that rhymes!),
Actually, the process that creates the particular form of hardboard that we call Masonite, was invented by a man named Mason, and any hardboard created using that particular process is properly called Masonite. The term "hardboard" includes Masonite, but is knot limited to Masonite. Crescent continues to make adjustable wrenches along with sockets and wrenches, etc.; Allen continues to make hex keys among other tools; Channellock (made in USA) continues to make tongue-in-groove pliers among other tools, including pocket knives! Sometimes, being remembered as one thing, holds you back from other successes.

flyslinger · Post by **flyslinger** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:21 pm

[quote="a1gutterman"]Hi fly (hey, that rhymes!),

Sometimes, being remembered as one thing, holds you back from other successes.

That is so true.....

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:35 pm

Finally it arrived and I have picked it up. "Good News"..It is 1/8"(0.115) thick with 1/8" holes on 1" centers. "Not so good News"... It is NOT like the tempered masonite of old! It IS like the present day version of tempered hardboard/masonite. Its color is NOT as dark as the old(good) stuff. It is smooth on BOTH sides but one side is obviously a better finish. It does NOT have the wire screen like pattern on the back side. It is not as stiff as the old/good stuff. If dropped on a corner, it will smush, not crack like the old/good stuff.

I assume the other 's2s' items are the same.

Feel like Don Quixote[sp?])

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Remembering the good old days

1/8" Pegboard From Do It Best Hardware(s2s)