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Using Plywood Instead Of Mdf


Yngwie

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I was just wondering (must build rally track) othr than cost, is there any reason no one is routing tracks on say 9-12mm plywood? It offers significant advantages in terms of weight. For a portable track it seems the go but what do you think?

 

Regards

 

John

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It's generally more expensive per metre, more fragile, and more difficult to work with due to the fact it's glued sheets of wood, not just a sort of glue all by itself. It shouldn't chip on the slot when you are routing it if you use a sharp bit and a lot of speed.

 

I would have thought it would be almost as heavy as MDF anyway.

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The difference in weight between MDF and Pine ply is quite minimal

 

MDF Average Density - 4.609g/cm3 or 4609Kg/m3

 

Pine Ply Average Density - 4.881/cm3 or 4881kg/m3

 

and contrary to popular belief it is usually heavier than MDF of similar volume

 

(My students do this stuff as part of their course)

 

so there really is no reason to go for ply as previously stated no matter how sharp the router bit is it will almost always "break out" the grain when routing across the grain. Not to mention that unless you buy expensive ply the surface will contain imperfections. (OK for a rally track i surpose)

 

on the flip side at least it is not a known carcienogen like MDF (Make sure you wear a dust mask)

 

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Routing Ply does not give very good results as at all times you are cutting across some grain. Chipboard used to be used to be used for tracks before MDF was on the market,just not as good a material to route. The first HMCC track back in the sixties was made from masonite.

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Ply tends to splinter when bent or twisted unfortunately. Did you know that MDF stands for "Maintains Defined Formation". Sorry guys that the best I can come up with, do we have any other suggestions??

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