Picking up 4x8 sheet of MDF tomorrow, wish me luck!! (1 Viewer)

[SteveSpoon]

Finally getting around to picking up my "reserved" sheet of MDF at Home Depot tomorrow. Got the garage cleaned up, so now can go get the MDF (kids toys are everywhere!!).

Had Kyle at Acoustic Visions send me a Dayton 12" DVC a few weeks back, so will be building an enclosure for it. Here's my plans:

To simply build a sealed box for the Dayton off of the Adire Audio plans, believe it is the 55Liter box (middle of the 3 on their website). Plans are for a Shiva, but people have said the two woofers' are basically the same. Also, I want to modify the plans to make it a perfectly sealed unit.....will mount the plate amp seperate. What I'm trying to say is that I will not be cutting any holes in the back of the enclosure for the amp.

Guess all I was trying to say was "wish me luck"....I'm dangerous with power equipment!!

Steve
Steve

 

[Joe Hsu]

heh, I don't know if I'm dangerous or not, so I think that's worse. I'll be attempting my first DIY project this fall, an 18" wide, 36" tall sonosub.
Scary. Good luck Steve.
Just noticed that you're in MI too, whereabouts?

 

[Mark Tranchant]

Steve: don't know how dangerous you are with power tools, but if you're hacking up MDF in a garage, do remember to wear eye and breathing protection, won't you? MDF dust is nasty stuff.

Please don't take offence if you knew this already, and best of luck with the project! We'll be waiting for the pictures...

 

[alan fallert]

Steve or anyone that is cutting up some mdf, wear a dust mask, the fine dust is bad for you, also wear goggles, this dust will get into your eyes, and do wear ear plugs, routers are very noisy. Steve if I were you I would cut the mdf outside and not in your garade,The dust can be cleaned up with a garden house outside, or if you cut it in the grass no cleanup needed.

 

[AndersP]

Why don´t you have the shop guys to cut it up for you?
I always let my shop cut it for me, for a small extra fee. There´s a guy in my shop, with a mean mother of a machine that makes really nice cuts.
You don´t need to finnish the pieces off or anything, just glue them suckers together.
Works perfect everytime.
//Anders

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Home Depot will cut it for you also. They are only supposed to do 3 cuts for free per visit, but, they haven't charged me yet.

 

[Brian Fellmeth]

Dave is right. If you catch the right home depoian at the right time, its easy to coax extra cuts out of them. Even if he wants to chage for the fourth and beyond, I believe its only 30 cents a cut. At very least, have them rip it to one of your dimensions so you only have to make some cross cuts at home.

 

[SteveSpoon]

Thanks for all the good advice, especially the dust mask and eye protection.....didn't realize the stuff was that bad.
Got delayed over at my folks....had to help them plant some trees, but it's off to Home Depot now!!! Thanks again.
Steve
Hey Joe: Cadillac, Michigan. Pretty boring town, but with the new sub, hope to "wake things" up around here!!

 

[SteveSpoon]

OMG is that stuff heavy!!! Just got back from Home Depot....should have taken your advice and had them make a few cuts in it. Would have done that, but I need part of the sheet for the basement project as well. Guess I could always back up real fast and ram the brakes on.
Steve

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

My guess is 100lbs. One time I had to transport 3 sheets of MDF from home depot to a shop without a car. (My 4runner couldn't fit the sheets).

So imagine a 20 year old boy pushing 3 sheets on a cart J-walking across 4 lane streets. (Boy was that fun)

Some contractor tips:

Cut about 1-2" off the edges off the pieces you'll be using so that you get freshly cut edges on all sides.

Don't use too much glue

 

[Neil Joseph]

heh, I don't know if I'm dangerous or not, so I think that's worse. I'll be attempting my first DIY project this fall, an 18" wide, 36" tall sonosub.

Joe that's pretty much what I have.

 

[Joe Hsu]

heh, well turns out that all the people selling subs and amps seem to have pulled out or sold them, so I'm on the lookout again. At least I have the sonotube lined up.
Will Home Depot do the circle cuts for my end pieces for me? I don't care how much they charge, but that would be soooooo much easier for me, especially since the end caps and the driver/port holes seem to be the only big woodworking steps to the sub.

 

[Mark gas]

Sorry no circle cuts at Home Depot.

 

[Joe Hsu]

doh. ah well. I'm sure I can type just as well with 4 fingers.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

It has been rumoured that some HD's do sell pre-cut MDF circles in assorted sizes. I've never verified it at my local HD, mostly because I'm afraid if I found them... I would have to build another sub!

 

[Brian Bunge]

Dave,

I have seen some precut circles, but they were particle board, not MDF. Therefore, I wouldn't suggest using them.

Brian

 

[Mark gas]

I have seen them in both particle board and MDF.