Can you surface-plane OSB?

[JimD]

I mostly agree with Larry except with his final conclusion. Plywood would be better and MDF would be strong enough but OSB is stronger than MDF, it's closer to plywood, and I think the laminate would not telegraph the voids in the OSB. I think a single thickness (3/4) of OSB would be OK. I typically reduce the thickness of the top where the router mounts to about 3/8 inch. With plywood that is easy enough, with MDF I might not because it's pretty weak and with OSB I probably wouldn't because I don't think it would machine very well. I like OSB - at least when it's sold for roughtly 1/2 the price of plywood. It's strong and if you band the edge I can live with the appearance. I would consider using OSB for a router table top but I would hope to come up with something else. My #1 suggestion is to find a sink cutout - they're cheap if you can find them - and back it with plywood or OSB. A sink cutout is exactly what it sounds like - the off-cut from when a sink is installed in a laminate counter top. It's made of good dense particle board and it has the laminate already applied.

Jim

[Khany]

Jim, I agree with you that osb is stronger that mdf. This is why it is mostly used as floor sheathing (for 3/4" osb that is). And this is the reason why I am tempting to use it as my router table top. Another thing, 3/4" osb is readily available to me at no cost. Heck, I can have a ton of them if I want. I just brought home 2 pieces of 3/4" osb. They are very flat I would say. I can glue 3 pieces together to make one heck of a top that can handle the biggest, baddest router out there. The one thing I am concerned about is that it will not look as neat as the mdf after I rout out the opening for the router base. I am also concern that the laminate won't stick to the osb as strongly as the plywood or mdf. I can pull out the fibers from the osb with my finger. I wonder if this will be a problem when I apply the laminate. I can also get the 3/4" plywood that is used for floor sheathing, but it is harder to find (free that is).

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by Khany

Jim, I agree with you that osb is stronger that mdf. This is why it is mostly used as floor sheathing (for 3/4" osb that is).

The problem is that for a router table top, the main requirement is not STRENGTH, but rather FLAT -- something OSB is not known for.

If you want to use OSB, at least use two layers and sandwich them together with the crowns facing each other. That way, the curvature of one will counteract the other and help hold the tabletop flat.

[Khany]

If you want to use OSB, at least use two layers and sandwich them together with the crowns facing each other. That way, the curvature of one will counteract the other and help hold the tabletop flat.
[/quote]

Thanks Larry. This is exactly what I will do. The osb I have is as flat as any plywood I saw. Maybe it was never exposed to rain ??? Some plywood I saw is HD is not all that flat, except the most expensive ones.