Best way to Rabbit MDF

[mashtun]

Okay I am building a couple of new Subwoofers for my HT system. I have glued up to 3/4 inch sheets of MDF to make the front panel.

Since my woofers will have a inch of Excursion one way, I am sure the cabient will take a beating, so I want to put a rabbit around the front, and back panels to increase the glue surface to the side panels.

The two ways to do this that come to mind, are

1 to use my Dado set on the TS with a sacrafical fence.

2 to use a straight router bit in my router table to make the rabbit.

Which way would be best in everyones opinion?

John

[Copper]

Either of those methods should work fine for making rabbets. Everyone kind of has their own preference. My router table is not very big, so I would use the dado set. Either way, be prepared for A LOT of dust from cutting rabbets in MDF. Make sure you have adequate dust collection and wear a mask.

[LarryG]

Coke vs Pepsi, Ford vs Chevy, Lowes vs HD. Both methods are equally good and it largely comes down to personal preference.

When working with MDF, which is notoriously hard on carbide, I tend to do more operations with a router because I can use inexpensive bits and toss them when they wear out.

[Uncle Cracker]

Use the TS with a straight blade to cut a rabbet (2 cuts per) and you'll end up with a chunk of scrap, instead of a mountain of nasty dust, like you would with a dado set.

[LinuxRandal]

Coke vs Pepsi, Ford vs Chevy, Lowes vs HD. Both methods are equally good and it largely comes down to personal preference.

When working with MDF, which is notoriously hard on carbide, I tend to do more operations with a router because I can use inexpensive bits and toss them when they wear out.

The router bits played a factor originally for me. That plus an edge guide (no table required), made more sense as I have a small shop. But the real question is, which do you feel more comfortable with?

[footprintsinconc]

you could use a jointer/planer, if you have one. it worked fine for me.

[cabinetman]

My preference in doing dadoes and rabbets is to use a router instead of a TS and a stack set. It's much more difficult to hold down the stock than to run a router over it. As for bits, I don't use inexpensive anything, it doesn't pay. The results will prove that out. You can use a straight bit, or a rabbeting bit with a bearing.

[mashtun]

Best way to Rabbit MDF

Use the TS with a straight blade to cut a rabbet (2 cuts per) and you'll end up with a chunk of scrap, instead of a mountain of nasty dust, like you would with a dado set.

I never thought of doing that. I am not sure how well I could run a 24 inch by 24 inch piece of 1 and 1/2 inch MDF though on its end.

John

[mashtun]

Best way to Rabbit MDF

you could use a jointer/planer, if you have one. it worked fine for me.

I have both, but how could you use them to do a rabbit?

John

[LCHIEN]

I have both, but how could you use them to do a rabbit?

John

Most of the free-standing jointers (e.g. what they call a jointer/planer) have a rabbetting ledge. Read your jointer manual.

As for Router vs table saw, I prefer the table saw for long (more than a few inches) rabbets.

[Uncle Cracker]

I never thought of doing that. I am not sure how well I could run a 24 inch by 24 inch piece of 1 and 1/2 inch MDF though on its end.

John

It helps if you have, or can rig up, a tall auxiliary fence for your TS. Holding the board tight against the fence and saw is the most important thing. Any grooving due to blade height adjustment will not be visible.

[LCHIEN]

probably too late, but why don't you "rabbet" it by laminating the layers with 3/4" smaller piece on the inside of the lamination. Actually 2 x 3/4" (or 3/4" on each side).
You can use a 3/4" setup bar for setting the offsets perfectly.

[RodKirby]

Router table + straight spiral upcut + good DC = success!

Been doing it for YEARS

[JimD]

I almost always use my table saw. A router would probably work OK if you cut most of the material away either with multiple passes or with the table saw and use the router for cleanup. A router bit has comparitively little pieces of carbide so cutting something like MDF will dull the bit much quicker than a dado set. I also feel more confident in the fence of the BT3100 guiding the wood appropriately. I like little dados on the router table but not big ones - BT3100 has more power in addition to the slower wear rate of a dado set (my router table has an old Ryobi R500, 13.3A).

Jim

[ragswl4]

Router table + straight spiral upcut + good DC = success!

Been doing it for YEARS

Base on the quality of Rod's MDF projects I would go with his suggestion, seems he has a ton of experience working with MDF. Oh Yeah, good DC, maybe even EXCELLENT DC, tons of dust.