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Thread: Fluffy mdf

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  1. #31
    I think you probably have an ER11 or ER20 collet on the end of that spindle. Extra collets aren't very expensive (take a look at Arc Euro Trade, for example) and it's well worth using the right ones. In theory, one collet will handle nominal size shanks or up to 1mm smaller but especially in the smaller sizes they don't like compressing that easily so I also use a mix of metric and imperial size collets. 6mm shank cutters go in a 6mm collet and the 1/4" cutters (nominal 6.35mm) go in a 1/4" collet rather than using the larger collet for both. You only have to save one broken cutter to make up the cost of a collet!

  2. #32
    Yes, Arc Euro is a good place to get individual collets. I got a set in 1mm increments off eBay, then got 1mm, 1/8" and 1/4" collets from Arc. You can put a 1/4" cutter in a 7mm collet, but it'll wear out the collet faster and takes longer to do up the nut!

    With the ER collet system you should never try and clamp a cutter that's bigger than the diameter of the collet, even if it's just 0.1mm bigger. Depending on the size, they can clamp 0.5-1mm smaller than the nominal diameter.
    Last edited by Jonathan; 25-01-2014 at 12:30 PM. Reason: Added url
    Old router build log here. New router build log here. Lathe build log here.
    Electric motorbike project here.

  3. #33
    I'm a bit late to the party here but do have a long running love hate relationship with MDF. Love it because its cheap, hate it because its cheap! lol

    As others have said, the furring is because B&Q supply cardboard badged up as MDF - yes its really that bad. Complete junk and I'd avoid it at all costs, I've never got a decent edge finish from this stuff yet.

    Medite is ok at the budget end though thickness's above 25mm do have a rather mushy core and again you'll get some furring but nothing like as bad as B&Q rubbish. At the top end you have Valchromat and I love this stuff. Zero furring, retains very small details and can be sanded smooth - almost like plastic when sanded upto 1200 grit. Its expensive though at £80 for 25mm thick 8x4ft sheet.

    For reference I mostly cut at 7m/min 11,000rpm and 100% cutter diameter for DOC. Use carbide tooling and you can get amazing tool life, not sure how long exactly but a few months of use almost day in day out for me in MDF. Key to increasing tool life is keep your rpm low and your feedrates high.

  4. #34
    I have cnc and manual routers. to do away with fluff on any material, I use down cutters whenever I can. feed speed max my cnc will do is 70 in per min.

  5. #35
    Old discussion but here is my experience. Yes there is a kind of cheap MDF which is fluffy and generally very bad quality for work. I would say impossible.

    Once i did 100 pieces , some lamp bases, for a friend and all was ok. Next time they bought the crappy material. OMG, it was a disaster.

    Side by side before machining it was lighter in color and not so glossy as the real MDF. In short the best MDF i have found here in Spain is the darkest in color and the smoothest to the touch that gives you a glassy like feeling. And yes, from MDF to MDf there is a big difference even in one shop
    project 1 , 2, Dust Shoe ...

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