Plywood or MDF?

[Roy Turbett]

I built Norm's router table using doubled glued and screwed 3/4" particleboard with a formica top and an oak edge about 8 years ago and its still good as new with no signs of sagging. Last week I built a "Mr. Sawdust" table for a radial arm saw using doubled MDF with two pieces of 1/8" x 1/2" steel reinforcement. It came out perfectly flat. Last night I built another "Mr. Sawdust" table for another radial arm saw using doubled 3/4" oak plywood. As soon as I cut the dados for the steel reinforcement the plywood was no longer flat and I couldn't get it flat using glue, cawls and clamps. I'm going to try doubled countertop grade particleboard with steel reinforcement next.

[Gregory King]

Ken, enjoy the build, the MDF will be perfectly flat as opposed to some plywoods. Truthfully, if I used anything other than the MDF to build mine, it would have been the MDO sign plywood. We use it a lot at work, and with good results. One last word of advice for MDF, make sure all exposed faces and edges are sealed to prevent moisture from entering. I had the bottom face of mine sprayed with lacquer to seal it. Have fun, Greg

[Brad Schmid]

Ken,
Are you coming to Houston in the near future? If you are, I'll give you one virtually identical to the one Keith picture above. Oversized (24x36 if memory serves) double layer MDF glued & screwed, edge banded 3/4" oak, laminated top and bottom (white). Cut for a Woodpeckers plate/standard size plate. It's taking up space in my shop. It's your's if you want to travel
Cheers

Edit: PS. I just noticed you have a Woodpecker PRL... I bet it will drop right in

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Brad,

I appreciate the generous offer!

Last week I purchased all the materials including the special ordered HPL so I will build my own.

Thanks again!

[Chris Tsutsui]

I chose MDF for my router table because it's flat, stable and MDF is heavier than most plywoods. More mass typically means less vibrations.

[Carl Beckett]

I use MDF on the router top, and also my tablesaw outfeed (takes a LOT of abuse) and also a number of fixtures (hey, I got a bunch of it for free).

Coated it with shellac. Am very pleased with how it holds up. Just dont like the dust.....

[Jim Becker]

For a top like that, I'd always opt for the MDF...flat, dense, smooth and a great substrate for the laminate.