router vacuum board

[heeler]

I was wondering what type of board people are using for their routers. We presently use an ultra-lite MDF board as a spoil board. It has great flow thru the board to the surface for maching alum. parts. It is very spendy, and we can't get a 5' X 10' piece. Does anyone use anything else that allows really good flow to the top of the board?

 

Thanks

 

Glenn

 

[ 03-17-2005, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: heeler ]

[Westgate Hardwoods]

Glen,

 

Although we don't do aluminum (we do plywood and composite sheet goods),we just use standard 1/2" MDF. We run a Fly cutter over both surfaces to remove the glaze. You can also seal the edges. Make sure the entire surface of the spoilboard is covered. I don't know if you can get it in 5' x 10',but you can also use 3/4 MDF and it does come in 5 x 10. If you don't get enough vacumn through the 3/4, just mill it down with the fly cutter. What size vac pump do you have?

[heeler]

25 horse Travinie pump. I'll have to check on if we tried surfaceing both sides before. I know that we had way better results with using the Ultra Lite MDF, rather that just MDF.

 

Thanks

 

Glenn

[Snaglpuss]

We do wood and plastic, we use 5 x 10 sheets of ultralite "Trupan" brand MDF for our spoilboards.

We get it from Thermwood. Trupan is available from plywood dealers but the 5x10 is not stocked by most.

Years ago before we used the ultralite I used the cheapest junkiest grade of particle board and surfaced the "glaze" off the top and bottom It worked well it just wasn't as smooth and got snarley quicker.

[routerman7030]

We use what is called prime preimum plus mdf, we also flycut our table, i usually do this 2 times per side when the sheet is new to remove any glaze and to make sure it is flat. we have a 40 horse pump, I also just purchased some rubber to place on the open parts of the table to be sure i am getting good vacum on the part.

[Tom Dorgan from American Precision]

We use regular 3/4" MDF in 5x10 sheets with 2 10HP becker pumps and hold down parts with no problem whatsoever. I also face one side for flatness and when it starts to curl a little I will flip it over and face the other side. This seems to relieve it and allows it to lay flat again. I keep facing it off to reuse until it is almost 3/8" thick or gets broke in handling.