Spoil/Waste Board Questions

[nlancaster]

Well, I have seen people machine that material on CNC routers before.

And you really should only just be skimming the spoil board most of the time anyway.

[GME]

Always wondered if composite decking would work as a spoilboard. I don't think it would expand and contract as much as MDF does.

Your supposition doesn't match my experience. MDF expands and contracts due to moisture. Composite decking is temperature sensitive. Expansion and contraction can be pretty extreme. Personally, I wouldn't use it, even in my climate controlled shop. Also, the cost is very high when compared to MDF. IMO, there is nothing to recommend composite.

Gary

[GME]

I'm skeptical. I would think the resin and plastics would melt onto your cutter.

Composite routes surprisingly well. I've routed it.

Gary

[ger21]

I've even built a deck with it.

[qtvietnam]

If you need aluminum profiles, see my website on file

[Project_Hopeless]

I'm Back!

I'm still thinking about the spoil board design. I assume all the t-nuts or t-slots are within the 4x4 perimeter of a 4x4 spoil board.

With a 4x4ft. table area how do you hold down a 4x4 or 4x8 sheet?

[Project_Hopeless]

The T nuts are mounted under the 3/4", so they can't pull out.
Yes, the 1/2" is the spoilboard. It's glued down.

I have two sheets of MDF router-ed and T-Nuts installed ready to lay down.

I read some people use Gorilla glue.

I was planning on using contact cement. It's what I am used to using with laminate and formica.

Any reason not to use contact cement?

[GME]

Especially with large pieces, alignment can be an issue with contact cement. Also, if you cut into it, you may gum up your bit.

Personally, I use good old Titebond wood glue. Spread it with a foam roller and you can get a good even coat.

[Project_Hopeless]

Especially with large pieces, alignment can be an issue with contact cement. Also, if you cut into it, you may gum up your bit.

Personally, I use good old Titebond wood glue. Spread it with a foam roller and you can get a good even coat.

I have a ~1/2 gallon of Titebond II. My only concern is the open time, It sets up fairly quick and I have to coat a 4x4 ft spoil board.

Do you coat both mating surfaces or just the one? Have you ever cut the glue with water? I read somewhere one trick is to reducing it ~20% with water? But my fear is the MDF will swell.

[ger21]

You don't need to coat the entire thing. just lay a bead around the perimeter, and in maybe a 4-6" grid.

Contact cement would work, but woodworking glue would be w better choice. I have a spray pot of contact cement, and would still use regular wood glue.

[GME]

I don't cut mine with water. Same concern as yours - I wouldn't want to risk swelling.

I only apply the glue to one side, but I use a good heavy coat. If you've never used a foam roller, you'd be surprised how little time it takes to get a good coat over a large area. I use a roller designed for veneer glues.

You might consider a urea resin glue like this: https://www.veneersupplies.com/produ...neer-Glue.html. It has a longer working time than PVA glues. It is also way harder/more rigid when cured and won't creep like PVA. It is used for veneering and bent wood laminations. Note the 1 year shelf life. After about a year, it's no good. Forget DAP Weldwood urea, unless you know the source and know that there is good product turnover. One of my local Ace Hardware stores carries it, but it's covered by a thick layer of dust. What they have has been in the store for years. If the stuff is grainy, it won't mix or bond. All you can do with it is throw it away.

[routalot]

If you glue the spoilboard down it may be quite a challenge to replace it in the future.I have used screwed down spoilboards on a vacuum table and on a tapped metal table and in both instances they were easy to change when they became too chewed up.

[GME]

If you glue the spoilboard down it may be quite a challenge to replace it in the future.I have used screwed down spoilboards on a vacuum table and on a tapped metal table and in both instances they were easy to change when they became too chewed up.

Replacement is no big deal. You just surface the old one smooth and glue on a new piece. It's no more difficult to glue on a replacement than gluing on the original.

[routalot]

Replacement is no big deal. You just surface the old one smooth and glue on a new piece. It's no more difficult to glue on a replacement than gluing on the original.

I think a lot would depend on the metalwork installed for holding down jobs.Even if below the spoilboard you have the possibility of glue running into tracks or T-nuts.A simple MDF spoilboard can indeed be easily skimmed and I suppose most of us have done so.