How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
compared to other woods...
Does it compare to a typical hardwood or is it soft enough that it fills up
the flutes on a drill bit quickly like pine does, etc.
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
(908) 542-0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Hello Joe;
The other guys didn't mention it, but there's a big difference between
grades of MDF. The heavy "standard" high-formaldahyde MDF drills and
machines quite nicely. A sharp brad point bit will drill cleanly.
However the modern, lighter weight, environmentally friendly grades of
MDF can be really frustrating to drill. They have a hard
paper-thickness surface, but everything in the middle is soft, stringy
mush. A drill bit will rip out big chunks, flare up a cone on the top
surface, and punch an ugly hole out the back. I'm not sure what the
best approach is.
So if someone is asking for a setup to drill MDF, make sure you know
what type they mean, and run some tests on it.
Bruce Johnson
Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Co.
Burbank, CA
Hello Joe;
I'm glad to help! I'm a veteran mechanical engineer, machinist, and
fabricator, as well as a woodworker, so I'm quite familiar with the
types of machines that you offer.
One of the bigger manufacturers of MDF is Sierra Pine
(www.sierrapine.com). Check out their website for technical info on the
various grades of MDF.
In my shop, I mostly use MDF for templates, fixtures and light duty
tooling. Sierra Pine's "standard" MDF, which weighs 48 lbs/cu.ft., is
my favorite. It drills and machines beautifully. The various Lite
grades, at around 30-35 lbs/cu.ft. are much more difficult to work
with. The low-emission Lite grade is the worst for drilling. There
seems to be so little resin holding the core together, that as soon as
you pierce the skin, it's like drilling a stack of newspaper. But the
low-emission lite grades are popular with furniture factories because
of the lighter product weight and reduced employee health hazards. So,
that's probably what many of your customers are using.
I would guess that the solution to production drilling it is mostly in
the fixturing. The key would be to tightly clamp the MDF between two
flat-faced drill guide bushings, to prevent the surface skins on either
side from flaring, which then allows the inner layers to rip. A brad
point or even a reverse-ground drill bit would probably be the best,
with a fast spiral and very sharp outer flutes. If the MDF is properly
clamped and supported, you can probably run a very fast feed profile.
The trick will be in clearing the swarf out of the drill bit and the
bushings.
Bruce Johnson
Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Co.
Burbank, CA
On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 15:21:37 -0500, Battleax <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:snXnf.2176$1b.832@trndny03...
>> How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
>> I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
>> compared to other woods...
> Hmmm, Drilling seems to be your business, I'm surprised you'd ask here
> before actually trying it.
Experience is learning from your own mistakes. _Wisdom_, is learning
from the mistakes of others. He's just showing he's capable of wisdom.
On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:03:36 GMT, "Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
Like other timbers, but even more so, you should drill it with a brad
point drill where outer spurs cut the fibres and the flutes merely lift
them. You can get long spiral shavings this way. If you drill it with a
more acute twist drill sharpened for metal, the waste loses cohesion and
clears less well.
(Top posted because you wouldn't have wanted to scroll down for my two line
response anyhow...)
Any people wonder why I asked here about this process. Excellent, and well
"aimed" response that is much appreciated!
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
(908) 542-0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
V8013-R
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello Joe;
>
> I'm glad to help! I'm a veteran mechanical engineer, machinist, and
> fabricator, as well as a woodworker, so I'm quite familiar with the
> types of machines that you offer.
>
> One of the bigger manufacturers of MDF is Sierra Pine
> (www.sierrapine.com). Check out their website for technical info on the
> various grades of MDF.
>
> In my shop, I mostly use MDF for templates, fixtures and light duty
> tooling. Sierra Pine's "standard" MDF, which weighs 48 lbs/cu.ft., is
> my favorite. It drills and machines beautifully. The various Lite
> grades, at around 30-35 lbs/cu.ft. are much more difficult to work
> with. The low-emission Lite grade is the worst for drilling. There
> seems to be so little resin holding the core together, that as soon as
> you pierce the skin, it's like drilling a stack of newspaper. But the
> low-emission lite grades are popular with furniture factories because
> of the lighter product weight and reduced employee health hazards. So,
> that's probably what many of your customers are using.
>
> I would guess that the solution to production drilling it is mostly in
> the fixturing. The key would be to tightly clamp the MDF between two
> flat-faced drill guide bushings, to prevent the surface skins on either
> side from flaring, which then allows the inner layers to rip. A brad
> point or even a reverse-ground drill bit would probably be the best,
> with a fast spiral and very sharp outer flutes. If the MDF is properly
> clamped and supported, you can probably run a very fast feed profile.
> The trick will be in clearing the swarf out of the drill bit and the
> bushings.
>
> Bruce Johnson
> Johnson's Extremely Strange Musical Instrument Co.
> Burbank, CA
>
"Dave Hinz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 15:21:37 -0500, Battleax <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> Experience is learning from your own mistakes. _Wisdom_, is learning
> from the mistakes of others. He's just showing he's capable of wisdom.
Actually, _Wisdom_ is a gift offered by a higher power. With wisdom one is
capable of learning from ones own and others mistakes.
Bruce,
Thanks for the info...
> The other guys didn't mention it, but there's a big difference between
> grades of MDF. The heavy "standard" high-formaldahyde MDF drills and
> machines quite nicely. A sharp brad point bit will drill cleanly.
>
> However the modern, lighter weight, environmentally friendly grades of
> MDF can be really frustrating to drill. They have a hard
> paper-thickness surface, but everything in the middle is soft, stringy
> mush. A drill bit will rip out big chunks, flare up a cone on the top
> surface, and punch an ugly hole out the back. I'm not sure what the
> best approach is.
Do they still offer both kinds for sale? Most, if not all of my customers
would be using brand new product in production-type settings.
We build in a "feed control" that keeps the drill plunging into the work at
a steady pace. In other words, it does not mushroom out the back as easily
because there is a steady feed from entry to exit. Do you think it would
still "cone" on entry with this? Think of it as a machining center rathe
than a drill if that helps... Something that can be roughly programmed to
stroke the drill at 1" per second or 1" per minute regardless of RPM or hole
size.
> So if someone is asking for a setup to drill MDF, make sure you know
> what type they mean, and run some tests on it.
Great info and advice. Thank you. What flavor coffee would you like should
we ever meet? <g>
--
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
(908) 542-0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
V8013-R
"Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:snXnf.2176$1b.832@trndny03...
> How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
> I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
> compared to other woods...
>
> Does it compare to a typical hardwood or is it soft enough that it fills
up
> the flutes on a drill bit quickly like pine does, etc.
MDF is termite puke and snot and as such it drills accordingly.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
"Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:snXnf.2176$1b.832@trndny03...
>> How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being
>> drilled?
>> I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
>> compared to other woods...
>>
>> Does it compare to a typical hardwood or is it soft enough that it fills
> up
>> the flutes on a drill bit quickly like pine does, etc.
>
> MDF is termite puke and snot and as such it drills accordingly.
With experience you learn.
"Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:snXnf.2176$1b.832@trndny03...
> How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
> I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
> compared to other woods...
>
> Does it compare to a typical hardwood or is it soft enough that it fills
> up the flutes on a drill bit quickly like pine does, etc.
I find that it drills just fine. Nothing unusual other than a bit fuzzy on
larger holes when drilled with a regular twist drill. Forstner bits do just
fine. Because it is so dry I have no problems with it sticking in the
flutes.
"Joe AutoDrill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:snXnf.2176$1b.832@trndny03...
> How does MDF actually act in comparison to other woods when being drilled?
> I assume that it drills easier in some respects because it has no "grain"
> compared to other woods...
>
> Does it compare to a typical hardwood or is it soft enough that it fills
up
> the flutes on a drill bit quickly like pine does, etc.
>
> Regards,
> Joe Agro, Jr.
> (800) 871-5022
> (908) 542-0244
> Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
> Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
>
>
Hmmm, Drilling seems to be your business, I'm surprised you'd ask here
before actually trying it.
>> Hmmm, Drilling seems to be your business, I'm surprised you'd ask here
>> before actually trying it.
>
> Experience is learning from your own mistakes. _Wisdom_, is learning
> from the mistakes of others. He's just showing he's capable of wisdom.
We make drills. We don't do drilling often - except to test materials where
we want to sell drills. If I can learn before I sell, I can sell without
delay.
We have sold lots of units for MDF and similar materials... However, we
have never once received a sample to try ourselves. I simply build my
machines with a large margin of capability that way I know it will work in
the field.
30 years from now, I want someone to say, "I wonder if we will ever have to
rebuild that unit" rather than "What was that piece of junk we bought back
in 2005?" LOL.
Thank you all for the information you provided. It basically confirmed a
lot of what I had guessed about the material. It is easy to work with but
needs to be drilled "cleanly" or the ID edges can be affected. It is also
very dry so through the tool air flow could possibly be used to clear the
"chips" as well...
Merry Christmachanukwanzika to everyone. And a simple happy holidays to the
rest of you. :)
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
(908) 542-0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com