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Step 22The top, step six - finishing up the MDF layer
There are a few tasks left on the MDF layer, prior to joining it to the countertop layer.
First, we need to drill out the holes for the screws that will hold them together. While the two layers of MDF are glued, the countertop and the MDF will only be screwed. The oak countertop, like any natural wood product, will expand and contract with humidity changes. If it were glued to the MDF, the difference in expansion of the two layers would cause the countertop to buckle and curl.
For that reason, all of the screw holes except one row along the front edge should be drilled oversize. This gives the wood a bit of room to move.
For the most part I drilled through the existing holes left over from laminating the two sheets of MDF. In a few instances I moved a hole over a bit because it was too close to a benchdog hole. And I created a new row of holes around the outside edge, because our original holes along the outside edge were cut off as we trimmed the MDF to size.
Keep an eye on what will be underneath, you don't want the head of the screw to get in the way of the stretchers, legs, or vises.
Again, I used Kreg's pocket hole screws, this time in 2-1/2" length.
The final prep for the MDF layer is to round the bottom edges with your router and a 1/4"-radius round-over bit. Practice on some scrap, first, to make sure you have the depth on the bit set right,
First, we need to drill out the holes for the screws that will hold them together. While the two layers of MDF are glued, the countertop and the MDF will only be screwed. The oak countertop, like any natural wood product, will expand and contract with humidity changes. If it were glued to the MDF, the difference in expansion of the two layers would cause the countertop to buckle and curl.
For that reason, all of the screw holes except one row along the front edge should be drilled oversize. This gives the wood a bit of room to move.
For the most part I drilled through the existing holes left over from laminating the two sheets of MDF. In a few instances I moved a hole over a bit because it was too close to a benchdog hole. And I created a new row of holes around the outside edge, because our original holes along the outside edge were cut off as we trimmed the MDF to size.
Keep an eye on what will be underneath, you don't want the head of the screw to get in the way of the stretchers, legs, or vises.
Again, I used Kreg's pocket hole screws, this time in 2-1/2" length.
The final prep for the MDF layer is to round the bottom edges with your router and a 1/4"-radius round-over bit. Practice on some scrap, first, to make sure you have the depth on the bit set right,
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