Beading, beaded MDF for cabinet backs...

[Joe90]

Hi

I'd like to run vertical routings on MDF for use in painted work as cabinet backs.

I'm thinking here of large items like bookcases and wardrobes.

I have a picture of what commercial products look like, it isn't possible to do beads like this with a router... it would need some sort of a modified planer. Has anyone ever used such a modified electric planer?

Or would an old fashioned moulding plane do this? (God forbid. )

The commercial sheets (moisture resistant, green only) are very expensive if a few are needed... but it is a lot nicer than plain MDF for painted work.

I've done it before but I can't get the pic to appear in the message...
www.eccabinets.com/ExternallyLinked/Bea ... cape-1.jpg

Cheers
Joe

 

[Shultzy]

Joe, Its an "edge beading" I think, so you could do this type of moulding with a router in a horizontal table. Although providing there is plenty of edge support you could use the router "hand held".

 

[George_N]

Joe, Its an "edge beading" I think, so you could do this type of moulding with a router in a horizontal table. Although providing there is plenty of edge support you could use the router "hand held".

I think Joe wants to run the profile actoss the middle of a sheet. The commercially available sheets immitate beaded T&G boards in a single sheet, if I understand it correctly.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Or would an old fashioned moulding plane do this? (God forbid. )

Not really. MDF has no grain so it would be like planing away dust, and you would have to stop about every 1 1/2 minutes to re-sharpen your blades.......

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DomValente]

Hi Joe I have done this but I am not at work if you don't get an answer tonight I can let you know tomorrow which bits I used

Dom

 

[orangetlh]

we build ours up as a tongue and groove board and bead it on a spindle. Is quite a lot of work but the results are much better than the commercial stuff

 

[jasonB]

I've done it quite a lot with a simple V groove which is easy enough with a V cutter. Like the back of this dresser, the panels below the dado in the same kitchen were done this way as well.

If you want the bead board look then its not so easy or quick, it can be done with two passes per bead using point rounding cutter. Or cut a flat bottomed groove and stick a small half round moulding into it.

There are moulding cutters that can be used it a tablesaw or RAS in rip mode but they are not the safest of tools - very similar to dado blades.

Jason

 

[George_N]

I've done it quite a lot with a simple V groove which is easy enough with a V cutter. Like the back of this dresser, the panels below the dado in the same kitchen were done this way as well.

If you want the bead board look then its not so easy or quick, it can be done with two passes per bead using point rounding cutter. Or cut a flat bottomed groove and stick a small half round moulding into it.

There are moulding cutters that can be used it a tablesaw or RAS in rip mode but they are not the safest of tools - very similar to dado blades.

Jason

I haven't tried this but keeping each pass exactly parallel to the last must be quite a challenge, especially for a long run like a bookcase back. I guess the main benefit, if you can get it right is that you can make a unique pattern not available commercially.

 

[jasonB]

I usually mark off every 100mm and set a clamp guide to that, just make sure the router does not wander from the straightedge :wink: Quite quick once you get the hang of it.

Jason

 

[Joe90]

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't think this bead can be done in a single pass in the middle of a large piece, unless using a cutter that revolves like a power planer. (i.e no routers)

It could be approximated using a router in three passes... using a system like the EZ Smart guides would allow this to be done repeatably I'd imagine... but the bit would have to be changed for each pass or the position would be lost... every 100mm to 150mm or so.

I used to use packets of pine T&G but it's crap for painted work, it's full of knots etc. I could make my own TGV using MDF I suppose... but that'd take ages.

I'll use a panel beading cutter in the router but I think it'd be possible to modify a cheap planer to cut profiles that would be impossible otherwise. I reckon the commercial sheets must be produced using a planer type tool.

Cheers
Joe

 

[orangetlh]

Ive got a feeling that the beads are produced as part of the manufaturing process and actually pressed into the board. I think the only way you are going to be able to do it safely is as jason said, rout 2 v joints and mayb round them over to form a bead with a bit of 100g or something. Only other thing i can think of is a cnc machine but there rather pricy.......

 

[Joe90]

Ive got a feeling that the beads are produced as part of the manufaturing process and actually pressed into the board...

I was wondering exactly that about the manufacturing process.... but the beads definitely look like they were cut into the surface, the face surface is shiny whereas the beaded areas are fluffy...

I think I'll use a panel bead router cutter and a straight edge for my jobs... I was mainly posting my pic above because it's impossible with a router, I wanted to see what people would recommend.

Cheers
Joe

 

[Scrit]

Ive got a feeling that the beads are produced as part of the manufaturing process and actually pressed into the board.

On CNCs they actually use a head with a horizontal spindle - the blade looks like a saw blade with a profile ground into the teeth. I've tried using the two passes with a small point/round-over bit and the beadingf always looks a bit on the big side to me

I was wondering exactly that about the manufacturing process.... but the beads definitely look like they were cut into the surface, the face surface is shiny whereas the beaded areas are fluffy...

Believe it or not there are machines with multiple heads which make 6 or more cuts simultaneously which are used for the purpose. I've also seen older square-head thicknessers fitted with multiple cutters used for the same purpose, although they are obviously limited to 24in or 30in width

If you do alot of this stuff I'd consider getting a TCT saw blade reground to do the job. Potential cost about £120 to £200, but it would repay itself over time

Scrit

Scrit

 

[lemonjeff]

Further to what scrit suggested but would be cheaper, how about using a biscuit jointer with a reground blade, mines 4mm kerf so if you wanted it wider you'd have to grind half the profile and do it in 2 passes.
Another possiblity is to use slitting saws (dado style) to build up the profile in the biscuit jointer however I'd guess the finish would not be as good.

Jeff.