Thread: Plywood vs MDF and other matters.

In my opinion, a pulpit made of MDF, stained or not, will look like crap very soon after it is finished. Possibly as early as its first use.

one made of veneered board (MDF or particle board) or A grade ply (or even better furniture grade ply) with matching solid wood edging, would look OK for a reasonable length of time.

However, my preference would be to use solid timber.

Bunnings' core market is home owners, tradies and small scale builders -- you will have to go elsewhere for furniture grade timber or board.


the other questions that must asked are --
do you already have the tools (including a bench) needed to build the pulpit? or is this project an excuse to acquire the necessary tools?
do you have the skills to build the project? or is this project a means of acquiring those skills?

Just being realistic here -- don't under estimate the cost in tools and your time to do the job properly.

Good luck and if you go ahead drop back frequently for advice and help.

Thanks for the reply Ian. In answer to your comments, I have been purchasing tools over the last couple of years prior to retirement (guess how the username came up) so I have what I consider to be quite a number including a Metabo table saw, Sliding compound mitre saw, workbench (and the garage floor on which I have drawn a full scale plan). I think that you have confirmed my thoughts and that is that MDF is not suitable. I intend to decorate (if that is the right word) the ends of the three sided pulpit with some dress timber and stain it a cherry colour (red). I think I will go with the 'A' grade plywood for the front and sides (from a proper timber merchant) and solid timber for other parts. I watch a lot of Utube to try and educate myself and I think I have the skill and patience to do the build. My biggest problem is that every time I watch Utube, I see another tool that I want, need? covert, or think I may need in the future. My wife has the ability to identify any new items and therefore it is an ongoing battle to hide the new tools in amongst the old. I feel the need for a spindle sander but can't work out how the put it to use on the project. After all this waffle, I thank you for your response and as no-one at Church knows I am going to make this, if I can't complete to my satisfaction, no one will know.

What about going to the local tip or timber recyclers and buying/scrounging some good secondhand timber, de-nail it and run it through a thicknesser to clean it up... The timber will be dry, old & have good grain/figure and look a treat on the pulpit with a few coats of a clear finish... IMHO...cheers, crowie

Retiring,
Crowies ideas will give you the best finish, but here are a couple more ideas if you are limited to Bunnings:

1. Use 19x290 pine instead of ply/mdf for the vertical structure. 290 is plenty deep enough I imagine, and for the front panel if you need any wider do an edge joint with two pieces (or three pieces say 90 + 290 + 90 so the joints look symmetrical)

2. Use the ply (or MDF, but I wouldn't) as the vertical structure then clad it with 12mm thick match board. The joints can be either horizontal or vertical or at 45 degrees if you want. In fact, as I think about it, you could use the patterning to make an inverted (or erect "V"). Like this...
/\
/\
/\ (hope that makes sense)
The angle could be less than 45 degrees, it would be fiddly but would look OK.

Regards
SWK

Originally Posted by Retiring

Thanks for the reply Ian.
In answer to your comments, I have been purchasing tools over the last couple of years prior to retirement (guess how the username came up) so I have what I consider to be quite a number including a Metabo table saw, Sliding compound mitre saw, workbench (and the garage floor on which I have drawn a full scale plan).
I think that you have confirmed my thoughts and that is that MDF is not suitable.
I intend to decorate (if that is the right word) the ends of the three sided pulpit with some dress timber and stain it a cherry colour (red). I think I will go with the 'A' grade plywood for the front and sides (from a proper timber merchant) and solid timber for other parts.
I watch a lot of Utube to try and educate myself and I think I have the skill and patience to do the build.

I feel the need for a spindle sander but can't work out how the put it to use on the project.

Hi Retiring

can you post a photo of the design you like so that we may see what you aspire to make.

some cautionary comments if I may.

don't expect your table saw to leave a edge straight enough for gluing
don't expect that your mitre saw will cut at a true 90 degrees or any other angle marked on the scale --- always check with a known reference square

solid wood edging can be held on with painters tape while the glue sets.

make the edging thicker that the panel and trim it flush when the glue is dry -- don't try for flush to the surface (or end) out of the clamps.

colour test the stain on the panel and edging before you glue the edging on.

build to what you have, if the plan says 1200mm, 1202 and square (or the required angle) will do nicely -- just make the mating component to "mate"

Thanks all so far for the comments Ian and Crowie. Bunnings was only a search and see and am going tomorrow with a friend to a proper timber merchant. I have completed a scale drawing but don't have any photos. I tried to scan the plan for you to see what I had in mind but for some reason the scanner won't work so have to wait for my mate to do whatever he does to make it so. As a 'L' plater in the woodworking stream, I am learning as I go and have as many failures as wins. I haven't attempted anything to the degree of this but I am confident that with patience and 'measure twice cut once' (maybe measure thrice in my case) I may make something that the Congregation will be proud to have in the Church. I am keeping the idea from the Pastor as I want to present it to him in its completed state. Although off to the timber yard tomorrow, again it is to look at timber and perhaps get the 'feel' of good quality timber. Once I crack the scanner, I will see if I can put up the plan so that you can see whether I am batting above my class I will be taking all the notes of types and timber and fixing suggestions you have made so that it will make sense when I am looking at the types of timber. If I can afford solid timber, I would be very happy. Thanks again and hope to be able to give you more as I proceed.

Hi Retiring

when looking a the timber, keep in mind that prominant grain will show through a stain and that light coloured wood can be stained darker, but lightening dark wood is really hard.

Should the pulpit match an exiting alter set (for want of a better way to describe what's there now)

MDF is good for making some simple jigs. But otherwise steer clear of it. The church has been persecuted enough over the years, members have suffered and died for their faith. If would be a harsh action indeed to magnify their sorrows by using MDF to make any items of church furniture. So far as batting above your class goes, I hope so. That is where the fun lies and where any improvements are made. Good success I hope wi come your way.

Originally Posted by chook

MDF is good for making some simple jigs. But otherwise steer clear of it. The church has been persecuted enough over the years, members have suffered and died for their faith. If would be a harsh action indeed to magnify their sorrows by using MDF to make any items of church furniture. So far as batting above your class goes, I hope so. That is where the fun lies and where any improvements are made. Good success I hope wi come your way.

Quality was, is and always will be the aim of the woodworker. To use less and do less than the best is the injustice. To achieve quality one needs to take note of the experts. There is much to be said for 'listen and learn'

Today I purchased BBCC grade plywood for the front and sides of the pulpit and also Merbau for the bottom skirts and top skirt under the Bible rest.

Scale plan pulpit.jpg

I have attached the plan that I made but am unsure how to set it up on the site correctly so I hope someone knows how to make it larger to be able to see it clearly. The ply sheet is 1200 x 2400 so that will give me enough for the three sides as the back will be open. I was told that I cannot stain the merbau but by using clear lacquer, it will give me a nice contrast between the wood types.