"Alan" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:37:51 +0000, Christopher Tidy
wrote:


I too have seen some pretty awful old furniture.


I am making some pretty awful new furniture, DiL2 wants some new
storage cupboards and wants them made from white melamine covered
particleboard. I offered her real solid Jarrah ( used to be called
Swan River Mahogany ), such timber is extremely expensive now and she
knocked it back.

I HATE melamine particleboard, it chips whenever a
saw or other tool gets within 2 metres.

One cupboard is assembled, just waiting on door fitting, 2 more cut
out, waiting assembly.

Did I say I hate chipboard & MDF coated with melamine ?? I DO !

If you finish it with a router with carbide bit, you'll get nice clean cuts
and you'll learn to hate it less. You won't like it, but it will be better.

I've built some pretty elaborate pieces that way, including the corner
computer desk I'm typing from now. It still looks like something from Ikea,
but at least it doesn't look like something made in a high school shop
class. Setting up a guide for all the cuts was tedious but straightforward,
if you'll forgive the pun.

--
Ed Huntress