How long can you get MDF?

[Mark Pitchford]

I'm looking at putting a unit into the family room and the unit would be 3500mm long. Can you get MDF that long?

If so, where?

[visioneer]

You can get 8ft (2.43m) x 4ft (1.22m) sheets of MDF from most diy chains but I don't know where you would get it any longer. Couldn't you put the 2.43m section in the middle and then 2 joins at either end to get the desired length? Not ideal I know.

Alternatively you could make the top out of planks which you'll probably get in the lengths you need.

[jonny round boy]

8'x4' is the most common size, but you can also get it in 10'x4', and 10'x5'. Still not long enough for you, but TBH at that length it'd be difficult to manage. Better to do it in 2 halves & join it in the middle. It's not difficult to get an invisible joint in MDF, assuming you're going to paint it?

[jason g]

Originally Posted by Mark Pitchford

I'm looking at putting a unit into the family room and the unit would be 3500mm long. Can you get MDF that long?

If so, where?

maybe u could buld it in 2 or 3 sections, say cube shaped and then put them together and put one long sheet along the top of the 3 of them screwed in on the underside.
u could also have one long sheet on the floor too.
think u may have to go to a timber yard for sheets that long, u should find some on the net.

[Mark Pitchford]

Thanks guys,

I've managed to find some 3.6m long from a timber yard!

I know it's going to be a bugger but I'd just prefer it if it was one sheet accross the top.

[pemberto]

Mark,

I went down the same route last year and have a cabinet which is 3500mm for all my avgear. Have a look at these links and you will see my cabinet.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showp...postcount=2171
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showp...postcount=2175

What finish are you going to have? I have oak veneer and you can only just see the join up close.

James Latham, MDF Distributor have MDF in the size you are looking for, see link for spec. [URL="http://www.lathamtimber.co.uk/uploads/MDF.pdf"]

[sila1999]

I regularly but mdf sheets in size from 3mm to 32mm thick and upto 3600*1800mm also can get 18, 25,32 upto 5480*1800mm.

If you want a laminate finish look for edgger they do benchtops 5400 * 700 as a standard size

[Mark Pitchford]

Thanks Pemberto,

I'd seen your cabinet before and I hope you don't mind but I might replicate the same?

I haven't quite decided yet whether to go for slats or solid doors with speaker cloth where the speakers are going to be.

I'm putting three active speakers, a sub, a PC to drive everything and a couple of small amps to power the rear speakers in the cabinet.

The subs a 15" monster so that adds it's own complications!

Sila,

I'd seen the Egger stuff whilst doing some searches, so they do some really long lengths?

After a trip to IKEA yesterday we really like the look of solid ash - I guess I need to compare prices to decide.

[pemberto]

Originally Posted by Mark Pitchford

Thanks Pemberto,

I'd seen your cabinet before and I hope you don't mind but I might replicate the same?

I haven't quite decided yet whether to go for slats or solid doors with speaker cloth where the speakers are going to be.

I'm putting three active speakers, a sub, a PC to drive everything and a couple of small amps to power the rear speakers in the cabinet.

The subs a 15" monster so that adds it's own complications!

Sila,

I'd seen the Egger stuff whilst doing some searches, so they do some really long lengths?

After a trip to IKEA yesterday we really like the look of solid ash - I guess I need to compare prices to decide.

Mark,

Thanks for the feedback. Here is some more info on the design.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showp...postcount=2181

For each of my subs I have a cut through, so that they sit directly on the floor. The shelf above each sub comes out so it helps a little bit when you need to move the sub around. my subs are 18.2"x18.2"x20.4"

I keep looking at acoustic speaker cloth, just to keep the dust down.

http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/p...ille_cloth.asp
http://www.customaudiodesigns.co.uk/...fabricmenu.htm

Here are a couple of places you can look at for veneered boards.
http://www.slhardwoods.co.uk/sheetma...asp?sheetID=20
http://www.spalaminates.co.uk/index.asp
http://www.shadbolt.co.uk/

The one thing I wish I had spent more time on is the cable management at the back of the unit. Its a nightmare.

Anyway, hope that helps.

Pemberto

[Mark Pitchford]

Thanks very much for the links.

My sub is a bit of a beast and is 52x46x60cm (hxwxd)!

See attached for my current design.

What would you have done differently to manage the cables?

Thanks for all your help.

[pemberto]

Originally Posted by Mark Pitchford

What would you have done differently to manage the cables?

Bigger cut out's on the internal panels and some form of cable tie systems.

I have also seen in another build that used a pull-out shelf for the AV amp, it add a little bit of height to the self, but a good idea, especially with the big Denon amps.

In total I have 71 cables in my system, power, audio, video, Automation(IR, RS232 and Cat5e). Here is a copy of my cable diagram.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showp...postcount=2185

The next bit of kit I get I will take the time and pull everything out and make a few mods to the back of the cabinet for wire management.

What will you do for thermal management in the sections that have solid doors?

Pemberto

[Mark Pitchford]

It won't really matter behind the the solid doors as there will probably be kids stuff in there!

I haven't got as much kit as you... At the moment I'm looking at phono's to each of the speakers a sub cable and then the display cables all going back to the PC. then there's power going to each of those.

Darn, it soon mounts up doesn't it!

I was thinking of leaving the internal vertical partitions open at the back - it might make things easier if I have three vertical holes at the back edge so I can separate the cabling.