this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2024
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If you're not getting any flex in that aluminum, then it should be fine. MDF has its durability issues but as long as it's dry, it's ridiculously stable.
100% that aluminum is flexing, the question is how much matters to OP? A CNC router has far beefier extruded aluminum gantries but still flexes from the weight of the router, although typically less than a mil. My guess would be at least 10-15mil with the aluminum angle.
OP said about 1/16", which would be what? 50 or 60 mil? Honestly, though, it's woodworking. In the right context, like coarse slab flattening, 1/16" might be fine, though I would reckon that the point where fine tuning by other means is not that bad would be closer to 1/32".
Yes totally true, just saying that there will always be some amount of flex.
Thanks, it's only spanning about 36 in but there is about a 16th of deflection with my heavy duty router on board. I might shift the slab towards one of the weaker spots on my folding table because I figure the MDF will bend down there a bit and maybe I can match the slop in my rails with the slop in my table setup 🤣