Main base replacement?

I am going to replace the MDF base on my XL with europly or richlite.
I’m going to be able to fo this in a week or so.
Would it make more sense to wait to put my machine together, or go ahead and assemble it with the MDF for now?
I don’t want to have to take the whole thing apart to replace the base in just a couple of weeks.

Thoughts?

Unless you really need to get cutting, wait. You would have to not only disassemble it but also redo the squaring…
EDIT: or, at least don’t bother squaring the machine if you do assemble it with the MDF baseboard.
Is Europly/Richlite significantly stiffer than thick MDF ? (naive question, I had never heard of those materials before)

Europly is like Baltic Birch, but has about 15 or so layers for 3/4” so really stable.

Richlite is amazing but expensive.
Recycled paper put under pressure and impregnated with resin to make a solid surface.
Its used for countertops, but is about $1200 for a 4x8x0.75 sheet, so i am trying for a cutoff/remnant piece from the hardwood supplier.

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That sounds sort of familiar … MDF?

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Not even close.
Doesn’t absorb moisture.
It is more akin to a solid surface countertop.

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Any idea how it compares for stiffness and damping to other options like MDF, Ply, Aluminium etc. ?

I’m wondering how well it cuts, and how much dust is created? Since there’s so much resin, does it cut more like plastic?

https://richlite.com/pages/applications#industrial
It looks like it’s pretty much made for machining.

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Richlite sounds identical to Micarta, which is often used for knife scales. It machines nicely, although dusty.

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It’s also really tough on tooling due to the combination of adhesive and paper, at least micarta is reputedly so.

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In case anyone was wondering.
I got the base redone in 3/4 Europly.

I also picked up some scrap richlite, looking forward to cutting into it and seeing how it behaves.
image image

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Nice,

Keen to see how the richlite cuts or rather, how long the cutters last.

Are you bolting that Ply base down to the bench?

Nope, it was a replacement for the MDF baseboard

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