I need some MDF pieces cut with a reasonable amount of precision to basically make bookshelf speakers. This is something I'd usually use a table saw to do, since long straight lines with a jig saw tend to be a bit difficult (although that's what I've relied on in the past). But I don't really have the space to do it with a table saw. The winter weather is too insane here to do it outside, and I kind of have to tread lightly when it comes to the neighbors anyway. All the other woodworking I can do inside with my router. I just need the actual rectangles cut.
I know some of you have mentioned that either Home Depot or Lowes will make the cuts for you. I'm wondering if someone can elaborate on this. How much more does it cost? Who do you ask to do it? Do they consider it a pain in the ass, or do they actually make money off it? Any other alternatives for my wood-cutting needs?
I also wouldn't mind going with a finished cabinet kit like what PartsExpress offers, but they're very expensive and I don't want the holes cut in the baffles. Also, I want the pieces to do a home tower too, and it doesn't look like PE sells them that big. Is there a better source for this type of thing?
Give Christopher Evert a call. He wanted to get in on his own enclosure building service. Lack of time to invest in that idea caused its failure, but if he has the freetime, Im sure he would be happy to cut some MDF up for you.
The alternate is Marv. Why not call up marv and ask him to rip up some MDF for you? That'll save you a trip to home depot, and the flatpacking of the MDF should save a dollar on the shipping.
should be real easy for marv. no hole cutting, no assembly, just rip, tie up, and send off!
I know that someone said that they had stopped cutting MDF because of the harmful dust. I believe they charge 20 cents for each additional cut after the 1st one. I am pretty sure the PE baffles will come uncut. You might want to buy just the PE baffles (which are cost effective because of the finish and roundovers) and make the rest of the enclosure your self. You might be better off trying to find a lumber yard.
I had Home Depot make 2 cuts for me once when I was trying to build a simple rack for my amplifiers. They didn't charge me for the service (I'm pretty sure it is free up to x amount of cuts) but the guy did act like he was very busy and that this sort of thing is a hassle for them. I gave him the dimensions and he cut it for me on this large machine. I get the board home and it's off by about 5/8". I made it work but it was a huge inconvenience for me. From that point on I have always used an independent lumber yard to make my cuts for me. They charge me for the labor, but they are happy to have my business and the cuts are always 100% accurate.
Keep in mind this was one person's experience with one particular store.
I have only had sheets cut in half at HD, and the cut was pretty clean .. more clean than my jigsaw cuts are Now asking them to cut something down with some precision .. and with bookshelf speakers I would think the cuts would be pretty small I don't know if they are a) any good at it, b) make any money, and consequently give a crap, and c) offer that size of cut. I would think most of their stuff is hey cut this 38" for my molding, or cut this 17.5" for my shelf etc.
Check into it for us and then we can go bother our local places to save time on our projects
I need some MDF pieces cut with a reasonable amount of precision to basically make bookshelf speakers....
I know some of you have mentioned that either Home Depot or Lowes will make the cuts for you. I'm wondering if someone can elaborate on this. How much more does it cost? Who do you ask to do it?
Go up to HomeLowes, make your way to the lumber department and wonder around until you find someone. Then ask them, if your nice most of the time the will rip a sheet or two a couple different ways and send you on your way. Seems like its too much trouble to write something up to charge you a buck or two.
Having worked @home depot for a summer, I'd say it just totally depends on who's working.
I asked some guys @blowes once to cut some large ABS pipe for me down to size with a hacksaw since they were out of the smaller pieces that'd fit my car and they about had a fit. I ended up walking out. Fuck Lowes IMO
@HD usually most employees are like Lightninghoof described. Especially the lumber guys - they hate being bothered, lol. Look for the younger kids - they'll usually do whatever you want as more time with one person means less time sorting lumber or sweeping or other shit. The cuts will be as accurate as the person operating the cutter. Do what squatchie16 recommends - just as someone nicely when/if it'd be convenient for them to make a bunch of cuts for you (IE NOT on a weekend...)
Lowes refused to cut any wood for me, and Home Depot does a pretty aweful job. I used to take it to a local furniture maker to get precise cuts, or you could try a car audio shop?
A speaker is only as good as the room you put it in.
Depends on who cuts it. Sometimes they won't charge you for a dozen cuts, sometimes they only give you the first two (as advertised) free. I've had both happen. Sometimes they are accurate, sometimes not. I've never been refused, except once when the saw was broken.
Having worked @home depot for a summer, I'd say it just totally depends on who's working.
I asked some guys @blowes once to cut some large ABS pipe for me down to size with a hacksaw since they were out of the smaller pieces that'd fit my car and they about had a fit. I ended up walking out. Fuck Lowes IMO
@HD usually most employees are like Lightninghoof described. Especially the lumber guys - they hate being bothered, lol. Look for the younger kids - they'll usually do whatever you want as more time with one person means less time sorting lumber or sweeping or other shit. The cuts will be as accurate as the person operating the cutter. Do what squatchie16 recommends - just as someone nicely when/if it'd be convenient for them to make a bunch of cuts for you (IE NOT on a weekend...)
GL
-aaron
Seriously.. I asked a guy at lowes to cut a pvc pipe in half for me and he just exploded. I walked out as well. Worst customer service I've ever seen.
A speaker is only as good as the room you put it in.
Seriously.. I asked a guy at lowes to cut a pvc pipe in half for me and he just exploded. I walked out as well. Worst customer service I've ever seen.
Really? I usually have better experiences at Lowes. I asked a guy, in a different department, to call for help in the plumbing section to cut some pvc pipe and he went ahead and did it himself.
I've had both HD and Lowes do cuts for me on their big vertical rip saw. Both places gave the first two cuts free and then it was $.25 per cut after that.
I haven't needed to do it lately, but I used to do it several times a week when I was building boxes all the time.
Never had any problems with people not wanting to cut before. I just go up to the saw and press the big red "Customer Service Button". Within a few minutes someone was there to take care of it.
I will agree that if you're expecting them to make precision cuts, you're wasting your time. I always add an inch or so to the dimensions of the pieces that I need. They cut it into smaller, more manageable sized pieces and I take them home to second cut them to the exact sizes I need.
Keep an eye on them while they're cutting though. Some of the guys I've had cut for me had obviously never used a tape measure and cut things wrong when I wasn't paying attention.
I find it to be a great service for only a little bit of hassle.
You can have them cut the wood for you but it will not be perfect. I usually have them cut a 4x8 sheet down for me so it is easier to work with my table saw. If you really want to make some boxes and you have a skill saw you could do it yourself. All you need is a straight 1x4, mark the wood and measure for the dif in the saw guide clamp the 1x4 and cut away. Now you can almost cut a perfect line depending on how good your saw blade is
2009 USACi world champion
2010 USACi world champion
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Taking some time off to play with and test things.
The cost isn't much of a problem. If I come away with all the pieces for about $10 + the cost of the MDF, I'll be perfectly happy. I just don't want to spend $150 or more buying it from PE, or to ask somebody online to do it and then have the shipping be $30.
It sounds like the only real problem is precision. I may just give it a try and see how it works out. Otherwise I guess I'll have to find a lumber yard willing to do it.
Seriously guys, you can't beat a "Mom & Pop" lumber store or lumber yard for stuff like this. They are usually very friendly and accommodating (they NEED your business after all) and you don't have to worry about any of the problems listed in this thread. You may have to pay for the service, but that's the price we pay for not having access to our own table saw.
Give Christopher Evert a call. He wanted to get in on his own enclosure building service. Lack of time to invest in that idea caused its failure, but if he has the freetime, Im sure he would be happy to cut some MDF up for you.
That would be my first choice since Evert (aka: geolemon) also lives in upstate NY.
Lowes and HD have always done horrible cuts for me, especially when precision was paramount. You'd think with everything all lined up, the cuts would be straight as an arrow. Nooop. Not even close. I've had cuts as far off as ¼". Local cabinet builders are always an option, especially smaller shops.
The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it.
I just had Home Depot cut some MDF yesterday. They actually did 3 cuts and didn't charge anything for it. They weren't dead on accurate though, but it was close enough for what I needed, but it wouldn't have been close enough for speaker cabinets.
Seriously guys, you can't beat a "Mom & Pop" lumber store or lumber yard for stuff like this. They are usually very friendly and accommodating (they NEED your business after all) and you don't have to worry about any of the problems listed in this thread. You may have to pay for the service, but that's the price we pay for not having access to our own table saw.
x2 on the MAW and PAW stores
2009 USACi world champion
2010 USACi world champion
Team TCA
Taking some time off to play with and test things.
The HD near me wont cut MDF due to the amopunt of dust and glue or whatever it is in it.
But the local anawalt will. $2 first cut, $.50 every one after.
Both Home Depot and Lowes in my area won't cut MDF because of health hazards.
But, there's a plywood supply house that will do the cuts for $.50 (don't remember exactly). Their prices on sheets of MDF were comparable (a few bucks more) than HD or Lowes. The good thing about this place is that they have MDF anywhere from 1/4" to 1".
How big are the cabinets? I'm still under the weather with some allergy problems but if they are not huge and you trust my helper, I will have him cut you some for just the cost of material and shipping.
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Mark, it TOTALLY depends on the guy who works there. There are 2 types of Home Depot, one is consumer oriented, and the other is contractor oriented. Go to one that is contractor oriented in a Sunday afternoon, the guys in the lumber section would have nothing to do, they'll be able to help you.
I had this one guy to do the cuts for me, he's even more accurate and anal than me.
He cut me 10 pieces and did not charge me any money. But, usually, the first 2 cuts are free, after that, 25cents per cut. Be sure to stand around them and tell them you want your cut to be precise.
Both Home Depot and Lowes in my area won't cut MDF because of health hazards.
But, there's a plywood supply house that will do the cuts for $.50 (don't remember exactly). Their prices on sheets of MDF were comparable (a few bucks more) than HD or Lowes. The good thing about this place is that they have MDF anywhere from 1/4" to 1".
Where in socal are you?
I go to the one in Costa Mesa and I can get my MDF cut there, the only wood they would not cut is the treated lumber. Treated lumber generally are harder on the saw and they refuse to cut those.
Home Depot cutting service?
Re: Home Depot cutting service?
Now asking them to cut something down with some precision .. and with bookshelf speakers I would think the cuts would be pretty small I don't know if they are a) any good at it, b) make any money, and consequently give a crap, and c) offer that size of cut. I would think most of their stuff is hey cut this 38" for my molding, or cut this 17.5" for my shelf etc.
Re: Home Depot cutting service?
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