Printer Friendly Forum Posts - I need a quiet tool for MDF cutting

I'm building a sub box out of MDF. Because I don't live in a house anymore and have no garage, I will have to do it in my appartment. I would need to buy some sort of a saw to cut the 3/4 MDF. My goal is not to make too much noise, so I don't want a loud tool. How loud would a jigsaw be? I know it's hard to tell, but comparing to a plunge router let say, is it much quieter? I've used a plunge router before and it was SO loud I had to cover up my ear with my shoulder. Another option would be to buy a regular hand saw and do it by hand, but I'd rather do it the faster, easier and cleaner way with a jigsaw...especially for the trunk floor where I'd need to cut curves. Any opinions on this?

jig saw would be a lot quiter. I use one at my apt all the time. But just do it during the day and love what people say about it. If you were doin construction to make their apartment better they wouldn't care about the noise.

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fiberglass reminds me of peanut brittle... but fiberglass tastes better!

There is always a good cross-cut hand saw and a coping saw. I know hand tools suck and it would take awhile but it would be quiet. The jig saw would probably be your best bet like mentioned above. I wouldn't think a good jig saw would create more noise than a vacuum cleaner.

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Good Luck!
-Thad

If you have a 2-bed room apartment with an empty 2nd room, I would soundproof it and then would not worry at all about noise.

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I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

When you do not know what you are doing and what you are doing is the best -- that is inspiration.

Yeah that would be sweet. And put an exhaust fan in the window and paint the walls with a high gloss durable paint and pull up the carpet and put tile down that way you can paint stuff in there without dust gettin int he paint.... yeah!

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fiberglass reminds me of peanut brittle... but fiberglass tastes better!

I live an apt and use my deck to do all my cutting. As long as you dont start before 10am or keep cutting after 10pm then its ok. I use a jigsaw and a battery powered circular saw. None of my neighbors have complained. Ive been here almost a year. People enjoy walking past and ask me what Im doing.

Lol...I won't be converting my apartment into a wood/paint shop. I don't have a kitchen table, so I have some room in my dining room...which is just a spot between the kitchen and the living room. I also have a balcony, but don't want to show the whole world I'm building stuff in there.

I'm glad to hear that a jigsaw is quiet enough. Can anyone recommend a good brand/model for the job? I want something that won't suffocate through 3/4 MDF and give me a clean cut, and something that will last and not choke and die. I once bought a rotary cutting tool off ebay for 20-30 bux, and that thing is barely breathing after one fiberglass project. I'd rather pay a bit more and not have to buy it each time I start a new project.

i feel u on the appt thing, i am staying at my girls appt for a few days and i want to try and get some stuff done on her box, besides alll i have to do is chill cough and play my ps2...so im doing some work on her balcony, i also dont want anyone seeing what my girl will soon have in her car so im trying to be as discrete as possible. i have a orange black and decker jigsaw, its pretty nice kinda quiet, but im deaf in one ear :), its easy to put in saw blades and it works well. i think it was like 20 at home depot

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makita, bosche, dewalt all make a cordless 14.4 or 18 volt 4"circular saw thats not that loud. I used it in my apartment when making bunk beds it was a lot messier than loud....but you have to go slow or else youll bind up the blade

When I remodeled my appartment one time (it took 3 days to re-trim the island and bar), I borrowed my parent's home stereo system. I made ALL of my measurements for the trim and supports and marked each and every piece of wood to be readied to be cut. I waited until late morning, cranked the stereo, and got to work. I dont know if everyone was at work, or they thought I was some kind of heavy metal freakshow that listened to acid rock and power tools and was too afraid to bother me! BUT, only a few girls stopped by asking "What in the world do I do with my spare time?"....ill end this by saying I married one of them a year later...LOL

Good luck by the way, the jig is definately quieter....

my old apartment building strangely enough had a wood shop and paint booth in the basement...and is was in our lease that we could use it when ever we wanted a long as we did a stupid little safety program..

when i did work on stuff in my apartment used to get yelled at for hammering in finishing nails into my dresser...it was to funny that people would complain about a little bit of hammering going on, when the rest of the building was still under maitenance construction/ renovations...

Jg saw would be far quieter...

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Fiberglass Guru.

I say sandpaper. It would be the quietest.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

yea that is about to be my problem in the future i am about to relocate and right now the nicest things are apts. till i can find a house that will suit me so i am trying to find an apt that has a garage that way i can put everthing in there and go out side and work on it so far i have only found one apt like that and it is 1200 a month trying to find something cheaper

Alright, so I've got myself some equipment over this weekend! :-) Went to Home Depot and bought a DeWalt 5.5 amp heavy-duty jigsaw (Model# DW317K) for only $99. I also needed a drill, so I bought a DeWalt 3/8 inch Heavy-Duty VSR corded drill (Model# D21008K), and that was only $59! Just tried it all out on a leftover piece from a computer desk I had, and that jigsaw cut it like butter!!! Very nice, smooth and straight cut :-) Although, it is a bit louder than I expected, definitely louder than my vacuum cleaner, but not too awful...with the ease it cut that piece, it shouldn't take more than 15 mins to do all the cuts for a box. The drill works real good too, even quieter than the jigsaw. Hopefully I have time this week to start working on the real thing...hehe :-) Oh, and I never hear my neighbours...never their music, vacuum cleaners or anything else...just late at night I might here some men's voice talking, but that's about it...and that comes from upstairs. From sides never ever heard anything, and underneath is underground parking, so I think I should be ok here...especially if no one ever comes to complain ;)

torquehead wrote:

When I remodeled my appartment one time (it took 3 days to re-trim the island and bar), I borrowed my parent's home stereo system. I made ALL of my measurements for the trim and supports and marked each and every piece of wood to be readied to be cut. I waited until late morning, cranked the stereo, and got to work. I dont know if everyone was at work, or they thought I was some kind of heavy metal freakshow that listened to acid rock and power tools and was too afraid to bother me! BUT, only a few girls stopped by asking "What in the world do I do with my spare time?"....ill end this by saying I married one of them a year later...LOL

Good luck by the way, the jig is definately quieter....

That's awesome stuff! Although, I don't think my girlfriend will approve that :-)

auex] wrote:

I say sandpaper. It would be the quietest.

How about water? My friend works at a kitchen factory and they have a machine that uses water to make cuts. Now I need one of those! :-)

The equipment would probably be to big to fit. Hey natural rotting would be the quitest, yeah thats the ticket.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

Cutting pressure vessels ROCK!!!!! The ones I have seen sound as if they are run by a 1000HP generator or something! And the water is shot out of a thin cut die plate, its sounds like a sick squeeling elephant or something! ....except, the one Im talking about was an industrial sized unit that was about the size of 3 Escalades. Uh, ADD moment, anyway, back to the conversation. Glad you found something that was accomodating to your noise ordinance. I hate to see a fabrication soldier down.

Also, dont forget.... Put a powertool in each of your girlfriend's hands.....then get the camara ready while telling her she looks Super-Sexy-Smooth-HOT!!!!! Reminding her to pose accordingly....works every time!!!!

have you started the project yet? hate to have to clean up mdf dust in an apartment.

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"If a man made it, another can modify it...it just takes some thinking."
"If you ask questions, you're a fool for 5 minutes; if you don't, you're a fool for a lifetime."

sandpaper?...water?... just use your teeth! that would be quietest and 2nd as a dust collector. haha ok seriously...anyone in NY and wanna rent a garage?

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~Jason
(516) Drum Co.

INSTALLER_MSS wrote:

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have you started the project yet? hate to have to clean up mdf dust in an apartment.

Maybe will start today if I get to it in time. I know about mdf dust...when I used table saw. That thing spit dust everywhere and anywhere. The jigsaw on the other hand just leaves some dust in front of it, without making it fly all over the place.

*UPDATE*

I started with my first box today! And it didn't go so good. First, how do you cut straight lines with a jigsaw?? Now I have to go get a sanding block because all the edges are going up and down like waves, argh!!!

Second, I got my panel dimensions all wrong!! I used the box size calculator on this site, but didn't account for the 3/4" MDF width...just didn't think about it. Although, I figured how to remedy my mistake, and all I need is to add 2 .75"x.75" blocks at 2 opposing corners and all should be fine, except that my internal volume will increase from intended 0.95 ft^3 to 1.07 ft^3, which is ok, since that's a "practice" box and is not going to be used for my new system, which will require a 2.8 ft^3 box. To do it right the first time, all I needed to do is substract 1.5" from both sides of the 2 "inner" panels.

And for the time and noise, it took me about 10 mins to cut all my panels. I had music playing at moderate level and jigsaw would completely overwhelm it. I couldn't hear any music while cutting. But hey, no complaints so far :-)

i clamp a level or straight piece of wood onto the sheet that i'm cutting. then you can just run the jigsaw down the edge of the clamped clamped wood. it makes a very straight line if you can understand what i'm trying to explain.

in my opinion, a jigswaw is not a good way to cut 3/4" MDF. i would suggest investing in at least a circular saw, and use the same method of following a clamped straight edge. yes, the circular saw may make more noise, but it makes more noise for less time than you would with a jigsaw.

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I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it. - Jack Handy

Yeah, I figured already that I need a guide, which can be my 36" ruler.

I'd rather get a table saw then, it would be even faster than circular saw, but I feel that jigsaw is fine, I just need to get used to it.

And would getting a better blade for the jigsaw benifit me in any way? Right now I'm using the single blade that was supplied with the jigsaw. I was at Home Depot today and they have blades for different types of cuts. They had a blade for "very fast cuts". It had longer teeth and 5 or 6 TPI. The blade I have has shorter teeth, and maybe 7 TPI. Would they get through MDF quicker? And also I saw blades for curved cuts...would they be better for curves? Should I spend my money on it?

There is benefits for having the wood cutting blade, they do cut better on wood than the metal cutting blades. They will cut faster. Theres no way it will even come close to matching the speed of a circular saw though, it just doesnt remove enough material for that. Cant help with the curve cutting blade never used one. Only thing that matters is that your happy with it. Its all in how fast you want to get the job done. You can do the exact same thing with hand tools it would just take longer.

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Learning the trade one fiberglass creation at a time!

ehh jigsaw is deffinitely a bad choice for cutting straight edges, imo. i'd just use a circular saw and tell your neighbors to deal with the noise for a few hours :P

realitycheck wrote:

There is benefits for having the wood cutting blade, they do cut better on wood than the metal cutting blades. They will cut faster. Theres no way it will even come close to matching the speed of a circular saw though, it just doesnt remove enough material for that. Cant help with the curve cutting blade never used one. Only thing that matters is that your happy with it. Its all in how fast you want to get the job done. You can do the exact same thing with hand tools it would just take longer.

I think the blade I have is also for wood. It's just that there are different types, for different cuts. But having bigger teeth makes me think it should cut faster.

darthness wrote:

ehh jigsaw is deffinitely a bad choice for cutting straight edges, imo. i'd just use a circular saw and tell your neighbors to deal with the noise for a few hours :P

I wish it would work. Although, the same day I did my cuts, the neighbours from upstairs were hammering something from about 10:15PM 'til 10:45PM. So maybe I should pull out the all mighty plunge router...at 4 AM :-)

Yeah the bigger teeth will cut the wood faster. It wont be like a bandsaw though. I would think a jig saw would be louder than the router anyway, thats just my opinion though.

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Learning the trade one fiberglass creation at a time!

not matter what you do is going to be loud. i would go for speed. that way the noise won't last all day.

i think a router is usually more quite than a jigsaw, untill you start cutting into the wood. that's when the router gets loud.

i don't see why you would use a jigsaw anyway. it would be pretty hard to cut a straight enough line that you can use for glueing a joint.

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I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it. - Jack Handy

the jigsaw is good for non-straight cuts but i agree with the circular saw idea. it may be louder, but if you cut the whole box in 10 minutes or so, then it should only take about half that with the circular saw and it will be straight. just buy one then return it to get your money back or borrow one.

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"If a man made it, another can modify it...it just takes some thinking."
"If you ask questions, you're a fool for 5 minutes; if you don't, you're a fool for a lifetime."

Alright, the box is finished, just need to carpet and install a cup terminal. Before putting everything together, I sanded uneven edges as much as I could, then glued, screwed and nailed the box together. After that I trimed any uneven edges with a jigsaw and applied some body filler where I couldn't trim. And that's it. A little more work, but at least I didn't have to recut everything. The final internal volume is 1.07 ft^3, instead of the planned 0.95^3. Here is a pic:

posted_image

And the equipment :)

posted_image

Btw, not a single complaint from neighbours ;)

since that is a sealed box, dont use a cup terminal. The cheap plastic creates a weak point in the box.

What makes it weak? It's a very small one, 2 1/8 x 15/16" outside dimensions. It will be sealed just like anything else in the box.

the plastic is the weak point. It flexes when under pressure. You are much bett drilling a hole just large enough to run the wires and use caulk or liquid nails on the inside to seal it up.

Yeah, I was thinking about drilling holes (cheaper too), but I bought 6 of this terminals and want to use at least one or two. This box is just an experimental. And not sure how significant flexing would be since the terminal is so small.

well flexing leads to air leaks. Eventually the cup will begin to loosen and air will escape the box. You can try it but I dont recommend them. Youll have to let us know how the sub sounds. what are you putting in it again?

I'm putting in a Polk Audio MM104 sub. I just wanna test it, that's all. I have it in a fiberglass box, which I'm not too crazy about how it sounds. Want to see if MDF will change anything. I have my bass boost at about +12dB @45hz, amp gain at max (600wrms)...that tells you it doesn't sound good. The sub is rated only at 500 wrms.

I had a MDF box before with a plastic cup. Had it for 1.5 years and didn't experience any air leak problems.

bass boost and overdriving the woofer doesnt help the quality of the sound it is making. it hurts it a lot. if you want it to sound good then build or buy a ported enclosure for it. about the terminal cup, they are the weak point because no matter how tight you screw it down or press it in, it still will never make an airtight seal where the plastic meets the wood. even if you cant feel the air leaking out, it still is. drill a hole and seal it.

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"If a man made it, another can modify it...it just takes some thinking."
"If you ask questions, you're a fool for 5 minutes; if you don't, you're a fool for a lifetime."

Vbel good jobs looks like a nice box. Hope it woks for you. I would suggest dump the terminal cup. If your wanting to use it for an easy way to remove the box use this. https://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=3

I got one of them for my box and it works great. I love it.

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Learning the trade one fiberglass creation at a time!

INSTALLER_MSS wrote:

bass boost and overdriving the woofer doesnt help the quality of the sound it is making. it hurts it a lot.

I don't agree. After retuning my amp for the setting I have now, the sound improved significantly. That's from my experience.

INSTALLER_MSS wrote:

if you want it to sound good then build or buy a ported enclosure for it.

I was thinking about it. After looking at this sub in WinISD, it is actually suitable for a ported box, and not a sealed one. The manufacturer, however, recommends a sealed one, which lacks bass.

INSTALLER_MSS wrote:

about the terminal cup, they are the weak point because no matter how tight you screw it down or press it in, it still will never make an airtight seal where the plastic meets the wood. even if you cant feel the air leaking out, it still is. drill a hole and seal it.

I don't even have to screw it in, because it would be held by silicone...the same sealant I use for the box. It will be airtight just like the rest of the box. I see no way of any air passing through.

realitycheck wrote:

Vbel good jobs looks like a nice box. Hope it woks for you. I would suggest dump the terminal cup. If your wanting to use it for an easy way to remove the box use this. https://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=3

I got one of them for my box and it works great. I love it.

Thanks. I will carpet it today, and tomorrow will test it if time permits.

That link didn't work. Which product that was?

hmmm sorry about that vbel, Just go to this website, https://www.partsexpress.com/ and in the search area on the top left just type in quick disconnect. Well I'll try and get a real link. The smallest they have is 8 gauge. This link works, https://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=263-110 It doesnt matter though about the gauge just fill the ends with solder and put your wire in there it will be like concrete in their.

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Learning the trade one fiberglass creation at a time!

A little too pricey for a simple disconnect. Not sure how it is used though. You still have to install it into the box or you put it on the end of a wire?

Here's the box complete:

posted_image

Carpeting wasn't very easy, but I think I did ok for my first time. Also, I skipped the terminal cup this time, because the one I ordered was sticking out and I didn't like that. So I went with drilling a couple holes... I put loads of silicone from inside. After testing the box, I accidentally pulled on one of the wires and it pulled out!!! So I can't say that this method is any better than a terminal cup. It is worse, much worse and unreliable. But can be ok if you don't touch your box or wires. I thought I cracked the silicone on inside, but after removing the sub, it was still all in one piece! Good thing I used a very flexible silicone and used lots of it. Still I don't like the idea of wires moving in and out so easily. Here's a pic of the terminals:

posted_image

As far as sound goes, the box sounds good, or at least as best as it could. I can't notice anything that isn't right with it. I can't hear much difference between this and my fiberglass box. Now I can't wait to start my second box!!! :-)

the silicone you used is the reason why the wires move. I usually use stuff called liquid nails. Its used on decks and various other applications. Its like concrete for wood. Great stuff. The carpet job looks pretty good too. Good job!

the reason i don't like using cups is 1) they can be expensive, and 2) i don't like making splices in my wires if i don't have to. if you're going to have any problems with your wires, it's probably going to be at a splice or termination point.

so what i do is drill a hole for the speaker wire. i run the wire through the hole and strap it on the inside of the box, with a wire strap. then, i caulk around the speaker wire where it passes through the hole. the speaker wire is one unbroken length of wire from the woofers to the amp. this method has worked great for me so far.

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I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it. - Jack Handy

killer sonata wrote:

the silicone you used is the reason why the wires move. I usually use stuff called liquid nails. Its used on decks and various other applications. Its like concrete for wood. Great stuff. The carpet job looks pretty good too. Good job!

I heard about this product, but never used it. I might try it next time.