Mele Large Burl Design Jewellery Box - James Russell

Hoping someone in the know could help out here. James was selling a Mele box and explicitly described it as 'solid wood' a few times. When the item was actually on sale the description on the website said it was made from MDF, is MDF classed as solid wood? I have googled it and it dosen't appear to be.

Another oddity is the link below is for the box but it dosen't say anything about the wood type, it was only on the 'Live TV Deals' when it was being auctioned that it said MDF.

http://store.bid.tv/bidtv/Mele-Large-Burl-Design-Top-Jewellery-Box-with-Drawers-and-Mirror-on-the-Inside-Measuring-34x17x17cm/HO140199/ProductDetail.raction#prettyPhoto

I don't think MDF can be classed as 'hardwood' as it's man-made. This Wiki snippet describes it well;

Comparison to natural woods

MDF does not contain knots or rings, making it more uniform than natural woods during cutting and in service.[4] However, MDF is not entirely isotropic, since the fibres are pressed tightly together through the sheet. Like natural wood, MDF may split when woodscrews are installed without pilot holes, and MDF may be glued, doweled or laminated, but smooth-shank nails do not hold well. Typical fasteners are T-nuts and pan-head machine screws.[5] Fine-pitch screws do not hold well in MDF and screw retention in the edge is particularly poor. Special screws are available with a coarse thread pitch but sheet-metal screws also work well. Typical MDF has a hard, flat, smooth surface that makes it ideal for veneering, as there is no underlying grain to telegraph through the thin veneer as with plywood. A so-called "Premium" MDF is available that features more uniform density throughout the thickness of the panel.

tony73 said:

I don't think MDF can be classed as 'hardwood' as it's man-made. This Wiki snippet describes it well;

Comparison to natural woods

MDF does not contain knots or rings, making it more uniform than natural woods during cutting and in service.[4] However, MDF is not entirely isotropic, since the fibres are pressed tightly together through the sheet. Like natural wood, MDF may split when woodscrews are installed without pilot holes, and MDF may be glued, doweled or laminated, but smooth-shank nails do not hold well. Typical fasteners are T-nuts and pan-head machine screws.[5] Fine-pitch screws do not hold well in MDF and screw retention in the edge is particularly poor. Special screws are available with a coarse thread pitch but sheet-metal screws also work well. Typical MDF has a hard, flat, smooth surface that makes it ideal for veneering, as there is no underlying grain to telegraph through the thin veneer as with plywood. A so-called "Premium" MDF is available that features more uniform density throughout the thickness of the panel.

Click to expand...

Many thanks Tony. I think I need to get clear confirmation of what the box is made from. Only then can I decide what to do next.

It definitely said 'MDF' during the live auction but now it merely says 'Oak Effect Finish'.

'Oak Effect Finish'.

That's probably MDF then with a 'Oak Effect' veneer on it. Doesn't make it a bad buy though! Just wouldn't pay too much for it.

tony73 said:

'Oak Effect Finish'.

That's probably MDF then with a 'Oak Effect' veneer on it. Doesn't make it a bad buy though! Just wouldn't pay too much for it.

Click to expand...

To be honest I have no idea if it is a good buy but he explicitly described it several times as 'solid wood' (I have double checked as I recorded the sale), having just looked at the same box and many other Mele items on other website they are as you say, MDF with a veneer, which dosen't sound like solid wood to me unless that is an acceptable description, I genuinely don't know but it sounds odd. I guess i'll have to check.

Thanks again.

Wirral70 said:

To be honest I have no idea if it is a good buy but he explicitly described it several times as 'solid wood' (I have double checked as I recorded the sale), having just looked at the same box and many other Mele items on other website they are as you say, MDF with a veneer, which dosen't sound like solid wood to me unless that is an acceptable description, I genuinely don't know but it sounds odd. I guess i'll have to check.

Thanks again.

Click to expand...

It's OK. Is just another of ILB's "little white lies".

Perfectly acceptable and not at all morally reprehensible. :smirk:

Enigma said:

It's OK. Is just another of ILB's "little white lies".

Perfectly acceptable and not at all morally reprehensible. :smirk:

Click to expand...

This is a tricky one Enigma as I have no idea whether 'MDF' can be described as solid wood, and it dosen't help that the description of the product on their website seems different to the one when it was being auctioned. My instinct is it shouldn't be called solid but that's not enough to base a complaint on.

MDF? About as solid as a jelly.