Advice on wood for an arcade cab
- Thread starter IDCHAPPY
- Start date
I wouldn't use it if I was going to make a shiney new cab, it's far too good at splitting if pilot holes etc are not properly sized and too fluffy when cutting out t-mold routes, I would get a nice density particle board.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Particleboard.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Particleboard.jpg
chadsarcade
Lord of Vectors (tm)
My personal preference would be ply - my Wms etc cabs are all nice and solid after all these years.
MDF dust is pretty nasty stuff and it swells when wet more readily than ply, in my experience. On the other hand, ply will more readily split on corners when knocked - check out the bottom corners of your classic cabs.
Other old cabs used chipboard (thinking of my Asteroids cab here) but again corners take knocks and with chipboard then may tend to break off.
I can't really speak for particle board.
MDF dust is pretty nasty stuff and it swells when wet more readily than ply, in my experience. On the other hand, ply will more readily split on corners when knocked - check out the bottom corners of your classic cabs.
Other old cabs used chipboard (thinking of my Asteroids cab here) but again corners take knocks and with chipboard then may tend to break off.
I can't really speak for particle board.
I thought chipboard and particle board were the same thing?
I guess its down to what he's building and chadsarcade is right. Williams mostly ply, Atari mainly (if not all) chipboard. MDF is over rated pap. Hard on the outside but soft on the inside...
The Williams Defender I had used the crappiest Ply the factory could find! Knots everywhere all filled with wood glue and this was from factory!
Its when you start having to buy Vinyl in from the US it starts getting expensive too...
My next build will be ply by the way!
I guess its down to what he's building and chadsarcade is right. Williams mostly ply, Atari mainly (if not all) chipboard. MDF is over rated pap. Hard on the outside but soft on the inside...
The Williams Defender I had used the crappiest Ply the factory could find! Knots everywhere all filled with wood glue and this was from factory!
Its when you start having to buy Vinyl in from the US it starts getting expensive too...
My next build will be ply by the way!
I am firmly in the "ply" camp, and also holding the condition of williams cabs after 30+ years as proof. It will be more expensive, but that would be outweighed by the fact that the cabs will be so much more resistant to wear and ter of whatever type.
A scratch build is something I would love to build at some point.I would use Birch Plywood which is a very good quality Plyboard.Its about £30 a sheet on average (8' x 4' sheets.
I am a bench joiner and do work in a fully kitted out joiner's shop so access to machines etc...is ok for me
...its just the wife I have to 'get passed' first
But yes Birch Ply would be my choice of board
I am a bench joiner and do work in a fully kitted out joiner's shop so access to machines etc...is ok for me
But yes Birch Ply would be my choice of board
G
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Ply for me every time with a spray finish on top of a decent primer of at least two thin layers.PAC-MAN2013-04-17 22:00:54
Plywood is the best stuff really. "birch ply" is considered the cabinet grade stuff and is usually handled a lot nicer than wall-grade which is usually stacked vertical not long after drying.
The difference being your cabinet grade stuff is nice and flat when you start working it rather than the cheapo stuff which is usually warped because the glue has not been allowed to set properly.
Ply will work better for a monitor mount than chipboard and also is easier to groove using a router.
MDF is great stuff for shaping with the router and cuts like butter but it's basically sawdust and glue. It swells if it gets wet, even if it's been primed, coated and then sealed unless you put about 9 coats on and a wax sealant - and then you're getting to furniture making.
All grained wood needs priming first, preferable to use a spray system if possible to get it even - the better your primer coat, the better your finish coat.
Hope that helps.
The difference being your cabinet grade stuff is nice and flat when you start working it rather than the cheapo stuff which is usually warped because the glue has not been allowed to set properly.
Ply will work better for a monitor mount than chipboard and also is easier to groove using a router.
MDF is great stuff for shaping with the router and cuts like butter but it's basically sawdust and glue. It swells if it gets wet, even if it's been primed, coated and then sealed unless you put about 9 coats on and a wax sealant - and then you're getting to furniture making.
All grained wood needs priming first, preferable to use a spray system if possible to get it even - the better your primer coat, the better your finish coat.
Hope that helps.
