MOTM

Does anyone out there feel strongly about using hardwood boards as opposed to a nice plywood?

I know that many people use plywood... it's stronger, inch per inch, wont warp as easily, and it's cost effective. But I would imagine it's also slightly more difficult to work with, plus you have to design around the 'ugly edge' (clever joinery, edging, etc.).

I was planning on using boards, not ply, but not only is the price staggering... I'm also finding that local shops carry only "one by..." in the ranges I'm looking for, whereas I can get an oak-veneered ply in ¼", ½" ¾", etc. And the plywood tends to "really" be those stated dimensions, where with boards, a "one-by" is actually about 0.8" or something similar. Ideally, I would use ½" (I would think that's strong enough) or maybe 5/8", but then I would need a planer, and there's another $400+ and I'd be shaving away a third of that expensive wood!

On the other hand, most cabinets seem to be being made of ¾" material. Does everyone know something I don't? I don't want to make my cabinets too big or heavy. I want them to be mildly portable, "just big enough," and I can brace them internally for strength. My preference for boards as opposed to ply was that I could do all sorts of nice, fancy wood joinery, and if I go plywood, a lot of that goes out the window.

I'd love to hear any advice from those who've made their own cabinets, since a lot of us seem to be in that phase right now.

Thanks in advance!

Mr. T

If I had the experience,tools, and money, I would have used solid 
wood. I would have loved to use walnut, but my cabinet and stand were 
to be pretty wide. I didn't have the confidence or patients to glue 
and clamp a bunch of boards together. The joinery would have been 
beautiful though, nice molded edges, mitered corners. If I was to be 
spending long hours building the stuff, why did I make it out of 
cheap plywood?  

Answer: cause I don't know what I'm doing... I'll have to deal with 
that iron on edge banding, butt joints, and veneer tear out.  Plywood 
is nice for the inexperienced. It's flat, big, and if mistakes are 
made, just go out and buy some more.  



Joseph

I used plywood for my cabinets.  Painted it black so the thing is 
beastly looking.  I love it.  I also like wood grain but I suck at 
woodworking.  Putty and black paint covers a lot of sins.  I did use 
Larry's side panels and this finished the cabinets nicely.

Mike

--- In motm@y..., "Tkacs, Ken" <ken.tkacs@j...> wrote:
> 
> Does anyone out there feel strongly about using hardwood boards as 
opposed
> to a nice plywood?
> 
...

I have little experience in wood working, but still chose to go with a
solid walnut cabinet. The sides are 11" at the bottom and 6" at the top,
28" high, and a little thicker than 1/2". The cabinet is 28" wide.
Turned out nice.  
Some construction pics here:
http://www.geocities.com/orbitaldecay_99/motm.html

I am currently working on a more portable 10U high 5U wide solution for
my next all MOTM synth. Looking at SKB knock off enclosures. Anyone try
these?

Terry