MOTM

As owner of a woodshop, my advise would be to stay away from solid 
wood except for trim.  If you use solid wood you have to worry about 
pieces which are joined together expanding and contracting at 
different rates, you have to worry about warpage as well.  I'd 
suggest using a high quality veneered plywood.  You can get cabinet 
grade plywood with cherry or mahogony veneer which will finish 
beautifully.  Buy a few strips of solid wood to use for exposed 
edges.  Use solid pieces if you are going to have curves or fancy 
moldings.  For finishing stain if desired first, then use 
polyurethane if you are going to brush it on or catalized lacquer if 
you are going to spray.  If you are going to apply your finish by 
hand and using polyurethane, thin it out first and brush it on using 
a nylon stocking (wear gloves.)  The combination of the thinning and 
the stocking will eliminate bubbles.  Apply several coats.  Wait 
until each coat drys but don't wait over 24 hours.  Remove 
imperfections with very fine steel wool or wet sandpaper.
Alternatively you could use an oil type finish.  This is easier to 
apply, but can dry out and isn't as resistant to scratching.

If you insist on solid wood, you can't use a single piece for 
anything. Even if you could find fine wood that big, it would warp. 
So you have to build up a board's width by edge-joining narrower 
pieces, running grain in alternate directions to reduce warp. So now 
you need a joiner, and a planer. You have to start with thicker wood 
and plane down to size - so if you want 3/4" thick stock, you need 
7/8" to start with. And if you can't get raw stock that thick, then 
you have to build it up thickness-wise as well. You'll spend days and 
days just making your boards! I don't particularly like the look you 
get from narrow strips joined together - the grain mismatch is 
distracting.

The Synth of Doom cabs are cabinet grade birch 3/4" ply. Because they 
are covered in veneer, I was able to get the wider grain patterns 
that I like. I used the exact same construction techniques that I 
would have employed had it been made of solid walnut - biscuits and 
glue, with internal corner blocks. The outer veneer layers on plywood 
like this are every bit as fine wood as solid pieces, and take finish 
just as well.

This leaves the question of edges. Look at any modern 'hardwood' 
cabinet and you will see what to do. When you need just a flat edge, 
veneer strips work great. The iron-on stuff I use goes on easy, has a 
great bond, and is practically invisible once you sand the edges 
flush. After you stain and finish, you can't tell it's veneer at all 
unless you use a microscope. It doesn't peel or come loose. For 
beveled or decorative edges, use a 3/4" square solid piece of 
matching hardwood. Easy! Well, easy to understand the theory - you 
still have to execute the process with patience.

For finishing, I concur with Paul H. that polyurethane is the way to 
go. I have found that no matter what I do, I cannot apply poly with a 
brush without leaving bubbles. I found a product called MinWax Wipe-
On Poly that works great for me. Wipe it on with a rag, wait 10 
minutes, wipe off the excess, and sand several hours later, then 
repeat.

Moe

http://www.hotrodmotm.com

More on woodworking:
If your cabinet is going to have a back rout about 3/4 along the 
back edge 3/8 deep, put the sides together and make the back to 
fit.  You can do the same thing for the sides but it is more 
difficult to conceal the edge of the plywood (if you use plywood.)
Any joinery of this sort will greatly add to the strength of the 
cabinet.
Using metal L brackets is a good idea.  
You can buy edgebanding tape (which is really more like a veneer 
with a hot glue applied.)  You can also make your own with strips of 
hardwood anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4.  I think this is what Moe was 
suggesting.
I don't think you can dovetail plywood.  All the dovetailing we've 
done is on drawers.  We usually use 3/4 solid oak for drawer sides 
and 1/4 oak plywood for drawer bottoms in a groove.  This is 
overkill!
My cabinet is a monster and is not meant to be portable.  It is 5 
rows of 34U each, the center row is vertical.  The row above the 
center tilts 7.5 degrees, the top row tilts 15 degrees.  The row 
below the center tilts 15 degrees, the bottom row tilts 30 degrees.
I used cherry veneer plywood with solid cherry for the edges.
I used cheap pine plywood for internal bracing and to hold Stooge 
Larry's module mounting strips.  My power supply is external and 
mounted in a 4 space SKB case.
The cabinet is meant to be the same width as the Yamaha KX88 
keyboard I have.  The whole thing sits on a stand made out of 
aluminum handrail and is on wheels.  (pictures soon!)

> My cabinet is a monster and is not meant to be portable.  It is 5
> rows of 34U each, the center row is vertical.  The row above the
> center tilts 7.5 degrees, the top row tilts 15 degrees.  The row
> below the center tilts 15 degrees, the bottom row tilts 30 degrees.
> I used cherry veneer plywood with solid cherry for the edges.
> I used cheap pine plywood for internal bracing and to hold Stooge
> Larry's module mounting strips.  My power supply is external and
> mounted in a 4 space SKB case.
> The cabinet is meant to be the same width as the Yamaha KX88
> keyboard I have.  The whole thing sits on a stand made out of
> aluminum handrail and is on wheels.  (pictures soon!)


This is to inform you that your cabinet violates OSHA "Modular Synthesizer Guidelines - 1980 Rev
C" in particular Section 43, Paragraph 19.

In order to comply, the following modifications are in order:

a) anti-skid matting not to exceed 3/4" depth per MilSpec 347383495849584958459048509485409

b) 110dB backing alarm. Standard forklift model OK.

c) warning labels, minimum of 12, in a "highly visible manner" with the following inscription:

"WARNING! Severe jealousy may result as a result of improper viewing." and
"WARNING! Severe checkbook depletion zone!"

Thank you for your compliance. OSHA is *for you* not *against you*.

Your friendly gov't employee Sid

>>>>
You can buy edgebanding tape (which is really more like a veneer 
with a hot glue applied.) You can also make your own with strips of 
hardwood anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4. I think this is what Moe was 
suggesting.
<<<<

Yes, sounds like what I used.

>>>>
My cabinet is a monster and is not meant to be portable. It is 5 
rows of 34U each, the center row is vertical. The row above the 
center tilts 7.5 degrees, the top row tilts 15 degrees. The row 
below the center tilts 15 degrees, the bottom row tilts 30 degrees.
I used cherry veneer plywood with solid cherry for the edges.
I used cheap pine plywood for internal bracing and to hold Stooge 
Larry's module mounting strips. My power supply is external and 
mounted in a 4 space SKB case.
<<<<

OK, you win<g>!

Moe

Ha! This makes me want to put some stickers on the back panel of mine, just
to see if anyone ever reads them.

How about, "WARNING! No user serviceable parts inside" ...?

-----Original Message-----
This is to inform you that your cabinet violates OSHA "Modular Synthesizer
Guidelines - 1980 Rev
C" in particular Section 43, Paragraph 19.

In order to comply, the following modifications are in order:

a) anti-skid matting not to exceed 3/4" depth per MilSpec
347383495849584958459048509485409

b) 110dB backing alarm. Standard forklift model OK.

c) warning labels, minimum of 12, in a "highly visible manner" with the
following inscription:

"WARNING! Severe jealousy may result as a result of improper viewing." and
"WARNING! Severe checkbook depletion zone!"

Thank you for your compliance. OSHA is *for you* not *against you*.

Your friendly gov't employee Sid

I've had my run ins with OSHA.  Technically before you do any work 
on your synth you have to lock-out your power supply.  That means it 
cannot be turned on.  Makes it kinda tough to calibrate.  I'm not 
kidding about this either.  According to OSHA the only way you can 
troubleshoot equipment is with the power off.  You are supposed to 
guess at what is wrong, replace it with power off.  Reassemble and 
turn the power back on.  Then test it.  I've actually been through 
this with them.  No Joke.
Anyway those rules only apply if you have 10 or more employees.  
Less than that and you can stick your finger in the light socket.

Don't anybody get jealous yet.  I've been at this 3 months and no 
sounds yet.  Possibly this weekend though if I can find the time.

And it has definitely depleted the old checkbook.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: paulhaneberg <phaneber@...>
I've had my run ins with OSHA.  Technically before 
you do any work on your synth you have to lock-out
your power supply.  That means it cannot be turned on.

--LH--
Can you image what they do to us in the utility business?
It is amazing.

--PH--
And it has definitely depleted the old checkbook.

--LH--
Heck, just the flat rail profits have boosted by 401K plan significantly.
;)    NOT.
Larry