Where to get 1 inch plywood for Cocktail cab?

[VinceVega]

I'm in the planning stages of building my first cocktail cabinet. Like many people I'm basing mine on the Pac-Man design, which typically calls for a top that is 1 inch thick.

I looked at my local Home Depot and Lowe's and neither had any 1 inch thick wood (of any kind) in dimensions that would work for the top. I searched some forums, including this one, and found a few different answers. Some suggested special ordering, and some recommended gluing two pieces of 1/2 inch plywood together. That approach seems difficult, and seems like it would interfere with the slot cutting for T-molding.

What is the most common approach for the top of Pac-Man cocktails? It can be any type of wood since I'm painting it, and I only need it in a sheet large enough to cut a 22" x 32" piece.

[garnerb350]

Instead of 2, 1/2 inch pieces of wood ...why not take 3/4 inch + 1/4 inch and a tube of construction glue?

Thinking about it...two 1/2 might do it....get plenty of wood glue and mount and clamp together...if it is tight...you might get by with it...maybe try to find some scrap pieces and try it out...

[BobA]

Since the plans call for a 1/4 inch inset for the top (Kyle Lindstrom) it would probably be easiest to use 1/4 and 3/4 inch plywood. Alternately you could use 3/4 inch plywood and cover the whole top with  1/4 inch glass.

[Drews Arcade]

I would use 3/4 plus 1/4 wood to make it 1" thick, so that your t-molding grove would not be between two peices of wood. This is what arcade depot kits have

[bkenobi]

What about using 3/4" for the top and then just add a 1/4" strip along the edges to thicken it up.  If you do that, you can use poplar or some cheaper wood.  Since it's not visible, you really just need the thickness.  3/4 will be plenty strong for the middle.  Just my thoughts though.   

[VinceVega]

That sounds perfect. If that's a common solution then that's what I will do. It just didn't seem right to glue two 1/2" pieces together and then try to cut a groove right at the seam.

[Jack Burton]

I have read on the AVS forums before that 5/4" floor paneling is actually 1" thick finished.  They say you can buy 5/4" finished pine sheets at Home Depot.  

Of course, you could always just get some MDF thicker than 1" and have it planed down to 1" by a wood shop.  Might be a little costlier, but it's probably the most accurate solution.

[mvsfan]

you could use 5/8 plywood and put some 3/8 plexiglass on top. mask it off and paint the back edges around your monitor black.

One of the things that i had decided when i built my cabinet was that i didnt want a dull, wood control panel.

So i used 1/2" plywood for the base, painted the back of a 1/4 sheet of plexiglass black, glued it to the wood cp, and then to finish it all off, with 3/4 T molding.

also to know, is that i destroyed my first control panel overlay and had to start over because another thing i didnt want was any kind of hardware (bolts) on the top of the control panel.

when you mount your joysticks, Use the shortest screws possible, and make sure that they dont even so much as touch the plexiglass top or it will crack a nice big X into it.

also, youve got to drill your holes from the plexiglass side first and make sure its backed by the wood, or it will also crack every time.

and since your actual painted surface is underneath the plexiglass, it will never scratch off. this is needed with the abuse a cp or in your case, a top to a cocktail will take.

other than that, everything was fine.

[VinceVega]

I have read on the AVS forums before that 5/4" floor paneling is actually 1" thick finished.  They say you can buy 5/4" finished pine sheets at Home Depot.  

Of course, you could always just get some MDF thicker than 1" and have it planed down to 1" by a wood shop.  Might be a little costlier, but it's probably the most accurate solution.

I had read about 5/4" paneling. But at Home Depot the widest panels were about 18", not wide enough for a cocktail top. I never saw MDF thicker than 3/4".

If I decide to go the 3/4" + 1/4" route with wood glue, should I cut them to shape then attach, or attach then cut for accuracy? I just want to do what's easiest - whatever others have done who have built the same type of cabinet.

[bkenobi]

Just to comment on your question of gluing then routing at the seam...  Glue is actually stronger than the wood itself when furniture is built correctly.  Once dry, there is no reason you can't route a path anywhere on the edge since the wood shouldn't split/separate at the glue line.

[mvsfan]

any seasoned Carpenter (like my Dad) will in fact tell you that wood glue is without a doubt stronger than screws or nails when it is used properly.

Also, Why do you think that Black cat uses it for Rolling artillery shells / mortars?

and yes i can say that cause i live in a fireworks state.

I will leave anything else to the imagination.