1/2" vs. 5/8" vs. 3/4" MDF

[MameMe]

I am in the process of starting my first cab and wanted to know if 1/2" MDF would be strong enough for a MAME cabinet.  I tried to lift a sheet of 1/2" MDF and it seemed heavy/strong enough, but most posts I've read say to typically use 3/4" or 5/8".

Can anyone elaborate on the Advantages & Disadvatages of 1/2" MDF before I spend some $$$?

[crashwg]

With

[Minwah]

Yeah, if you're not using a frame as such 3/4" is usually recommended (real arcade machines are often made out of this).

If you make a nice strong internal frame then you could get away with thinner wood.

[MameMe]

By framing do you guys mean a 2x4 frame?  Or do you mean simply putting some wood strapping around the edges of the MDF that I see a lot of people do.  

By the way what is the purpose of the strapping of wood along the edges of the MDF?  Is that for support or is that to attach the sides, front, & back together?

[BldnACab]

By framing do you guys mean a 2x4 frame?  Or do you mean simply putting some wood strapping around the edges of the MDF that I see a lot of people do.  

By the way what is the purpose of the strapping of wood along the edges of the MDF?  Is that for support or is that to attach the sides, front, & back together?

I used 3/4 MDF with 2 x 4's  as cross support, very much like 1 UP's PacMamea's design. It was very strong even before I added the 1 x 1 "wood strapping" sections which I used to attach the back and front panels to.

BldnACab

[MameMe]

Okay so the strapping is not mainly for support, but its for connecting the front & back to the sides of the cabinet?

Maybe its better safe than sorry and buy the 3/4" MDF.  I don't want 1/2" to break/crack down the road.  But darn those sheets of 3/4" are HEAVY.  I'm going to need some help carrying those bad boys.

[BldnACab]

Okay so the strapping is not mainly for support, but its for connecting the front & back to the sides of the cabinet?

Maybe its better safe than sorry and buy the 3/4" MDF.  I don't want 1/2" to break/crack down the road.  But darn those sheets of 3/4" are HEAVY.  I'm going to need some help carrying those bad boys.

I grabbed a piece of 1/2" MDF for my Control Panel. I could not imagine making a cabinet out of it unless you had a good internal frame work made out of 2 x 4's like http://home.austin.rr.com/shumate/unicade/introduction.htm. I think with the 3/4" MDF you do not need such internal support.

I have a friend who is only attaching the 3/4" MDF with 1 x 1's where the pieces meet.

BldnACab

[DeathDealer]

I'm Using 3/4 Birtch Plywood, I like the way it looks and not that hard to work with.

[allroy1975]

I made both my cabs out of 3/4 inch wood.  The first one was MFD the second was Birch.  You definatly need to be more careful with the birch.  It doesn't seem to take being dropped on the corners as well as the MDF did.  I've been using 2x2s (some cut to 4" some to 7" inch and some probably a foot and a half) to support everything from the inside.  Maybe I'm lucky but with my drill and drill bits and #8 2" screws, I put the 2x2 where it should be, drill in as far as I can and just go to town with the screw, haven't had one push out of the other side yet.  Or had one come out.  

I vote for 3/4".

Allroy

[SeanFu]

I used 3/4 MDF for the sides, 3/4 ply for the base, and 1/2 for all other panels.  With no frame, and 1x2 molding for (probably spruce or something, not pine) jointery, it is rock solid.

However - I have a friend who is on his 3rd cab using only 1/2 inch MDF and angle brackets to join everything and the cabinets seem solid.  I don't know how they will stand the test of time, but they are a lot lighter.  He did use 1/2" T-molding.

[egomaniacal1]

Where did he get the 1/2 T-Molding?

[Safron]

1/2" t-molding  

http://www.t-molding.com/cart/customer/product.php?productid=30&cat=16&page=1

[MameMe]

I'm Using 3/4 Birtch Plywood, I like the way it looks and not that hard to work with.

Is the 3/4" Birch more or less expensive than MDF?  What kind of paint did you use on birch?  Oil or water based?

[SeanFu]

And where do you get that birch ply?  I don't think I've seen it at HD or Menards..

[DougHillman]

And where do you get that birch ply?  I don't think I've seen it at HD or Menards..

It's available at both, at least around here (Chicagoish).  Go back in the actual lumber yard section and ask someone there if you don't see it.  You want birch faced plywood.  It's just regular plywood but the two visable faces have a birch veneer on them so it looks like real wood.  Pricier, of course.  ~$35.00 for a 4' x 8' x 3/4" sheet.

This stuff is great if you don't wanna go to the hassle of gluing up several smaller boards to make a large project which has to have the look of real wood.  I just built my girlfriend a hope chest type thing and a set of CD storage drawers last week outta it.  In a cabinet, T-molding will cover the telltale plywood edges, but you can get real wood veneer in thin iron-on strips to cover the edges in a regular woodworking project.

D

[soslo]

I used 3/4" melamine...weighing in at a cool 104 pounds per 4x8 sheet. Diss. Wheels are a must have.

[SeanFu]

I used 3/4" melamine...weighing in at a cool 104 pounds per 4x8 sheet. Diss. Wheels are a must have.

Doesn't that stuff chip when you cut it?

[SNAAAKE]

I used 3/4" melamine...weighing in at a cool 104 pounds per 4x8 sheet. Diss. Wheels are a must have.

Doesn't that stuff chip when you cut it?

Sure does but you can use  masking tape and cut with a reverse tooth jigsaw blade or a circular saw  

As for the topic,get anything stronger then 1/2".I mean if you are concerned about the "cost" of wood then find yourself another hobby cuz this one ain't cheap...AT ALL
A cab made out of 1/2" wood will probley just fall apart in like a day unless you are building one of those "frame" like cabs.I would personally stick to 5/8".

[soslo]

I used 3/4" melamine...weighing in at a cool 104 pounds per 4x8 sheet. Diss. Wheels are a must have.

Doesn't that stuff chip when you cut it?

Kinda. Using a circular saw, it only chips slightly on one side, so I put the "good" side down and it leaves a perfect edge.

Depends on which direction the blade rotates/cuts. I suppose masking tape would work, though I haven't tried it.

[MameMe]

As for the topic,get anything stronger then 1/2".I mean if you are concerned about the "cost" of wood then find yourself another hobby cuz this one ain't cheap...AT ALL

I'm not concerned about the cost.  It seems that this project will be very HEAVY.  I hope putting wheels on the bottom will make moving it easier.  I also hope that when I roll this beast into the house and downstairs that I don't end up breaking tile or tear the carpet.

[soslo]

The bigger the wheels, the easier to roll and less wear/tear on the carpet.