I got wood!
5 sheets 2 ft x 4 ft MDF - $32.00
brackets, screws, dust mask, misc hardware. - $38.00

project cost so far = $70.00
tomorrow if its nice out i will sink my teeth into this wood and start cutting. i have the whole day free to work on this. id like to make some good progress so i can verify some measurements to have the tempered glass cut. i know that takes awhile. maybe even a week. i dont want to place the order until im certain everything lines up the way i think it should