Plywood and plexi and molding oh my!

[Numbski]

This should be simple, but it isn't - sorry.

Okay, so I'm rebuilding my control panel.  Again.  Last time I did this wrong, and I want to do it right this time.

What thickness of each do I use?  I remember seeing that 3/4 plywood is really something less than 3/4, so if I use 3/4" plywood, and 1/8" plexi, and use 3/4" T-molding, I wind up with plexi that sticks out the top about 1/16" or a little more.

I want to do one of two thing:

1:  Have the T-molding fully cover both the wood and the plexi edges (I've seen some REALLY nice panels done this way).
2:  Have the T-molding fully cover the wood, and then either partially or not at all cover the plexi, and then take a roundover router bit and round the corners.

I can't do the second now, because 1/16" isn't enough to work with, and I was really going for the first.  So how do I do this?

[javeryh]

3.  Offset the slot so the t-molding will cover the plexi and all but 3/32" or so of the plywood (i.e. cut the slot above the centerline of the plywood).  Then use a beveling bit (NOT a roundover bit) on the bottom of the plywood set to 3/32" or whatever isn't covered.  Paint the bottom of the plywood black.  No one will ever know that the t-molding doesn't actually cover the entire edge.

[Numbski]

So I'm right then?  3/4" plywood, 1/8" plexi, and 3/4" T-Molding?

[Franco B]

Yeah, your right.

Here's a pic from mountain from a similar thread.

Here is a shot I took when I was building my control panel. i used 3/4" MDF so I had to bevel the bottom edge. You can't even tell it is done this way unless you bend down and look up at it.

[AtomSmasher]

So I'm right then?  3/4" plywood, 1/8" plexi, and 3/4" T-Molding?

Or you can do it the way it says in the Project Arcade book (which is the way I did it) and use 5/8'' plywood, so the total of the plywood and plexi is 3/4'' making it the perfect size for the t-molding.

[javeryh]

So I'm right then?  3/4" plywood, 1/8" plexi, and 3/4" T-Molding?

Or you can do it the way it says in the Project Arcade book (which is the way I did it) and use 5/8'' plywood, so the total of the plywood and plexi is 3/4'' making it the perfect size for the t-molding.

True but 5/8" plywood is hard to come by for some people.  It's especially hard to come by in MDF form - I've never seen it and I've looked quite a bit.

[AtomSmasher]

So I'm right then?  3/4" plywood, 1/8" plexi, and 3/4" T-Molding?

Or you can do it the way it says in the Project Arcade book (which is the way I did it) and use 5/8'' plywood, so the total of the plywood and plexi is 3/4'' making it the perfect size for the t-molding.

True but 5/8" plywood is hard to come by for some people.  It's especially hard to come by in MDF form - I've never seen it and I've looked quite a bit.

I had no problem finding 5/8'' MDF and plywood at both my local Lowes and Home Depot when I did my projects.  Maybe it's a regional thing 

[javeryh]

So I'm right then?  3/4" plywood, 1/8" plexi, and 3/4" T-Molding?

Or you can do it the way it says in the Project Arcade book (which is the way I did it) and use 5/8'' plywood, so the total of the plywood and plexi is 3/4'' making it the perfect size for the t-molding.

True but 5/8" plywood is hard to come by for some people.  It's especially hard to come by in MDF form - I've never seen it and I've looked quite a bit.

I had no problem finding 5/8'' MDF and plywood at both my local Lowes and Home Depot when I did my projects.  Maybe it's a regional thing 

I think it is regional - everywhere I asked said they could special order it but at some crazy price.