Best wood for building signs

[GodSend25]

Ive been looking for a penny arcade or games room sign for quite some time, and there only seems to be 1 guy on ebay who sells them for way to much (in my opinion).

http://cgi6.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=bvillesigns&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

I could easily make the sam product for well under 1/2 the price.  I had previously planned to use 1/2' MDF then recalled that the edges of MDF just soak up paint look terrible.

What wood would you guys suggest?  I will be routing the edges, and painting it was well...

[whammoed]

If you end up with mdf, I have seen people coat the edge with wood putty and then sand it before painting.  Otherwise I don't know.

[old school gamer]

I had previously planned to use 1/2' MDF then recalled that the edges of MDF just soak up paint look terrible.

What wood would you guys suggest?  I will be routing the edges, and painting it was well...

                                                                                                                                 

MDF is fine for this project,and many other things. You do not want to use MDF on anything that will be outside or in a humid environment. The edges of MDF and all of the MDF will soak up paint if you dont apply a primer coat. Primer MUST be used on all areas of MDF. ANd DO NOT USE WATER BASED PRIMER ON MDF. It will make the wood expand. Check my web site,I have lots of pics of the construction of my cab ,using MDF. If your against using MDF ....Grade 1 or A Pine works nicely,just try to get a piece without to many knots in it.


Edit: fixed quotation

[Tailgunner]

Poplar would be my choice.

[DrewKaree]

Poplar would be my choice.

Poplar needs care to avoid blotching if you're staining.

[Tailgunner]

Poplar needs care to avoid blotching if you're staining.

True, but it paints better than just about any common hardwood. Godsend25 stated he'll be painting his sign(s), hence my suggestion.  

[NiN^_^NiN]

This might sound stupid but i worked out on how to make a glowing blue sign for very cheap.

You remember that angel eye's mod the 1 u see on BMW lights and all that.

well it got me thinking and i did a little test run last night.

I used a CD case plastic use some BLACK contact paper and cut the pattern out on the contact paper.

so u basiclly see slack with a seethrough plastic.

then i got my neon light from the car turned the lights out covered the thing up and pointed the blue light ontop of the plastic so the light shined through the plastic.

What happened? nothing thats where the ANGEL EYE mod comes in.

there is nothing to reflect the blue light in the plastic so i quickly sanded the back of the plastic so it was rough and it looked like it was frosty cause it wasnt as clear seethrough now.

So i put the light on it again and WALLA the plastic was glowing BLUE

SO what am i trying to do?

Well if u get a sheet of plexiglass then cut your patten out on the black contact the attach it to the plastic.

you will get your cool light

I found that using an electric sander makes the great reflective pattern

But the wirebrush on the drill make the pattern very interesting

so u do that then u build a wooden box around the plexi so light ONLY shines directly through the plexi. then u hang it up and your done

I'll attach a image on what im saying so u get what i mean its crappy looking tho