Main > Woodworking
Advice on which type of wood to use?
ScottS:
Plywood, due to its construction, is far more stable than solid wood. So in that sense it shouldn't be a problem. Hard for me to believe that you're seeing single-digit humidity unless you live in a desert. Even then, you should be fine as long as the wood is acclimated to your conditions before you start building. If you get huge seasonal swings in humidity, that may be rough but it can be dealt with.
Using an oil-based product doesn't add any moisture to the wood. Even a water-based product doesn't really add any moisture to the wood. Once the finish is cured, it's done; you don't have to do anything else with it.
FYI, most stains are oil-based unless they specifically say that they're water-based. Water-based products dry so quickly that they're difficult to work with. Which makes them especially difficult for stains, where you typically wipe the stain on, wait, then wipe off. If you're using maple, I would try to avoid staining entirely! I'd try to find an oil-based clearcoat and use that. The oil is amber in color and thus will give the maple and amber tint. You can use TransTint dyes to change the color of the clearcoat. Adding dye to a clearcoat creates something called a "toner". You might do this as the first coat, or first and second, then cover it with the clearcoat.
Unfortunately, one of the downsides to an oil-based clearcoat is that it takes forever to dry. And while it's drying any bit of dust, hair, or junk that touches it will end up embedded in your finish! If your workshop is dusty, like mine, you may find that a brushing an oil clearcoat onto your cabinet is tricky business. Wipe-on finishes dry much faster, but require more coats to build up the same level of coverage. Water-based products also dry very quickly. Sadly, this means that they're more susceptible to brush marks. And they often add an unpleasant blue- or gray-ish cast to the wood.
Whatever you do make sure you experiment with the stains, dyes, and clearcoats you plan to use on pieces of scrap wood before you start on your cabinet! Do to the scrap wood exactly what you're planning to do to the cabinet. If it turns out looking like crap, you've only ruined a piece of scrap not the cabinet you've spent days or weeks building!
steveh:
--- Quote from: Bremil on January 07, 2007, 12:41:55 pm ---This is the cabinet that has inspired me: http://netbox.home.mindspring.com/arcade/
He says he used oak plywood and solid oak. I don't know how expensive that is, but I love the look. It looks like it belongs in a living room, which is where mine will be. :)
--- End quote ---
I am not impressed by the way that cab looks. Knievel's Woody is a much better looking unit.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55789.0
clockwork:
--- Quote ---I am not impressed by the way that cab looks. Knievel's Woody is a much better looking unit.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=55789.0
--- End quote ---
I still prefer the one I linked. Looks better for a contemporary living room like mine. The Woody reminds me of the 70s for some reason, and I don't want to be reminded of the 70s. :P
His Neon machine looks very cool, though.
NiteWalker:
Oak plywood is $44 a sheet at Lowe's and worth it. Very usable stuff. If you want anything nicer the prices jump into the $60+ range and have to be special ordered from a lumberyard.
ScottS:
--- Quote from: NiteWalker on January 10, 2007, 01:48:02 pm ---Oak plywood is $44 a sheet at Lowe's and worth it. Very usable stuff. If you want anything nicer the prices jump into the $60+ range and have to be special ordered from a lumberyard.
--- End quote ---
Let me caution against this, for two reasons:
1) The plywood I've purchased from Lowe's and Home Depot is often in bad shape. The corners have dings, the sheets are warped, the interior is full of voids, the backs are full of knots, etc.
2) Cheap plywood usually has a veneer face that's "rotary sliced" (read: ugly crap). If you want something that looks like real wood a "plain sliced" (a.k.a. plain sawn) veneer is the way to go.
I typically buy ply from a place that sell to local custom cabinet shops. All they do is plywood! I pay around $60-65/sheet for red oak plywood, but the sheets are flat, there are minimal voids, and the veneer is plain sliced. For me, the increase in quality is worth the additional cost.