The 5/8" myth

[clockwork]

Do I have to visit a lumber yard to get 5/8" MDF? My local home depot only has 1/2" and 3/4". In fact, I couldn't find any woods in 5/8". Unfortunately, all the lumber yards near me have closed down.

[NiteWalker]

I had to go to a local lumberyard and have some 5/8" ordered. Both Home Depot and Lowes only have 3/4" and 1/2" here also.

[fjl]

What are you doing that requires MDF that thick? 3/4" I think should be plenty strong for whatever you are doing.

[lordtodd75]

Uh 5/8" is thinner then 3/4".... Did I miss something??? 

[somunny]

It definitely seems to be hit-and-miss when it comes to finding 5/8" at HD and Lowe's.  Of the two ares I've lived in recently (San Francisco, Scottsdale), both have had 5/8" in stock at the major stores.

[ScottS]

5/8" lumber is difficult to find. Custom cabinet builders are probably the only people who use it regularly... and even they seem to be moving away from it. There's a lumber yard in my area that caters to cabinet makers; they probably have 100 different kinds of plywood in stock! Even they don't have much in the way of 5/8" material, though they're happy to special-order it for you.

If I were you, I'd switch to 3/4" plywood or MDO. Your cabinet will end up lighter and stronger than 5/8" MDF, plus you won't have to deal with the fact that everything under the sun is designed with 3/4" in mind.

[NiteWalker]

What are you doing that requires MDF that thick? 3/4" I think should be plenty strong for whatever you are doing.

58" MDF + 1/8" polycarbonate/acrylic overlay = 3/4". It widens your options for using t-molding as there are more colors in the 3/4" thickness than any other size. Having the plexi flush with the t-molding makes for a very professional looking panel.

Here's an example:

[clockwork]

Thanks for the info. Since 5/8" is hard to come by, I'll probably use 3/4". What should I do about finishing it? With the plexiglass it'd be 7/8". Would that cause problems?

[johnperkins21]

Would it be easier to find a planer big enough for your cp pieces?

[Chris]

I used shelving from Home Depot.  I'll bet if you look in the utility shelving area you'll find a piece of 5/8" MDF that's meant for use as a garage shelf.

[NiteWalker]

3/4" is fine too; you'll just have to get creative about finishing the edges. The best thing to do probably, is to round over or chamfer the plexi overlay. If you use mamemarquees to print your control panel and get the polycarbonate covering you can still use 3/4" MDF and it'll come out fine with 3/4" t-molding.

Here's a panel rounded over:


And here's one chamfered:


Alternatively, if you don't mind black, you can get 7/8" t-molding.

[clockwork]

Very nice, NiteWalker. Would I use a router to edge that?

I'll look in shelving next time I'm at Home Depot.

[NiteWalker]

Yep. A router and a chamfer bit or a roundover bit depending on the desired effect.

[fjl]

Uh 5/8" is thinner then 3/4".... Did I miss something??? 

Oops

[clockwork]

Quite actually, the way I work, I probably do need something more than 3/4". 

[fjl]

1/2" MDF seems plenty strong for small stuff like the Speaker holder part of the wood and perhaps even then CP. Although, I wouldn't risk it as the CP. For that I plan to use 3/4"

3/4" seems plenty strong for just about anything else. Although, I plan to use plywood for the bottom part of my cab since plywood is stronger and it'll need it so the casters don't break the wood.

[leapinlew]

3/4" is fine too; you'll just have to get creative about finishing the edges. The best thing to do probably, is to round over or chamfer the plexi overlay. If you use mamemarquees to print your control panel and get the polycarbonate covering you can still use 3/4" MDF and it'll come out fine with 3/4" t-molding.

Here's a panel rounded over:


And here's one chamfered:


Alternatively, if you don't mind black, you can get 7/8" t-molding.

Great information Nite!

I've done both methods. I've done a chamfered plexi and I've done the 5/8ths with 1/8th plexi. The results were nice both ways.

as for the 5/8ths.... I had to buy a full sheet of plywood. lol. It turned out to be useful for building shelving inside the cabinet, creating the back, and creating supports for inside the cabinet. So, it wasn't a waste. The chamfer bit is also good to use around the trackball if you don't have a high-lip model. Here is a pic of the chamfer around the trackball:

[Dervacumen]

Do I have to visit a lumber yard to get 5/8" MDF? My local home depot only has 1/2" and 3/4". In fact, I couldn't find any woods in 5/8". Unfortunately, all the lumber yards near me have closed down.

I was only able to find mine at the lumber yard.  Alternately just swing by any custom cabinet shop.  I'll bet they have a piece laying around they would be willing to part with for a decent price.  Especially if you tell them what you are going to use it for.  For some reason explaining that you're building a full sized coin operated video game makes people want to help you.  Heh.

[Tahnok]

While the subject is up, any particular reason everyone chamfers outside the little black ring around the trackball? I just built a panel with 1/4" thick plexi, chamfered at a 45 degree angle right around the trackball. I've not hooked it to the encoder yet, but it sure seems to work well and feel good. Some may not like the 1/4" thick plexi, as it recesses the trackball quite a bit though.

Sorry about the quality of the picture, it's off my phone.

Edit: I was also considering putting my plexi above the t-molding and chamfering it down, until I realized that a lot of bad conversions just put the plexi on top. The chamfering would probably make it look a bit better, but still...

[clockwork]

I like the bevel around your trackball, Lew. Looks nice. Tahnok, yours look nice too, but yeah, that's quite recessed. Isn't that a bit hard to play on?

[Tahnok]

I like the bevel around your trackball, Lew. Looks nice. Tahnok, yours look nice too, but yeah, that's quite recessed. Isn't that a bit hard to play on?

It actually works really well for retro games, which is what it was designed for. It's easy to just use either your thumb or fingertips. Not to mention that the entire area around it glows like crazy due to the light leaking into the bezel. Golf and bowling games don't really work well with it though, since it's really the opposite of what you need for those (a high lip ball).

[SavannahLion]

It definitely seems to be hit-and-miss when it comes to finding 5/8" at HD and Lowe's.

It's a little late since the discussion has gone off. But...

You can reduce your search a bit at Home Depot.

Go to your Special Services Department at home Depot. The name has probably changed to Special Orders, Customer Orders or Customer Services. The lumber desk might have employees that know how to do this, but I wouldn't bank on it.

If you find they don't have 5/8 sheets in the actual store. Ask the desk to do a store search for the 5/8 sheets. This might entail actually having a SKU (a six digit number attached to all product in the form of ###-###). All Home Depots have the ability to look up other stores inventory. By default, the search algorithm can search inventory of six or so of the nearest stores. But you can search specific stores within the region (I never tried searching outside the region) by putting in the store number.

If they tell you they can't look up another stores inventory, they're full of ---Cleveland steamer---. As long as you have the SKU and know the store number within the region you want to search, it can be done. Call a manager at that point.

If they tell you it's a special order item only, that's partly true. But they're still full of ---Cleveland steamer---. The store I used to work at 5/8 anything was special order, but the Home Depot across the highway (a ten minute drive) carried an entire inventory of 5/8 boards. They just want to get the extra money for their sales quota.

Bear in mind that the inventory count between stores isn't updated live. Worst case scenario is that stock numbers were as of midnight. Best case, counts were two or three hours old. But I have serious doubts there's such a huge demand on 5/8 boards that that would be a huge issue.

90% of the people you encounter won't know how to do that kind of search or won't want to do that kind of search.

Lowes has the same ability, but I don't know the extent of their search routine.

[ChadTower]

The problem with Home Depot and Lowes is that you generally get wood that looks like it has been stored in a steam room.  It's not woodworker's quality wood, not close, not even close to being able to see close.  Spend a half hour on the phone trying to find a lumber store that caters to woodworkers in your area.  Your cabinet will thank you later.

[SavannahLion]

Yeah, good point about that.

OK, forget everything I wrote.

[NiteWalker]

Normally I'd agree that borg woods are shop grade at best, but projects that are to be painted or plastic laminated I don't see the need to spend $70 for a sheet of cabinet grade plywood. A $20 sheet of MDF or if strength is important a $45 sheet of oak plywood would be perfect for such projects. I haven't had many issues with S4S lember from lowes either.

The thing about MDF is that it's likely to be the same whether you get it from the borg or a lumber yard. By it's nature it is already manufactured to strict tolerances. Also, don't let the lumberyards fool you either, a lot of them sell the same china ply the borgs do.

My whole point is to get what the project calls for but nothing more.

[ChadTower]

The last few sheets of ply I bought from Home Depot were so warped that my kids were using them as Hot Wheels ramps and they were laying flat on the ground.

[leapinlew]

The last few sheets of ply I bought from Home Depot were so warped

Chad - some of us wouldn't have paid for wood that warped. 

[ChadTower]

It was for shed floor reinforcement... didn't matter for that particular task and it was all that was available at that moment.