Plywood VS Particleboard

neonut

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I've got a "working" Raystorm on location that got it's front kicked out when some douch broke into it. I'd like to use A grade plywood and cover it with sheet vinyl. 1) Where do I find some matte or semi matte vinyl, need about 36"x 30" 2) Will the wood texture show though, should I prep it with paint or varnish to seal it for a smoother finish ?
 
Www.thisoldgame.com sells black matte vinyl. Plywood will need a lot of finishing...any small imperfection will show through. I'd suggest using MDF because it will be the smoothest finish. Vinyl might adhere to it, but most cabs are prepped with polyurethane before vinyling.
 
If you want to reduce the prep work needed when applying vinyl use a thicker vinyl. The pica vinyl that happ sells is a lot thicker than the this old game stuff. It's textured though so it will not give an original look but it is more forgiving with regards to imperfections in the surface. You still have to paint or clear coat the surface though to give the vinyl a good surface to stick to.
 
I usually only use particle board for pieces that are being painted (like back doors/panels).

MDF is not as water resistant obviously, but it machines easier (more messy, but router bits run through it like butter) and really doesn't require prep to put vinyl on it.

Hell you can even just get black melamine. No vinyl required.
 
I am in the middle of this controversy right now. I chose to build my first 2 Nintendo cabaret cabs out of plywood, and even after 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint and one layer of vinyl, the plywood's wood grain is still discernible, as are any, and I mean any, imperfections. Dry spots, knots, football plugs, cracks, etc. Plus plywood tends to start crowning and bowing like a banana boat if not constantly weighted down by 1 metric ton of pressure per square inch. My next 2 will be built with particle board.

DSC00598.jpg
 
I am in the middle of this controversy right now. I chose to build my first 2 Nintendo cabaret cabs out of plywood, and even after 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint and one layer of vinyl, the plywood's wood grain is still discernible, as are any, and I mean any, imperfections. Dry spots, knots, football plugs, cracks, etc. Plus plywood tends to start crowning and bowing like a banana boat if not constantly weighted down by 1 metric ton of pressure per square inch. My next 2 will be built with particle board.

DSC00598.jpg

Glad you mention this. I think plywood is far superior to particle board in many ways, but...you're correct about the bowing. When I went to assemble my Missile Command cabaret cabinet (still not finished), something was off. The top panel didn't seem to fit right. It was because after attaching the bottom, then the front and lower rear panel to the sides...the upper 1/3s of the sides were not straight, like / /, but so slightly. I had to clamp it to my tablesaw to straighten it back out and glue/staple the top panel in while it was clamped square.

Anyways..when I start on a replica Quantum cabinet, I'm thinking that the plywood could be a bitch because of that.
 
I am in the middle of this controversy right now. I chose to build my first 2 Nintendo cabaret cabs out of plywood, and even after 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint and one layer of vinyl, the plywood's wood grain is still discernible, as are any, and I mean any, imperfections. Dry spots, knots, football plugs, cracks, etc. Plus plywood tends to start crowning and bowing like a banana boat if not constantly weighted down by 1 metric ton of pressure per square inch. My next 2 will be built with particle board.

You can pay a few dollars more per sheet and get the stain grade plywood and not have to deal with any knots or cracks. Actually, a few light and quick sanding is all that is needed before priming. I know $40 a sheet can seem like a lot but it makes all the difference in the world on the finished product.
 
That is what happens when you use cheap plywood. Get the cabinet grade plywood for projects like this.

If you can run your hands over the face of the plywood without worry of getting splinters, then you're on the right track.

I'd never use any kind of MDF/particle board to build a cabinet. Atari did it best, and as we know those cabinets are not only heavy, but relatively easy to damage and absorb water.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
My only question would be, how easy is it to router out the T-molding channels? I would think it would be a little more difficult with the layers.
 
I've been building a cabinet and I used some cabinet-grade plywood that was on sale at Home Depot for only $25 a sheet for 3/4" 4x8. I want to say it is probably equivalent to an A-B grade, but I'm guessing it is a birch on the faces. The grain isn't small/tight like an oak plywood would be (but also 1/3 the price...).

I sanded the sides even more with some 400 grit, then applied a few coats of Kilz primer and sanded in between each coat. Now after a a few coats of black latex paint I can't see any grain. Each coat of black I alternated the stroke direction of the brush, so that tended to "even" out the look, too. Overall I'm happy with it, but if I used a spray-gun I probably could have gotten an even smoother finish.

Anyway, I think the key in my case was the additional sanding and multiple coats of primer to help create a good base for the final color.
 
Since I'm "only" replacing the front coindoor panel, I think I'm going to go ahead and try some premium plywood for the front. This unit probably won't get broken into, but I'd rather build it as tough as possible. I've got two more that the "dealer" patched up a broken part board front on. I think it'll prevent a smash and run...
 
I learned after my first total rebuild that the wood makes a big difference. Don't get regular 3/4 ply, no matter how much you sand and prep it will never be up to standards. Spend the few extra bucks on cabinet grade and you are good to go. I will never use MDF or particle board because of weight and moisture problems. I have also never had a problem with routing the t-molding channel, as long as you have a good bit you shouldn't get any chipping between layers.

Even cabs that were originally particle I remake with cabinet grade. It is just so much nicer and a lot less to worry about in the future. I figure since I rebuilt the whole cab it's not original anyways so might as well do it right and in a way that makes me happy.
 
My only question would be, how easy is it to router out the T-molding channels? I would think it would be a little more difficult with the layers.

It's not, the router cuts through them like butter still. I'm building a cabaret right now and used ply wood.
 
I tend to use whatever the original part was that i'm recreating as the base material.. More a matter of keeping it as close to OEM specs as I can.. If it's made of MDF so what really, it's not like the thing will be going outside in the rain after it's restored, or beaten up in a real arcade again.

However, the quality of the material you start with will show in the final result every time. Go with A grade cabinet plywood where plywood is needed, use a nice building primer from your local auto parts store and with a tiny bit of patience you can get every hint of woodgrain out.
 
I tend to use whatever the original part was that i'm recreating as the base material.. More a matter of keeping it as close to OEM specs as I can.. If it's made of MDF so what really, it's not like the thing will be going outside in the rain after it's restored, or beaten up in a real arcade again.

However, the quality of the material you start with will show in the final result every time. Go with A grade cabinet plywood where plywood is needed, use a nice building primer from your local auto parts store and with a tiny bit of patience you can get every hint of woodgrain out.

I will have to locate this A grade plywood. Currently, I am buying the best quality plywood that my local lumberyard sells, "one side sanded". Must be B- quality. It's worked out pretty well so far but there is definitely a hint of the woodgrain still perceptible in the finished product. It still looks awesome though, and without having seen your scratch built Qbert and Taito cabs from a few years back, I never would have been inspired to scratch-build anything. Good to have you back.
 
Another thing about original materials and MDF - Compared to the original build, you can add some extra protection, although I don't know how much of a difference it will make. Zinsser Bullseye Sealcoat is used in woodworking as a sanding sealer. MDF will soak up the first few coats of this, then I use a regular primer. Doing this, especially at the ends, would seem to add another layer of moisture/humidity protection as it wouldn't be 'as' porous.

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Not sure if this will be of any help to you guys but I do sales for a large plywood corporation here in Canada and we recently started carrying plywood with black melamine or both sides and with raw MDF on both sides as well. This is a happy medium to what your guys are after. I'm also sure it's available in the US as the manufacturer is PLUM CREEK. Product is called Ultra Core for those interested.
 
Not sure if this will be of any help to you guys but I do sales for a large plywood corporation here in Canada and we recently started carrying plywood with black melamine or both sides and with raw MDF on both sides as well. This is a happy medium to what your guys are after. I'm also sure it's available in the US as the manufacturer is PLUM CREEK. Product is called Ultra Core for those interested.

Awesome. Does it come in 1/2 or 5/8" thicknesses? If so, I may have to try a sheet of it.
 
I know 5/8" definitely, 1/2" I'm not so sure. We don't stock it but that's not to say the mill won't make it. A lot of my store fixture customers use it In lieu of particle board and laminate and the response has been good. Cuts nice, doesn't chip and it's well balanced.best of all the tolerances are something like 0.01 percent.
 
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