"Cabinet Grade Particle Board"....where can I find it?

[John Pavlick]

I've never tried any of this "high-tech" stuff. Sounds interesting. In case
you want to do things the "old-fashioned" way (like me), here's how I built
my bench:

1. Standard 2x4 (wood) frame. Build it straight and square, and brace it
heavily (especially in the corners). I used the metal brackets made for deck
assembly to speed up assembly and help make everything square. You can find
these at Home Depot near the pressure treated lumber.

2. 3/4" plywood top. Glued and screwed to the frame.

3. A shelf made the same as the top (2x4's and 3/4" plywood) about 1' off
the floor. This strengthens the legs and makes the corner braces effective.

4. Paint it everywhere.

5. Install in final resting place and level and square the top.

6. Get a piece of 1/4 glass for the top. This in itself is not flat - it
will conform to the surface it is laying on. Shim until it is as close to
perfect as you can make it. You can use the little pads for glass table tops
available at a glass shop or Home Depot. Place them at 1' intervals, the
glass will not deflect over this short span.

7. To push pins in (they won't go through the glass) use a piece of
"Homasote" - this a construction material used between siding and sheathing
(Home Depot again). It is gray, about 1/2" thick and fairly light but it
holds pins very well.


This has worked nicely for me. I check the top surface before building but
so far I haven't had to adjust it since I built the bench two years ago. The
bench is in my basement but it's fairly dry. The nice part is that even if
the wood warps a little bit, I can always correct the top. This is probably
overkill but at least I know the reason my maneuvers aren't perfect is NOT
because of a twisted wing or fuselage.


John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com




> >
> > --- Mark Grabowski <MGrabowski at fmtinv.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Gents, I've seen references to using cabinet grade
> >> particle board for making
> >> very flat building surfaces. I'm assuming this isn't
> >> something I'll find at
> >> my local home depot. Any suggestions? (I'm in the
> >> Chicago suburbs)
> >>
> >> This is a solicitation for business and to be
> >> removed from our list please
> >> email at:
> >> mgrabowski at fmtinv.com <mailto:mgrabowski at fmtinv.com>
> >> Mark Grabowski
> >> Account Executive
> >> Ph: 630-515-4747
> >> Fax: 877-316-7401
>
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