There was plenty of MDF and its immediate precursors around in the
1930s.OK, so the thick stuff wasn't the same density and the dense stuff was only thin, but "glued up rendered fibre boards" were certainly prominent, if not actually common.
Sorry but MDF was introduced in either the 50's or 60's? I read an artical somewhere on the web about its first manufacture.
oop's 20 years out. :-(
I like maple, but it will burn on you if you're not careful, and it is very hard. That's not to discourage you- it's a very nice wood, and good to work with once you get used to how it wants to be cut and shaped. Avoid stains with it, though- it gets blotchy very easily. Leaving it blonde and polishing is beautiful.
Cedar is difficult for a number of reasons- while it can be very pretty and smell great, there is an acid in the wood that can harm you after prolonged contact with the dust (just make sure you wear a mask) and it has an annoying ability to eat through a lot of finishes. Again, not to discourage you- just make sure you do a little research first on that one. Personally, I only use it for outdoor applications, where the water-resistance makes it particularly useful.
Seeing that you're in Austrailia, I think I'd be using lacewood (they might call it silky oak) like a fiend. Stunning stuff, and it grows in your neck of the woods. Sort of looks like african mahogany with a pattern like snakeskin- and it's superb to work with.
And to answer your first question, of course box-making is a great place to start- a cabinet is really just a big fancy box when you get right down to it.
Good luck, and have fun!
I shall go looking for Silky Oak. Thanks Prometheus !
Wayne,............I would suggest that you become proficient in two skills. Making simple boxes in mdf and secondly learning to apply veneers. Dont forget to put a balancing veneer on the back and get a book on veneering..its quite easy on small items like radios and you can get very striking effects.
Most cabinets in those days were made in this way and the process still applies for speaker cabinets today. Solid timber is likely to warp and crack with the heat geneated from old radios. You dont need many tools and your router and mitre saw are a good start.
Try some small boxes first with glued mitre joints.
and the best of luck.
Bob Smith wrote: Well, he actually wrote nothing i guess...
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