I have been reading a lot for the past couple of months and thought I would finally post something since I actually finished building something. Haven't really felt the need to even ask any questions because for the most part the answers for a beginner are here already.
I hunted down all the information I could find posted and using ideas from a lot of people set out on the quest today to get the materials and build a tuning board now that I had the NPWDRL tuning board graphic.
The goal was a tuning board that would be used on a tabletop or floor that would be compact and easy to put away or hide when not in use. Simple and not very elaborate. Building it flat to keep it compact with the plan to stick something underneath for slope elevation when using it.
The original plan was to use melanine as a base sitting on edge strips with with pine boards for the sides and topped with glass. My friend who was helping me and my woodworking expert and I set off to Home Depot to pick up the items. Dissapointed with what was available we left with only the pine for the sides. Off to Lowes a 1/2 mile away. Still dissappointed with what was available we decided to use a 24" hardboard door slab for the base.
The finished product turned out pretty good and I am much happier having used the door slab. We trimmed the door slab off to 6ft and cut a new board and glued/nailed it in for an new base to secure the pine side to where it was hollow from the cut. Trimmed the pine wood boards off to have them 1" above the door slab base and glass, then mounted flush with the bottom of the door slab. Used a radius plane to give the sides a nice smooth rounded edge. He had a sheet of glass we used for the top that he cut to fit. He is a glazier by trade. He used a clear adhesive caulk around the edges to keep it in place. He said it is what they use when mounting glass in cabinet doors and things like that. He offered to do mitered corners but I passed and said let's keep it simple and just put the sides on square.
It ended up 2 5/8" thick overall. The edges are 1" above the glass. It is very light with the door as the base. The thickness of the door also makes it very stable with no flex. The glass top gives it most of the weight. It looks very nice. Even using budget pine for the sides.
Cost was reasonable. $19 for the door, $13 for the pine used for the sides. My friend donated the glass, the adhesive, his time, garage, expertise, and tools. There was an additional cost for a late lunch for him, his daughter, my son and myself. Plus the cost of the NPWDRL tuning board graphic. Of course being a friend he would accept no payment for his materials or help. But eventually I will get to return the favor.
As I get time I hope to post a picture of it.
I will give out a general big thanks to all contributors to tuning board topics. My final product was based off the input from those discussions from many people. It is a hybrid of that input which worked best for me.
Now that I have the tuning board finished I have to start building a car. I am planning to name that car "Plagiarized". The name is based off the reasoning it will be built based off other peoples research and development, not mine. I will utilize mostly parts purchased from DerbyDad and prep them using his process and supplies. After that I plan to start experimenting some and will rename the car as I try some of my own tweaks in the future.
Ken
I hunted down all the information I could find posted and using ideas from a lot of people set out on the quest today to get the materials and build a tuning board now that I had the NPWDRL tuning board graphic.
The goal was a tuning board that would be used on a tabletop or floor that would be compact and easy to put away or hide when not in use. Simple and not very elaborate. Building it flat to keep it compact with the plan to stick something underneath for slope elevation when using it.
The original plan was to use melanine as a base sitting on edge strips with with pine boards for the sides and topped with glass. My friend who was helping me and my woodworking expert and I set off to Home Depot to pick up the items. Dissapointed with what was available we left with only the pine for the sides. Off to Lowes a 1/2 mile away. Still dissappointed with what was available we decided to use a 24" hardboard door slab for the base.
The finished product turned out pretty good and I am much happier having used the door slab. We trimmed the door slab off to 6ft and cut a new board and glued/nailed it in for an new base to secure the pine side to where it was hollow from the cut. Trimmed the pine wood boards off to have them 1" above the door slab base and glass, then mounted flush with the bottom of the door slab. Used a radius plane to give the sides a nice smooth rounded edge. He had a sheet of glass we used for the top that he cut to fit. He is a glazier by trade. He used a clear adhesive caulk around the edges to keep it in place. He said it is what they use when mounting glass in cabinet doors and things like that. He offered to do mitered corners but I passed and said let's keep it simple and just put the sides on square.
It ended up 2 5/8" thick overall. The edges are 1" above the glass. It is very light with the door as the base. The thickness of the door also makes it very stable with no flex. The glass top gives it most of the weight. It looks very nice. Even using budget pine for the sides.
Cost was reasonable. $19 for the door, $13 for the pine used for the sides. My friend donated the glass, the adhesive, his time, garage, expertise, and tools. There was an additional cost for a late lunch for him, his daughter, my son and myself. Plus the cost of the NPWDRL tuning board graphic. Of course being a friend he would accept no payment for his materials or help. But eventually I will get to return the favor.
As I get time I hope to post a picture of it.
I will give out a general big thanks to all contributors to tuning board topics. My final product was based off the input from those discussions from many people. It is a hybrid of that input which worked best for me.
Now that I have the tuning board finished I have to start building a car. I am planning to name that car "Plagiarized". The name is based off the reasoning it will be built based off other peoples research and development, not mine. I will utilize mostly parts purchased from DerbyDad and prep them using his process and supplies. After that I plan to start experimenting some and will rename the car as I try some of my own tweaks in the future.
Ken
