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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 6:43 pm 
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Joined: May 14, 2013, 1:05 pm
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I just started my project, and ran into something I didn't expect: nobody in my area that sells wood sheets seems to know what "block board" is. The book calls for it to provide a surface to tack weld on, but is there an alternative I could use or something? Maybe another term for it?


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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 6:56 pm 
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If you find block board that size, I bet it'll be very expensive. Just use multiple layers of either plywood or particle board.

Better yet, do what others have done and have two layers of wood separated by ribbing. The result will be way stiffer than one layer of block board.

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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 7:09 pm 
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That sounds like a good idea. When you refer to ribbing, do you mean 2x4s?


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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 7:28 pm 
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Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
2x4s or metal studs

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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 7:30 pm 
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Mid-Engined Maniac

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I used 2 x 6 wood, but unless you can keep them really flat, I agree with going with metal studs instead, get the 2 x 6 ones if you can find them. The wider they are, the more stiff the overall assembly.

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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 7:45 pm 
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Joined: July 27, 2013, 3:16 pm
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Location: Cedar City UT
to give you maybe a different idea i may add a pic of my surface "table" that i used for years;

Image

i never liked the limited access of a "closed top" surface table
so i welded together a solid substructure (on 6 adjustable legs)
and added two EXACTLY parallel, square and level 2x3 steel tubings on top of it
(welded in place with many very short welds to keep it from bowing)
this allowed me to lay sections of 2x2`s across it wherever i needed them (sometimes i tac-welded them in place)

probably overkill for a "one off" built :ack: :roll:
... but it was nice to build all kinds of different sized (and wheelbased) cars :wink:

btw;
not in the picture is the rotary laser i had hanging on the front wall to give me a exact center line :o

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PostPosted: February 5, 2014, 11:58 pm 
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Location: British Columbia, Canada
Check your local hardware store for sheets of MDF (medium density fiberboard). It is super smooth and flat, and easy to draw your chassis tubes on. Just make sure to support it with some ribs (2X4's, etc.) and make sure it is in a dry area, as heavy moisture (rain, etc.) will make it swell.

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PostPosted: February 6, 2014, 5:50 pm 
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Joined: September 30, 2011, 4:08 pm
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Location: Portland, OR
RoosterBooster wrote:
to give you maybe a different idea i may add a pic of my surface "table" that i used for years;


I second this - a fellow builder gave me the idea of using pallet racks as a table and I dig it and recommend it a lot. reasonable, adjustable and I love being able to tack the frame or related things to it in a pinch.

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