Advantech Underlayment Board is Good Stuff . . .

[Steve Lee]

I have made some test baffles and am cutting surface mount holes for drivers with a jig saw using good quality blades and this stuff is very dense and rigid - harder to cut than any hardwoods I have used - zero voids.

I can also sand it very flat and smooth on the backside of this stuff such that it could take a veneer.

You guys should check it out next trip to the lumber store.

Unfortunately, it has more than DOUBLED in price per sheet since I bought my current stock just a year ago . . . (Don't get me started . . .).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Advantec...2405/202084475

[TNA]

You might search Advantech, there are a few other posts.

https://techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/tech-talk-forum/44271-advantech-for-cabinets

If you decide to veneer over Advantech, I suggest you add a layer of 6mm underlayment between the Advantech and the veneer. I have tried both methods.The veneer without the underlayment is not as smooth. If you leave a piece of the Advantech outdoors for awhile, it swells, which makes for an unstable veneer substrate.

[djg]

Veneer?

[Steve Lee]

Nah . . . Some Minwax Poly shades black - I like the way advantech looks . . . https://www.amazon.com/polyshades-bl...lyshades+black

[aarond]

Unfortunately, it has more than DOUBLED in price per sheet since I bought my current stock just a year ago . . . (Don't get me started .https://www.homedepot.com/p/Advantec...2405/202084475

What are you paying for what size of sheet? It doesn't look like HD has any available within 100 miles of me.

Can you shoot screws in the the edges and sides w/o an uncommon issues?

[Steve Lee]

aarond --> check this out --> https://sweets.construction.com/swts...935/821497.pdf


It is much stiffer/denser/moisture resistance than OSB or plywood and is pressed together using Poly Urethane as the primary bonding agent - very stable and less dusty to work with.

Last year I bought a 4' X 8' X 3/4" sheet for $32 from a nearby Lowes improvement center . . . now its $73 plus tax! https://www.lowes.com/pd/AdvanTech-F...4-x-8/50126556

The backside with the black stamping on it can be sanded glass-smooth and remove the lettering/stamping quickly with a random orbital sander.

Edge exposed baffle cuts with a view of the backs sanded clean/smooth -->

[Blenton]

No can do. Not available anywhere close to me. Ok, pretty much EVERYTHING is unavailable around me right now. Too many people not sitting at home pretending like the world is going to end if they think about going outside the neat little boxes they've been painted in to...

[Steve Lee]

^

I hate it guys - looks the world is changing back to the late 70'/80's . . .

[johnnyrichards]

^

I hate it guys - looks the world is changing back to the late 70'/80's . . .

I hope not - I don't know how much more union busting and "trickle down" the middle class can handle.

[tomzarbo]

Steve,

I kind of like the look of that stuff. It looks a little bit like the 'grain' structure of Hempwood.
I'm in the process of buying some of that for a baffle for a small two-way speaker. It resembles what you have in its physical look.

I'm wondering what happens when you try to do a driver recess in that stuff? Splinter city?

I like DJG's OSB cabinets too. I saw someone had made a cabinet out of OSB at one of the DIY Dayton get togethers a bunch of years back too.

TomZ

[Steve Lee]

I tested and posted my findings below, Sir.

[Steve Lee]

Tom - Getting the router speed and feed rate right will determine the quality of the cut but to your point about splintering, this stuff is not like OSB or cabinet grade plywood to work with at all.

How-about I go up to the shop tonight and run some 3/8" round-overs and 3/4" straight flute cuts in a test piece of Advantech and report back? (It's raining here now).

[Steve Lee]

I didn't get to the round overs but I did cut a rebate/recess like you would for flush mounting drivers - I did this with a 3/4" carbide straight flute bit on the router bench - it cuts like butter, low dust mostly small saw chips - not at all like MDF, zero splintering and very nice looking patterns to the material construction disclosed by the smooth cut:

[Steve Lee]

Don't be afraid to pick over the available stock at the store seeking interesting and finer grained pattern compositions in the material - here are some of my pieces awaiting employment in projects:

Blah1


Blah2


Blah3


Last Blah

[Steve Lee]

Coffee still has me up so I did a lot of router beveling of the driver holes and cabinet edges - none of this has been sanded - just routed and vacuumed/photos taken:

[Steve Lee]

Bevel2


Bevel3