Swingman wrote:
> "# Fred #" wrote in message
>
> > I'm in the kitchen show room looking at cabinets but how can you tell if
> the
> > box construction is plywood or particleboard when both has a nice veneer
> and
> > the edges are not visible?
>
> You can ask, but looking at the back edges of side panels and partitions
> will usually allow you to see the un-veneered material.
>
> IME, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the manufactured cabinet
> business who bothers to veneer the back edges of panels that will never be
> seen.
>
If you can't get to the back of the cabinet, see if shelf holes were
used. Most 32 mm sytems will drill holes which aren't always used.
With a $ 375.00 flashlight *G*, you will be able to peek inside the
hole and see if it is PC or ply.
Knocking on it with your knuckle will tell the difference too, but you
have to know what the different sounds are. PC is a much duller thud..
plywood often has a bit of a 'ring' to it..subtle as the 'b' in the
word subtle.
Also, where the cabinet hangs over the kick, feel underneath ...the
gable bottom...nobody edgebands down there.
<[email protected]> writes:
>I may be old fashion. I still use sound as a non-destructive test. If I
>knock with my knuckles or a mallet first on particleboard then on plywood,
>the responding echo is not the same. Once my ears are tuned to the sound of
>particleboard, plywood with soft and hardwood core and solid wood I can then
>make up the difference. This is more so when there are voids in plywood
>core or fibreglass. This approach is still in use when surveying boats.
>Some pro are using a Mechanics listening tool (Stethoscope).
>To be 100% sure a destructive test is the best. Some have a core drill to
>extract a carrot sample and to look at it. When lots of money is involved
>its worth doing... The hole (may be about ¼ ID) can always be filled with
>an appropriate plug.
Someone may already have drilled some holes in the thing. Look around
screw holes or hinge holes and see if enough of the core is exposed
anywhere that you can tell what is inside it. The canibinet has to have
some hinges on it somewhere!
I may be old fashion. I still use sound as a non-destructive test. If I
knock with my knuckles or a mallet first on particleboard then on plywood,
the responding echo is not the same. Once my ears are tuned to the sound of
particleboard, plywood with soft and hardwood core and solid wood I can then
make up the difference. This is more so when there are voids in plywood
core or fibreglass. This approach is still in use when surveying boats.
Some pro are using a Mechanics listening tool (Stethoscope).
To be 100% sure a destructive test is the best. Some have a core drill to
extract a carrot sample and to look at it. When lots of money is involved
its worth doing... The hole (may be about ¼ ID) can always be filled with
an appropriate plug.
"# Fred #" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "# Fred #" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> I'm in the kitchen show room looking at cabinets but how can you tell if
>>> the box construction is plywood or particleboard when both has a nice
>>> veneer and the edges are not visible?
>>
>> Hole saw and cordless drill.
>>
>
> And I'll end up buying the display units. LOL!
>
"# Fred #" wrote in message
> I'm in the kitchen show room looking at cabinets but how can you tell if
the
> box construction is plywood or particleboard when both has a nice veneer
and
> the edges are not visible?
You can ask, but looking at the back edges of side panels and partitions
will usually allow you to see the un-veneered material.
IME, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the manufactured cabinet
business who bothers to veneer the back edges of panels that will never be
seen.
YMMV ...
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/06/07
"# Fred #" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm in the kitchen show room looking at cabinets but how can you tell if
> the box construction is plywood or particleboard when both has a nice
> veneer and the edges are not visible?
Hole saw and cordless drill.
> Someone may already have drilled some holes in the thing. Look around
> screw holes or hinge holes and see if enough of the core is exposed
> anywhere that you can tell what is inside it. The canibinet has to have
> some hinges on it somewhere!
>
Bingo, big European hinge holes! Now only if have an invisible cordless
screw gun.
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "# Fred #" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I'm in the kitchen show room looking at cabinets but how can you tell if
>> the box construction is plywood or particleboard when both has a nice
>> veneer and the edges are not visible?
>
> Hole saw and cordless drill.
>
And I'll end up buying the display units. LOL!
On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:33:26 -0800, "# Fred #" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>> Someone may already have drilled some holes in the thing. Look around
>> screw holes or hinge holes and see if enough of the core is exposed
>> anywhere that you can tell what is inside it. The canibinet has to have
>> some hinges on it somewhere!
>>
>
>Bingo, big European hinge holes! Now only if have an invisible cordless
>screw gun.
I always have such on my person. It's called a "Swiss Army Knife",
the "Cybertool" version. Not quite invisible, but definitely up to
the task of pulling a screw to examine the construction.