Large blocks of wood are subject to cracking. Definitely glue it up. If you use MDF it will certainly be heavy! You could also glue up a couple pieces of 2" butcher block, if you can find a reasonably priced source. I'd go with MDF and maybe some veneer, or body filler and a piano finish if that's more your style.
Not knowing the tooling you have available, a judiciously selected 2" x 6"-14' board could be ripped to 4", and crosscut to 20", and then glued face to face for 8 layers to achieve the desired dimensions. alternating white wood with something like Douglas fir would give you a little contrast in the layers.
Here we are able to buy sleepers used on the railway. Pretty big, big enough?
http://www.uksleepers.co.uk/product-catalogue/?gclid=COnkoqW3qZ0CFYNu4wodVCGnlA
http://www.uksleepers.co.uk/product-catalogue/?gclid=COnkoqW3qZ0CFYNu4wodVCGnlA
Creosote treated? Not a good smell in the family room
I would build a box with mitered corners (or veneer it) and fill it with some heavy ballast - sand, pebbles, lead shot, whatever.
I have a wood for you! This stuff is called Quebracho(SP?) It is an extremely high density tight grained wood that was once used in the manufacture of tannin. It is only found down here....it is used for firewood here for its high density & burning properties. You can allways tell if your working with this stuff as nails will penetrate only about 1/4"....& bend on you, it cannot be worked with hand tools and it weighs a ton! . It is used for railroad ties and fenceposts here for its resistance to the elements. It has a graining that rivals the likes of Walnut.
Wouldn't you know it, it is a slow growing wood that is being overharvested.
_______________________________________________________Rick..........
Wouldn't you know it, it is a slow growing wood that is being overharvested.
_______________________________________________________Rick..........
Creosote treated? Not a good smell in the family room
I would build a box with mitered corners (or veneer it) and fill it with some heavy ballast - sand, pebbles, lead shot, whatever.
No no! not treated with creosote, which as you say is very nasty stuff indeed! you can get new untreated oak sleepers and others too, have a look at the site.
SteveBuild a box with an open bottom the size and shape you like. People here are saying to fill the box with sand or concrete but an easier way to add mass is to go to the sporting goods store and buy a weight, the kind weight lifters attach to free weights. These come with a convenient hole drilled in the center. Attach the weight to the under side of the box with a bolt and washer.
Iron is more dense than concrete and cheaper than lead, plus that big hole in center makes it easy to mount to the underside of anything with just one bolt.
Iron is more dense than concrete and cheaper than lead, plus that big hole in center makes it easy to mount to the underside of anything with just one bolt.
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