kargo

BBailey711

It is if you brush it on with globs and don't have anything heavy enough to ROLL it flat with. Contact Cement has different Viscosities. I would put it down with the flattest mat painting roller that you can buy, or buy a cheap Air Painting Gun and use that. Most Contact Cement you have a little leeway to add thinner. That's an interesting concept you came up with. I would have gone another way. I would have built the top from 1/2 in A/C Plywood, then laminated it to what they call 3/4 in "Sign Board". It is a very very hard and straight board with a 1/4 in of laminated hard material. It will last pretty much forever as long as you never get it soaking wet or store it in high Humidity area for very long periods of time. Mine has been perfectly straight for over 25 years. Then I would have bought a heavier gauge metal. Over time as you work on 16ga and you drop tool or whatever, the metal dents and gets ridges. Now if you bought a piece of 36 in long round stock about 4 to 4.5 in in Diameter with a couple friends, you could lay it down solid. Buy a good grade of contact cement also. Overtime it breaks down. I have used this Sign Board laminating for many projects including a 3.5 X 8 ft Drafting Table. It's still straight today, heavy, but straight.

I find your project so interesting I am going to try it myself. I was looking to buy a whole set of building magnets to try out anyway. Thanks for the idea. I currently use 1/2 and 5/8 in cast off steel I picked up, but it is getting too heavy for this old man to carry.

Bill Bailey