I am building a model for a school and need a material to build it out of. I was wondering which of these three boards are easiest to work with? MDF, Chipboard, Pine or Plywood?
The following are the most important in my choice
How easy is it to get a "natural wood" finish in the material? Be it a veneer or stain
Can It be Laser Cut?
How easily is it cut and drilled?
How well does it glue to other pieces of the same wood?
Will it easily be deformed?
P.S. Is this on the correct site? I colud not find another site on SE to put this question on.
Best Answer
Pine.
It is the the only one of the choices (other than plywood) that will give a natural wood finish easily. Also its edges do not need special treatment, unlike plywood. While veneer makes all of the other choices feasible for finish, that is a complex process on a multifaceted model. Every face and visible edge needs to be precisely laminated.
Pine is the softest, can be easily cut and drilled, and glues well. I cannot speak to laser cutting.
Pine is more easily deformed, but a model is not likely prone to much stress. Shrinkage and swelling might be a bit more of an issue, but less so if well sealed.
A slightly more forgiving wood is poplar. It is a bit more stable and tends to be clear (knot free). It is also a bit more expensive, but not prohibitive.