this is a bump on this post for someone who just asked the same question.

Me personallyy- having tinkered a lot on custom boards, I like metal. I feel that when mounted properly it vibrates smoother and more quiet and is generally more consistent. Having said that, there are some good fiberboard fields and I'm a fan of having various playing surfaces- kind of like tennis with grass, clay, hardcourt, etc.

Fiber
 

I really think that it depends more on the motor type and the frame mounting method than the field material. Wave characteristics are similar across both materials as they are both rectangular membranes vibrating from a fixed frame. I concede that the frequency at which these two field materials will resonate WILL be different as they are materials of differing mass, however that has little impact on field performance in this context.

For an example of how the field mounting matters, think of a snare drum Whether the drum head is made of animal leather, polycarbonate plastic, etc. it vibrates in the same manner. What changes is the frequency at which the material will resonate based on the size of the drumhead and the specific properties of the material. Furthermore, the stiffer the material, the better it sounds (vibrates). The more flexible the material, or looser it is, the more difficult it is to make a sound (again vibration). To sum up, if you have a sloppy, loose drumhead, you will have a poor sounding drum.

As for the motor... think of soundwaves and volume. Electric football requires thousands of quick steady vibrations. This is the frequency of the vibration. This needs to be very fast. Electric football also requires that these quick steady vibrations are not too violent or too soft. This relates to volume also known as amplitude. The greater the amplitude or force of the vibration, the more violent the board will shake. This usually results in players falling over. If the motor is weighted correctly, the board will have consistent vibration across varying rpms. The goal is to find a motor with the right rpms and amplitude to properly power the board.

For me the field could be made of polycarbonate, metal, lexan, abs, ricepaper, etc. I believe that the mount and the motor make the difference.

Very interesting
 

It seems that most prefer the metal vs. fiber. My question is those that definitely prefer metal, have you played on a fiber board more than a few times? A good one, and wouldn't same of the same issues that plague a fiber board over time effect a metal board. ie. warping, over-use, just plain age of the board, etc..

BUMP
 

MOVIN UP FOR ANY NEW GUYS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS